On the hike back down from the Gornergrat, I came across this little mountain chapel—the Kapelle Riffelberg Bruder Klaus. My pronunciation may be questionable, but the light was unforgettable. Perched against the backdrop of the Alps with the Matterhorn just a short distance away, the chapel and surrounding mountains were bathed in that perfect afternoon glow that photographers dream about.
This is one of those images where the light did most of the heavy lifting. My job in post-processing wasn’t to create drama from nothing—it was to reveal and enhance what was already there. The raw file held all the ingredients: detail in both highlights and shadows, beautiful directional light on the chapel, atmospheric distance in the mountains. All it needed was careful masking to bring those elements forward.
Today I’ll walk you through the complete edit in Adobe Camera Raw, showing you how strategic masking can transform a well-exposed but flat raw file into something that captures the magic of being there in that moment.
The Journey: Gornergrat to Riffelberg
Before we dive into the edit, let me set the scene. I’d taken the outrageously expensive train trip from Zermatt—the Gornergrat Bahn—which climbs steadily up to the ridge at the top. This scenic railway takes about 35-36 minutes and rises more than 1,500 meters to the summit of the Gornergrat, which stands at around 3,100 meters elevation.
The ride itself is part of the experience. From every window you’ll see glaciers and jagged peaks, and you can hop off at intermediate stations if you want to explore. On this particular hot summer day, I got off at the top and walked back down toward Riffelberg.
The downhill stroll from Gornergrat to the Riffelsee and Riffelberg area is short and extremely photogenic. You get sweeping Matterhorn views, high alpine meadows, and the famous Mirror Lake—the Riffelsee—which often gives perfect reflections of the Matterhorn in calm conditions. This is best in early morning or late evening, and it’s reliably accessible in the summer months.
I shot plenty of images in this area (which I’ll no doubt process in other videos), but for today I wanted to focus on the Kapelle Riffelberg Bruder Klaus—a small chapel that sits on a mound with a wonderful outlook over the valley at roughly 2,600 meters altitude. You can also see the Gorner Glacier system, one of the largest glacial systems in the Alps, forming a dramatic backdrop to the entire area.
The Edit: Starting with Global Adjustments
Opening the raw file in Adobe Camera Raw, the first thing I notice is the histogram. It’s fairly well-filled, with detail preserved in both the highlights (sky) and shadows (foreground). I pushed the raw file intentionally during capture to retain this latitude—always better to have the data and pull it back in post than to lose detail permanently.
Foundation Adjustments
My global adjustments here are deliberately subtle because this image will rely heavily on masking to reveal different areas.
Contrast: Increased moderately to add overall structure
Shadows: Lifted to bring out foreground detail
Highlights: Pulled back to protect the sky
Whites & Blacks: My standard push-pull technique—whites up, blacks down—for added contrast and dimension
Clarity: Added moderately for that mid-tone contrast I call “crunch” (yes, I use that word a lot, but it perfectly describes the dimensional quality I’m after)
Dehaze: A small amount globally, though I’ll apply more selectively with masks
Sharpening and Lens Corrections
Shot at ISO 100, this image needs no denoising—one of the benefits of shooting in good light with plenty of time to set up properly.
For sharpening, I use my standard workflow:
- Hold Option/Alt while dragging the Masking slider to visualize where sharpening applies (white = sharpened areas)
- Set Amount to 70-80 points
I also enable chromatic aberration removal and lens profile corrections so Camera Raw compensates for the optical characteristics of my Canon 24-70mm lens.
But now we get to the real magic: masking.
Masking: Where the Image Comes Alive
Mask 1: The Sky
The sky is overexposed relative to the rest of the scene—this is natural when shooting into bright late afternoon light. I create a sky mask and make the following adjustments:
Adjustments:
- Exposure: Reduced to bring back tonal richness
- Highlights: Pulled back significantly
- Whites: Pushed up
- Blacks: Pulled down for contrast and drama
- Temperature: Cooled slightly to add more blue to the sky
This creates a more dramatic sky that complements rather than competes with the chapel and mountains.
Mask 2: The Mountains (Select Landscape)
Here’s where things get interesting. The mountains have atmospheric haze and significant blue cast from distance—this is natural physics, but it can make mountains look flat and lifeless. I use the Select Landscape tool to isolate the mountains, then make critical adjustments.
But first, I subtract the foreground area using a brush. I don’t want any of these mountain adjustments affecting the chapel or immediate foreground.
Adjustments:
- Contrast: Increased moderately
- Dehaze: Significant increase to cut through atmospheric haze
- Temperature: Warmed substantially to counteract that blue atmospheric cast and restore the warm light I actually saw
- Whites & Blacks: Push-pull for added contrast
- Clarity: Increased for mid-tone contrast and that “crunchy” dimensional quality
This brings the mountains forward visually and restores the warm alpine glow that was present but subdued in the raw file.
Addressing the Halo Issue
When you zoom in after applying the mountain mask, you’ll notice a halo around the mountain edges—a dead giveaway that the area has been heavily masked. To fix this, I subtract the sky from the mountain mask. This cleans up the edges beautifully, creating a seamless transition that looks natural rather than processed.
Mask 3: The Foreground (Manual Brush)
The foreground grass and immediate area around the chapel need brightening to draw the eye. I use a manual brush to paint over this area, then subtract from areas where I don’t want the effect (like parts of the mountain in the mid-ground).
