The 5 biggest editing mistakes photographers make
"Photography is 50% of creating a stunning photograph, and editing is the other 50%."
That's what I, and many others, believe.
With editing, you can't make a terrible photo into an amazing photo.
But you can ruin an amazing photo with terrible editing.
Today, we're going through the 5 biggest editing mistakes photographers make.
Terrible edit vs An Amazing edit.
Before we hop to the mistakes, I want to make sure you understand how editing can make a huge difference.
I want to showcase some edits from me back in 2019.
(This was 2+ years into my photography journey.)
Photo 1:
Edited in 2019:
Edited again 2023:
Photo 2:
Edited in 2019:
Edited again 2023:
And... my most popular image to date:
Edited in 2019:
Edited again in 2022:
Can you see a difference?
At least I can, and I think it's quite massive.
I've learned a ton about editing over the 7+ years I have photographed.
And now, I want to save you some time by telling you some of those lessons.
1) Avoid Oversaturation
Yes, colors are beautiful.
And I want them in my photos too...
But there's a point when there's too much of them.
See this photo...
Do you think there's perhaps a bit too much color?
I'd say so. Definitely.
When we look at the re-edited version, I've taken both the saturation and contrast down.
Now it looks much more natural.
That's 1 of the key lessons I want you to take away from this Letter:
Often, a photo looks best when people don't notice you've edited it a ton.
Professional-looking photographs often aren't too saturated.
Now, that said, photography is art.
You can do whatever you want.
But, I'd bet, many of you who read this, agree with me the 2022 version with less color and contrast is much better.
2) Avoid Excessive Sharpening
This is a mistake many beginner photographers make especially.
Yes, it's important a photo is sharp.
But, as with saturation, there's a point where there's too much.
When you analyze professional photographs, the photos are sharp enough.
The sharpness isn't something you often pay attention to.
You could use that as a rule of thumb:
If you can see a significant change in sharpening without zooming in, you've likely over-sharpened.
Here's an example.
This version is well sharp:
This version is too sharp:
Over-sharpening can also introduce more noise - and halos - making the photo look unnatural.
Often phones especially over-sharpen photos.
So, if you take photos with a phone, maybe even soften the image when editing instead of sharpening it further.
3) Be Careful with the Clarity and Texture sliders
I love using Clarity and Texture in my photos.
Using these well can make for incredible changes in your photos.
But... failing to use these well, will result in terrible photos.
Look at this example.
Here's the photo edited in 2024 using Clarity and Texture properly:
And here's an exaggerated version of using too much Clarity:
That is how badly you can ruin an image.
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The previous 3 points in a nutshell:
Edit photos, but don't let it seem you've edited them a lot.
If everyone can see you've made edits, then you've probably overdone them.
4) Don't ignore the basics
Many make these 3 basic mistakes:
1) They forget to correct their horizons.
Sometimes, we take a photo where the horizon is not level.
I take those too.
But then it's important to correct that in the post-processing.
If you don't, something will feel "off".
2) They forgot to correct the White Balance
This is a crucial step to take.
Maybe you have a great white balance in the RAW file, then you don't need to do corrections.
But if the white balance isn't ok, you gotta change it to avoid a photo having unnatural color casts.
This is an easy adjustment you can make in the software.
3) They forget to correct the exposure.
Sometimes, you nail the exposure.
Sometimes, you intentionally or not, don't have a perfect exposure out of the camera.
I like to underexpose my photographs to make sure I don't lose detail in the highlights.
In post-production, I correct the exposure.
Not paying attention to the overall exposure can result in photos that are just too dark, or too bright.
And that kind of a photograph isn't pleasant to watch.
5) Avoid an Inconsistent style
Now, you can, again, do anything you want with the edits.
And it's totally OK for some edits to vary from one photo to another.
But often, you want to have consistency in your photos.
Why?
1) When you take multiple photos at the same time, if each has a different edit, it can look a bit disjointed.
2) A consistent editing style makes your social media grid look more cohesive and professional.
3) Your portfolio will appear polished and well-curated.
One easy way to achieve consistent edits is by using Presets.
You can create your own or use ones from others.
If you’re interested in checking out my presets, click here.
Summary
Edit your photos, but don't overedit - balance is the key.
Master the basics, as skipping them can hold you back.
Consistency in your work makes your social media grids, and portfolio, look professional.
If you’ve already invested time in learning photography, refining your editing skills is the next logical step. It’s what separates good photos from amazing ones, making your work truly stand out.
After 7+ years of editing, I’ve gathered the most impactful lessons into the HK Editing Masterclass & Preset Pack. It’s designed to help you elevate your editing game. If you’re serious about taking your photography further, this could be the perfect next step.
-> [Learn more about the Masterclass & Preset Pack] <-
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Till next emails, my friend.
Hugo
P.S. When you're ready, these are 3 ways I can help you.
#1: Ready to crush it on social media in 2024? Click here to apply to my 1-1 Social Media Coaching Program.
#2: Have you seen my YouTube channel? I've put stuff out there too. I bet you'd find it valuable. Check out my latest videos and come give me a like and subscribe. :)
#3: I have a lot of free resources out there. Read the past Letters here.
P.S.S. I've started recently to use Shortform again. This allows me to learn faster (by reading amazing book summaries) which is essential for my growth.
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