Editing…

Editing can make or break a picture. It is our goal as a photographer to get it right straight out of the camera…but let’s admit it, that does not always happen. There are many different programs you can use and all have their pro’s and con’s…personally I use Photoshop CS5 and Lightroom 3.

Now that being said there are many editing styles…you can edit heavily, enhancing and changing the picture to suit your vision, or lightly to just slightly. Finding my editing style has taken time and I still find myself evolving. There are also some editing boo-boos…changing the picture so frankly it just looks…well weird! I am guilty of doing this in the beginning!!

The other major boo-boo? Actions and presets!! These are basically short cuts for editing programs…I am not saying there is anything wrong with them, there are some wonderful actions and presets out there…they make pretty pictures in a the click of a button or two. But the key is knowing HOW to use them! When I was brand spanking new to photo editing and discovered these little shortcuts I thought I had hit pay dirt…after all, I was paying money for these little shortcuts and they make my pictures look awesomely professional…oh so wrong Carla!!  I abused them terribly, because #1. I didn’t know my style and #2. I didn’t know how to use them.

Through many courses on editing, and studying I have found my style is nice and clean and simple. I love bright pictures but I like seeing the subject first…not the editing style. There are fads in editing styles, what is popular now may look cheesy in a few years.

Here is an example of a picture I took over a year ago, the first is the picture straight out of the camera,

 

The second is me ruining the picture with the click of a button, ya I thought this was awesome…lol.

 

The last picture is how I edit today, I searched through my computer and pulled the original file and re-edited this picture how I would for a client and myself.

 You can see if it nice and bright, clean looking, not hard on the eyes:)

I know I will look at this picture in a decade and smile…but look at that over edited picture and slap my forehead;)