We want to see your images that have barely been edited at all
Welcome to the August installment of the Critique the Community! This month's critique theme is going to be "Minimally Edited Photos," and we want to see your best photographs that have hardly been edited at all. Any raw file naturally has to be edited to some degree, so what constitutes a "minimum edit?". You are free to do any basic adjustments to the image's white balance, exposure, color and contrast, but we don't want to see any extreme editing such as compositing, skin retouching, multiple frame blending, warping, cloning, Ai selections and masking, or anything that basically goes beyond what can be edited in Lightroom using just the top 11 sliders.
This critique is open to any genre so feel free to enter your best headshot, landscape, architectural, product, portrait, wedding, or fashion images. There are basically no rules on what the image can feature so long as you have not edited beyond a few color and contrast tweaks.
Top 3 Images - The top 3 submissions will receive their choice of any Fstoppers photography tutorial found in the Fstoppers Store.
Our elaborate and exhaustive photography tutorials not only help photographers immediately start taking professional quality images, but most of our tutorials also share business and marketing techniques that can help make photography a full time income. With genres like Headshots, Landscapes, Architecture and Real Estate, Fashion, Macro, and Product Photography, there is something for every photographer no matter what genre you specialize in. This prize is valued at $299.
Sun, 08/30/2026 - 23:21
New submissions are closed.
Winners have not yet been announced.
Click on the thumbnails below to comment and rate each image.
Click here to learn about the Fstoppers rating system and what each star value means.
65 Comments
When "Needs Work" is declared, the individual (the critic) making that comment should in my opinion be specific. Everyone I see is trying to become a better photographer. Constructive criticism can be a good thing. We all see the world differently and have our own vision. "Needs Work" is a hollow statement without insight. Thats my opinion.
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In an ideal situation, you should be able to receive constructive critique from those who rate your image as "needs work." But the conditions by which these contests operate are far from ideal. For one, the people who cast the most low scoring votes may very well be incapable of articulating a reason for their vote. No proof of that but I suspect they score a picture a "2" if they like it better than a "1" but less than a "3" for no particular reason.
Secondly, your complaint has been a point of contention for years, but Lee and Patrick have shown no appetite for changing the format. I appreciate the time they put into the critique video, but there are two issues that bother me: the YouTube video announcing winners is weeks before it's posted to the Fstoppers site, and the prizes appear to be difficult for winners to collect. Those sort of issues make me think that the contest is driven more by YouTube views than for your benefit as an Fstoppers member and participant in the contests.
Are people actively commenting on your images and simply saying "needs work", or are you reading the websites automated score name as a user comment?
Whilst yes, more constructive criticism is always better, I doubt a voting system would get even 2% of the use if you had to comment with each score given.
Realistically if you want to improve you should be doing that yourself irrespective of what randos think
YES. I've seen that comment on several occasions.
There is no ideal world. I experience the world the way I see it. I photograph it the way I see it. I am the Observer.
Patrick Hall I have a suggestion. Such contests should have the image posted, and the comparing image posted in the comment box, failure to do so leads to a disqualification.
That's fair to me, i'm that one person that gives more credit to the ''true'' photograph, a unique moment captured in time, i think the effort of taking a shot is also part of the work, massive post production can be ok for some tipe of artistic purposes but sometimes makes the photo soulless imo. But also your comment makes me think that i'm a m*ron having deleted old raw files to free space lol
Hi Fabiano, I agree with much of what you expressed. Look at the images of Ernst Haas and the Bullfighting Series. To this day it is some the most beautiful and expressive photography around. One more thing, don't delete RAW files, back them up. They hold the RAW data. As advances in editing keep improving. That RAW data can always be used. Happy trails.
Yes i agree that RAW files are valuable, it's the base level you can work with and once deleted i cannot work again on that photo. Since i'm a full time photographer and videomaker (my own buisiness) i got to delete the old ones to make space...it's a shame but also, it is somewhat a way to force myself to take and work on new shots and keep improving if it makes sense. When i'll afford a new pc i will get more space indeed. Sony A7V log videos are HUGE
Yes, I understand completely. Especially if you're also working with Video files. I started with a film camera; years before the advent of digital. It's been quite a ride. Anyone starting out now needs $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to even get in the game. The quality of work I see these days is astounding. You sound driven and passionate. A great attribute.