6 Unique Ways To Master Photo Editing
Editing allowed me to pursue photography as a career.
How? You see, when I started photography as a teen, I was in a space dominated by older people.
These people had $15,000 camera setups and most of their photo quality was generally great.
With my $300 camera, it seemed impossible to stand out & create quality photos
That's when editing 'saved' me.
I spent a lot of effort into developing my editing skills, and now it has become one of my biggest strengths.
In fact, I was one of the world's youngest photographers to ever work with Lightroom.
For me, editing is an art.
Today, I am going to show you how you 6 steps to master it in a unique way!
1. Learn All The Settings
(I use Adobe Lightroom because it was recommended by every photographer I met)
Go to YouTube & search 'Lightroom Editing Basics'.
Then, briefly get a theoretical idea of what each edit setting does to a photo.
Learn the section of:
Light (exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, etc)
Color (temperature, vibrance, saturation, HSL, etc)
Effects (texture, clarity, etc)
Detail (sharpening, noise reduction)
If you're just beginning, DON'T overwhelm yourself with advanced editing features such as selective adjustments, curves & color grading. You can do that after (more on that later).
2. 'Playditing': Learn by Playing
Once you have a rough idea of the definitions of some settings, it's time to test it practically.
First, upload your photos onto Lightroom on your phone/desktop.
Second, go crazy.
I mean, play around with each setting's sliders. This is going to be the most natural way to learn editing!
+100 exposure and -100 exposure, do the same for each setting.
Why? You're feeding your subconscious by learning what each setting does to a specific photo.
After this, start combining random settings. Get curious
What happens if you do +50 contrast & -25 shadows?
Do this many times, & you'll become a natural in no time!
3. Get Deeper
Remember, you can't master something until you learn the principles.
Once you have a fairly good understanding of the simple editing settings, you can now get into the advanced features.
Selective adjustments allow you to select specific areas to apply editing settings on. It allows you to get creative, and it's what transformed my photos forever.
Start playing around with selective adjustment tools (linear, radial & brushes).
Becoming specific with your photo editing will allow you to express your creativity.
BTW, I personally rarely use curves, and I never use the color grading feature (just prefer not to), but you can experiment with those too.
YouTube tutorials are the best resource to learn editing settings. If you're confused about any setting, search it up online.
4. Imitate Styles (Steal like an Artist)
Do you have any favorite photographers? Try to imitate their styles onto your photos.
Remember, creativity is a combination of pre-existing ideas. (Read more here)
Also, creativity doesn't exist without inspiration.
When you try to imitate an existing style, you'll either get close/fail. Either way, you will gain experience.
The failure to copy is what leads to unique discoveries.
Personal experience + external inspiration + open minded learning = creativity.
5. Visualize Before You Edit
In fact, imitation trains you to visualize an end goal before you start editing.
Having a final goal (before you start editing) forces your brain to creatively look for ways to achieve that final image.
When you edit with intention to create something specific, the process becomes simpler.
That's how I learned editing very quickly.
6. Creating Your Style
Following from no. 4, it's important to know that creativity comes from a combination of ideas, not just one.
Replicating one photographer's work is copying.
Combining multiple photographers' styles into one is 'unique'.
With time, when you master multiple editing styles, use experimentation, break the rules & form your own - you eventually get the chance to form your own unique style.
Creativity isn't magic, it's a just strategic work.
You HAVE to be patient with this. It doesn't just come without a ton of effort.
BONUS TIP #1: Focus on Photography
NEVER rely on editing to improve your photography.
Your priority should always be the photography principles.
In editing: you can make a good photo better, but you can't make a bad photo better.
Focus on settings, lighting, composition, subject behavior, etc.
I personally find it impossible to edit a photo with bad lighting.
BONUS TRIP #2: Accessibility
This is an underrated point.
I'm a professional that edits 90% of my photos on phone.
Why? Because of how accessible it is.
Whenever I'm bored or I have a lightbulb moment, I quickly open Lightroom on my phone and start editing.
There's virtually no friction to opening your phone compared to sitting down by your computer; which is something you won't have that much accessibility to.
Additionally, 99% of my work is seen by people using their phones, so it just makes perfect sense to edit photos on phone.
It's funny how people just set norms to how things work, and people follow it and end up limiting their potential.
For any advice given to you (even mine), use what's useful & ignore the rest (while being open minded).
That's how you set up your own path.
BONUS TIP #3: Evolve
I know the general goal of photographers is to find a unique style, but I don't think it should be that important.
I believe versatility is key.
Sticking to one style limits your growth as a photographer. You'd close yourself to so many opportunities.
If you scroll through my photos, you'll notice that I went through several editing phases.
From bright green, dark & moody, to colorful, to now generally everything. (I like the flexibility of editing whatever I want).
I evolved as a photographer and will continue to do so forever, as long as I am open minded.
Always be open-minded and allow yourself to evolve as a photographer.
Ending
This was one of my most requested topics, thanks to those that suggested!
If this helped, feel free to reply to this or message me (@spotclickpost)
Hope I left you inspired.
Till next time,
Dhir
P.S: Whenever you feel ready, here's what I do:
Personalised Online Coaching: Let's discuss photography techniques, branding strategies, instagram growth & more!
Wildlife Photo Tours: Explore & capture stunning images of African wildlife in Kenya - directly under my guidance.
Prints: Explore fine art prints for your home or as a gift to someone.
