Ron Leach

We've all suffered the disappointment of capturing what we thought was a spectacular photograph, only to return home, pull it up on the computer, and discover that the image is painfully soft. Maybe the problem was camera or subject movement, incorrect camera settings, or some other mistake, and other times we can't even identify the culprit.

Are you one of those inexperienced Photoshop users who avoid taking advantage of Blend Modes because you feel that your rudimentary skills aren't up to the task? We'll forgive this common misconception because, after all, there are 27 Blend Modes from which to choose. And that sounds quite complicated.

What if we told you there's a common post-processing mistake that one pro call "massive" that may be spoiling your photos? You may not realize that this error is responsible for unrealistic photos, even though it's super easy to fix.

Here's a quick-and easy explanation of color theory from the Photoshop Together YouTube channel, with a specific focus on a transformative yet oft-ignored tool that enables you to  significantly boost the impact of all sorts of photographs that don't quite make the grade.