Creating a successful image is almost always a two-step process: shooting and editing. As you grow comfortable with your camera, you should also work on developing your post-processing skills. This excellent video tutorial features an experienced photographer sharing some of the fundamentals of editing photos and offering some helpful advice sure to put you on the right track.
Coming to you from Roman Fox, this awesome video tutorial will teach you some of the fundamentals of editing photos. From a philosophical standpoint, I think one of the most important points Fox makes is understanding that good edits start with good shots. There is often the idea that you can "save it in post," and while it is certainly true that modern post-processing software can perform small miracles, you can't will a good photo into existence with a computer. This is often where beginners waste the most time, in trying to correct bad lighting, sharpen a blurry shot, or fix a sloppy composition. The closer you get it in camera, the easier it will be to edit. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Fox.
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Great post, somethings I wish I knew before ever getting that first or many images the wrong way. I would like to add some more. Get a book that tells and shows what the camera can do for still and video, there are so many genres and every maker tries to pack it all in. In a book find all the settings that only affect Jpegs and write down and put in your bag, Jpegs can be edited but the key is do both RAW and Jpeg just to see what you pay for as to what the camera's brain will do also do a camera auto each time, you may learn some things. I believe the hardest thing is getting the color you saw correct, you can increase or degrease after. Most AWB get it but selecting a another can be trouble after. First to keep it simple just use a programs color picker but you need a spot that you get 46 46 46 below the picker but you will find it very hard to find. I recommend the inexpensive datacolor spydercube and put on a selfie stick, just take two images one with and one without the in a program like Lr you work the one with the cube (it will get the exposure and colors and more) and send to your image. My example is a blue hour an the Grand Canyon for there are so many colors and light hits the grains of different rocks all day and night. Most images you see in the gift shop and when using AWB will have a bluish tint deep down even at high noon but your eyes will see a rainbow of colors. Exposure is key but the colors are hard to get later in post and after a day of many image you really have no clue what you saw at that time. What you get with the Cube is a two sided grey card, why? where was the coming from?
What about night shots getting colors of foreground and sky or even when lit by reflecting new LED lights off above clouds like a studio softbox. And yes ever go Spelunking (caves) where different colored
temperature lights are used and getting the right exposure level in a dark place.
Or carry a Grey dome and color temp calibrate the camera.
Also in post you can pick a profile (Lr) at the start to get the color of the beach (portrait) that is not available in RAW! Another for Jpeg.
So many ways and sometimes so little time!
Also your monitor does it get the most colors. You will learn so much over the years!!!