Adjustments:
- Highlights: Pushed up to let the sunlit grass glow
- Whites & Blacks: Push-pull for that contrasty glow
- Tint: Pulled back slightly to make the grass greener and remove some magenta cast
There’s a small highlight leak in one area that’s bothering me, so I subtract that from the mask using the brush tool. I like that area staying dark—it creates better visual balance.
Mask 4: Linear Gradient (Right Side)
The right side of the image is slightly brighter (where the sun was positioned). I apply a linear gradient from the right edge, reducing exposure and adding some contrast (whites up, blacks down). This evens out the tonal balance and brings the mountains on that side forward more prominently.
Mask 5: Radial Gradient (The Chapel)
This is where I make an important compositional decision. My first instinct was to place a radial gradient directly on the chapel to illuminate it from the side. This works, but something bothered me about it.
What I wanted was to visually tie the chapel to the illuminated patch of mountain behind it—creating a relationship between foreground subject and background. So I repositioned the radial gradient to include both the chapel and that section of mountain, widening it and adjusting the placement until it balanced perfectly.
This subtle shift makes a significant difference in how your eye moves through the image. Instead of the chapel feeling isolated, it now feels integrated with the mountain landscape—exactly the relationship I experienced being there.
Mask 6: Highlight Details (Manual Brush)
Using a soft, feathered brush (shift + right bracket key to soften), I paint over the brightest highlight areas on the mountains. Then I increase clarity and contrast specifically in these areas to give them more definition and texture.
This is a very subtle mask, but it adds that “crunchy” quality to the mountain peaks that makes them feel dimensional and real rather than flat.
Mask 7: Final Texture (Select Landscape Again)
For the finishing touch, I create another landscape selection mask for the mountains, subtract the foreground with a brush, and then increase texture. This brings out micro-detail in the rock faces and snow without affecting the overall tonal balance.
You can see the difference immediately—the mountains suddenly have more tactile quality, more presence.
Final Touches
Overall Adjustments Revisited
As I work with masks, my perception of the overall image changes. I return to global adjustments and make small refinements:
Exposure: Increased slightly to brighten the final image Vignette: Added subtly (just a couple of points) to draw the eye toward the center
These final tweaks ensure everything works together harmoniously.
Before and After: The Transformation
The before image has all the right elements but feels flat—the light is there but subdued, the mountains lack dimension, the chapel doesn’t command attention.
The after image has:
- A dramatic, deeper blue sky
- Mountains with restored warm light and atmospheric clarity
- A glowing foreground that draws the eye naturally
- The chapel integrated beautifully with its mountain backdrop
- Tactical use of texture and clarity for dimensional quality
- Proper visual hierarchy guiding the viewer through the composition
All achieved through strategic masking that reveals rather than invents.
Visiting Gornergrat and Riffelberg: Practical Tips
If you’re planning a photography trip to this incredible region, here are some things I learned:
1. Catch the Early or Late Light
I know—every landscape photography article says “go early, stay out late.” But it’s true. Sunrise or golden hour before sunset gives you clean, beautiful light and the best reflections at the Riffelsee. I was there around 6:30-7:00 PM in summer, and it worked beautifully. Keep in mind I was walking all the way back down to Zermatt afterward.
2. Take the Gornergrat Up, Walk Down
The 33-35 minute train journey is spectacular in its own right. But hiking down gives you variable viewpoints and far fewer crowds than you’d encounter staying on the main tourist routes. It’s the best of both worlds.
3. Budget Your Time Sensibly
The downhill stretch from Gornergrat to Riffelberg is short—only 2-3km and about 35-50 minutes of walking. But if you’re stopping to compose shots, waiting for reflections, and exploring different angles, expect to spend 2-4 hours in the area. Don’t rush it.
4. Summer is Ideal
The trails and Mirror Lake (Riffelsee) are most reliably accessible between June and October. Outside those months, conditions can be challenging or trails may be closed.
5. Prepare for Weather Swings
Bring layers. You can experience bright sun and cold wind within minutes of each other—it’s all part of the mountain package. And I always pack multiple lens cloths. Trust me on this.
6. Refuel in Zermatt
After the hike and mountain air, you’ll be hungry. Try the raclette du Valais (the region’s famous melted cheese) together with some local dried meats. These are proper Valais specialties and perfect for refueling after a day in the mountains.
Technical Details
- Camera: Canon 5DSR (50MP)
- Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8
- ISO: 100
- Location: Kapelle Riffelberg Bruder Klaus, approximately 2,600m altitude
- Additional Gear: Canon EF 17mm Tilt-Shift (wide angle), Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8
- Processing: Adobe Camera Raw with extensive local masking
- Key Techniques: Atmospheric haze correction, halo removal, radial gradient positioning, selective texture enhancement
💬 QUESTION FOR YOU
On this hike I carried three lenses: the 24-70mm, the 17mm tilt-shift, and the 70-200mm f/2.8. Honestly, it’s probably too much gear for mountain hiking, particularly with the weight.
What do you take with you when you go hiking in the mountains? Do you bring everything and accept the weight, or do you minimize and potentially miss certain shots? I’d love to hear other photographers’ perspectives on this—it’s one of my favorite topics, and the gear debate never gets old. Let me know in the comments below!
WATCH THE FULL TUTORIAL
For the complete step-by-step walkthrough including all the masking techniques in real-time, watch the full video above.
That’s it for this edit. If you enjoyed it, please like, subscribe, and hit the bell so you don’t miss the next Processing the World episode. I promise I’ll be getting to that glacier panorama sometime soon!
Thank you for watching and as always, keep shooting. I’ll see you in the next one.