Editing is a massive part of my photography process. Every one of my images gets processed through photoshop before I post it on here, so it's a pretty crucial step for me! I've shared some simple photography tips before on the blog, but I haven't really touched on editing yet. I am by no means an expert as there is an unlimited amount of things you can achieve with all sorts of editing software, but I thought I'd just share some general tips I have learnt along the way. Most of these tips are related to photoshop but some of them are transferrable to any program.
1// Shoot in RAW if possible. I swear by my RAW setting on my camera because it means that I can correct things like exposure errors that would have been impossible to correct in a jpeg (see below). My flat does not get a lot of natural light in the day, so I always have to brighten my pictures. If you want to read more about shooting in RAW there is a great article here.
2// Adjust the image settings in RAW processing first. If you shot your image in RAW, when you open your image in photoshop it will automatically take you to the RAW processer. This is the place to adjust all your light and colour balance settings because the RAW file holds much more information than a jpeg. I always spend a little while playing with the exposure, white balance and colour temperature in RAW before opening it as a jpeg to do the more artsy part of the editing.
3// Crop Sensibly. Cropping can really enhance the focus of a photograph, but it can also ruin it. I try not to rely on cropping too much and focus on getting the composition right on the camera, but clever cropping can be a great image saver!
4// The clone stamp is your friend. Sometimes I am just too lazy to move that wire or dust that shelf (shock horror!) so I am forever using the clone stamps to get rid of unsightly things. I also use it to repair details lost in over exposure - like the little faces of the dolls above!
5// Take advantage of actions. Actions are sets of editing tools grouped together under one handy button! You can make your own or there are loads of free actions you can download and plug-in to photoshop. I have a few that I use all the time... One of my favourites is "Quick Edge Burn" which creates a vignette around the edges and really makes the focal point of the picture stand out.
6// Experiment with curves... Creat a new layer and make adjustments to the curves on that, then you can always start again if you need to. I often use curves to give a photo a muted vintage tone.
7// Adjust the vibrance rather than the saturation. The vibrance tool boosts the dull tones and protects the bright ones from getting over saturated - so your colours will pop without being too much.
8// Sharpen your images. There are lots of different ways to sharpen up your images, I tend to use an action or the sharp filter tool. This is almost always a necessity for me as I make a lot of focus mistakes (shhh).
9// Create light effects using the fill and brush tools. On a new layer play with different brush settings and literally paint light on to your photograph. Change the opacity levels to make fun misty effects. Violet from Blythe Ponytail Parades uses this method in her gorgeous photoshoots!
10// Don't be afraid to put your own stamp on things! It's great to develop your own style with your photos, and editing is a big part of that. For example, I like mine to be quite sharp and vibrant, but I also love looking at dreamy faded pictures by other people.
This is barely the tip of the iceberg with Photoshop, but I hope it gives some sort of an insight into my editing process... Do you have any favourite editing tips?
x Rachel
