Editing is an integral part of photography, but it's easy to fall into common traps that can detract from an image's quality. Understanding and avoiding these mistakes is essential for photographers looking to elevate their work.
Coming to you from Christian Möhrle - The Phlog Photography, this excellent video outlines 10 common editing errors, beginning with the misuse of saturation and vibrance sliders. Novice editors often overuse these tools, seeking to make colors "pop," but this can lead to unnatural and garish results. A more subtle approach, using tools like the color mixer and split toning, is recommended for enhancing colors without compromising the image's realism. Another common mistake is incorrect exposure adjustments. Beginners may adjust exposure too broadly, affecting the entire image, rather than targeting specific areas. Möhrle suggests using a combination of exposure, highlights, shadows, and white sliders to achieve balanced lighting. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of local adjustments, using masks in Lightroom to selectively enhance different parts of an image, thus maintaining a natural look while drawing attention to key elements.
Contrast is another area where mistakes are commonly made. Many rely solely on the contrast slider, losing control over the image's tonal values. Instead, adjusting highlights, shadows, whites, and blacks separately offers more nuanced control, enhancing contrast more precisely. The tone curve tool, though complex, is also highlighted as a powerful means of refining contrast and tonal range. These techniques underscore the importance of understanding and skillfully using a range of tools to achieve the desired outcome, rather than relying on quick fixes. Check out the video above for the full rundown.
And if you really want to dive into landscape photography, check out our latest tutorial, "Photographing the World: Japan With Elia Locardi!"
Alex discovered Christians YouTube channel 😉