What I’m Wearing
One question that I have been getting frequently over on Instagram is how I edit my photos. Whenever I get asked, I try to give as much information as possible, but I thought it would be a lot more helpful to put it into a blog post! Reading articles and searching the Internet is how I have learned everything that I know about editing. So I thought I would pass the torch and reveal my secrets!
As I have mentioned before, we have not upgraded our camera since blogging. So what that tells you is that all of the progress we have made in our photo quality has to do with learning our camera to the best of its abilities and improving our editing skills. Of course if we had a better camera, our photography would continue to improve. And one day that will happen.
Learning how to use proper editing software is one of the best things you can do for your photo quality. Investing in Adobe Lightroom was one of the best decisions that I have made for my business. I pay the monthly subscription, which I believe is around $10 a month. I also purchased VSCO Film 02 Nikon presets, which essentially give you a choice of filters. I use the N-Kodak Portra 400 VC +for almost all of my photos. But the thing to remember with editing is that it is a rare occasion that you will be able to throw a filter over a photo and call it good. I ALWAYS have to tweak the photo more after I apply the filter. I usually increase the brightness, warmth, tint, contrast, etc. This is the fun part. Get to know each of those tools on the editing sidebar. The best way to learn what looks good is to play, play, play. Edit the same photo over and over again and save it on your computer. Compare the different images and decide what feel and vibe you enjoy the most. The same photo can look SO different dependent upon how you edit it.
I never edit a photo on my phone. And honestly this can be inconvenient at times, and it makes my turnover time longer. I have to upload the photos from my memory card into Lightroom, edit, and then Airdrop to my iPhone for posting. But I would rather wait and post better quality photo by editing via Lightroom then rush to edit on a few iPhone apps. I used to use a few different iPhone apps, but I have not used them over a year and a half. Even if I take a photo via my iPhone (which is rare), I will still edit in on my computer and then send it back to my phone.
What are some of your favorite editing tips? And if you are a blogger, what are some of your favorite Lightroom Presets? Leave your favorites by leaving a comment.
Thanks so much for reading!