Here’s a few of my best tips for editing your wildlife photos in ON1 Photo RAW 2018. With the simplicity of using the filters in Develop and Effects, we can create truly memorable and touching images of our friends in the animal kingdom. Download a 30-day trial of ON1 Photo RAW 2018 and follow along!

1: Removing unwanted objects from your images.
In ON1 Photo RAW 2018 there are two ways to remove unwanted objects from your photos. The Retouch Brush (R) and the Perfect Eraser (Q). The Retouch Brush works greater removing objects with similar texture behind it. The Perfect Eraser does a great job of removing objects where the texture is not the same behind the object.
2: Using Dynamic Contrast to make certain spots stand out.
In Effects, adding the dynamic contrast filter, the first thing we want to do is invert the filter under the masking options icon next to the filter name. Using the Masking Brush (B), you can paint in the effect where you want it applied. Use this filter sparingly and subjectively, it will make your photos really stand out!
3: Understanding how to apply sharpness back to your images.
Using either local adjustments or the sharpening filter in Effects we can add sharpness exactly where we need it. Similar to what we did with Dynamic Contrast, we are going to invert this filter and paint it exactly where we need it. Using the filter this way gives us more control and allows us to protect specific areas and luminosities in our frame. We can protect shadows or darkness so that we can make sure we do not apply noise into the image when we are painting in sharpness.
4: How to deal with Noise in Dark Situations.
Often in situations like this with bad light, we have to pump up our ISO to gather enough light but also to use a fast enough shutter speed to counter the use of a really long lens. In the Effects module, we can use the Noise Reduction filter. This allows us to add a very small blur layer across the frame. With the preset options inside of the filter, we can choose to have the noise reduction only affect our shadows or whatever luminance we want.
5: Focus on the Eyes
Once you have your tones correct, move over to the local adjustments panel in Develop and use your masking brush to paint in some detail and/or lightness into the eyes of your subject.