8 Quick Photo Editing Tips for Beginners

[@JamesPopsysPhoto]

Is Thursday still midweek? 🤔 👉 Instagram: instagram.com/jamespopsys 👉 Twitter: twitter.com/jamespopsys 👉 Presets, Prints & Books: www.jamespopsys.com/store 👉 Newsletter: www.jamespopsys.com/newsletter 👉My Gear inc 5% off Kase Filters: www.jamespopsys.com/gear

[@tjsinva]

In an "ish" sort of way.

[@acadiamusic514]

Probably depends what day you start your week on 🤔

[@hugo_R898]

If happy hour is everytime, then every day is midweek. Wait no

[@PathinAZ]

I think an important element in editing your own photos, is self awareness. When you first look at your photo, pay attention to where your own eye goes/follows. What feeling do you get and is it the same you want to portray. Is the subject clear or confusing/ not sure what the main interest is. The biggest thing that helped me, as James pointed out, is coming back to it. Many times if necessary, and even the next day. Anyway, that's my thoughts. Great video..

[@TexMex421]

I always crop last, and save a version with no crop. The reason why is there may be more than one ideal crop. For Facebook and some application aspect ratio can be fairly random. But if printing, a 4x5 ratio may be ideal. If sending to a stop photo site, I will crop more loosely as the buyer will have his own crop needs.

[@lizzrobinson]

Been editing for a couple years now, actually really useful to hear the basics again, so much of the basic adjustments I can do without even really thinking about them and its good to be reminded to think about them a bit more than I do!

[@elmachomen]

Great video as always James! I'd like to see a typical beginning to end photo edit from you (maybe with a few different examples to account for diverse scenarios that you'd likely encounter doing landscape or travel photography). I'd really like to see that :)

[@MrMcSwiftface]

Agreed! This channel has got me interested in landscape photography but I don’t know where to start with getting them to look as epic as his does

[@alchemist_x79]

Re: the shadows in the waterfall... I totally agree with your choice. Bringing up the shadows made the cave wall too distracting. It's nice to be able to recover a lot of the detail if you feel that serves the image, but by and large I'm a big believer in shadows being shadows for a reason. I'm not a huge fan of cranking them up just because I can. If for some reason I want to, I'd bracket first anyway to get the maximum dynamic range.

[@amermeleitor]

Too much shadows and highlights recovery tends to give bland images too and gives information overload sometimes. Crush some shadows and highlights and the image would have more punch. As a rule for beginners like me it that is a good practice to watch the work of pro photographers, then as a beginner I can see that they don't recover all the shadows and even sometimes crush the dark in purpose.

[@christianlapointe7796]

Having strong shadows is a framing a composition tool often used in other styles of photography, street photography for example. There are no rules against using silhouettes in landscape photography, it's always an option, an artistic choice. And as you said, shadows are shadows for a reason, we don't see in HDR.

[@scottplumer3668]

Having detail in the shadow areas was one of the things they always drilled into my head in photography classes. For a lot of photos, sure, keep the detail, but in the waterfall photo, you're right. The focus needs to be on the waterfall, not the inside of the cave.

[@andreas_rr]

tbh, i'd say makining the shadows really obscure, but not completely black would be ideal. so thet you know there are rocks and can identify a tiny bit of structure when looking for it, but just so little, that it doesnt get distracting either. Just make it *almost* black imo.

[@lobstrosity7163]

Seeing this really makes you respect all the pre-digital photographers!

[@tacticaldesigns8794]

As an author getting into photography and photoshop, removing redundancy of my writing is a critical skill I employ. My first draft I always do too much, by design. It's easier to take away than to add more content. I write too much knowing I will likely remove it later. So far in my photography, I'm not afraid to have more of a picture knowing I will likely crop it. Why not just crop it as I take it or write precisely on my first try... you can, but often times you discover something more when you allow yourself to have more. I had never considered cropping as a first step, but I definitely see the power in doing so and the histogram example is beautiful.

[@cringecrew101asmr8]

on the part of lens distortion, some of my photos in the past have actually benefited from a distortion. it gives a more camera esc element like pointing up at a tree or building. sometimes that distortion without a tilt shift is great.

[@artos1955]

That almost sounds erotic!😝

[@semmu93]

our taste in photography and editing couldn't be further apart, but i still love watching your videos, learn a lot from them and love your humor! greetings from Hungary!

[@JoshBearheart]

Love to see this kind of video, talking about methods rather than telling people what they should be doing. I personally have the lens correction as the first step in my flow simply because I am unorganized and might use a different lens on one image or another so I just make that the first step in my process so I can't forget it and then start at the top with WB and work my way down. I might jump around a little bit to make minor adjustments to the shadows or whites after making color adjustments, but overall, it makes things easier for me and I usually don't forget anything.

[@danielhenzphotography]

Local adjustments with keeping in mind the hole image is very a useful tip. Might explain some issues with my editing

[@RobotRangerGuy]

Wow, that was terrific. I really mean that. Overview is what I needed instead of burying myself in the details (sliders). That tip about not wasting time on a bad image is gold. Also about walking away and coming back. Thanks :)

[@Cavero427]

I find that taking a break and coming back with fresh eyes helps on a whole bunch of things, whether it's a drawing, designing something, or writing. There's times where you get wrapped up in the moment of creation of whatever it is you're working on and your can lead yourself astray sometimes. Definitely along the same lines as what you were talking about with edit locally/think globally

[@AlynWallace]

Think I preferred Adam Gibbs' luminar tips to be honest. Sweet, sweet crepuscular rays ☀️

[@cristobaltrevinoleal1110]

Props for applying the vignetting effect when you mentioned it!

[@gord_tomlin]

Thanks James, good set of tips. I'll throw one more in for the list, even before cropping. If you need to do any straightening or perspective correction, you want your crop to be based on the corrected image.

[@King-Bird-2TV]

This video really helped me. I am a photo editing novice and your advice is absolutely on the money. Thank you! Paul

[@paultidsy4019]

Great tips for simplifying the process, thanks James. Also that's a really nice pony!

[@theprogguitarist]

It would be really cool to see a complete edit (for example for that beautiful waterfall picture). I often feel discouraged as a beginner that my photos out of camera don't always have these amazing colours etc, and I don't always know where to start editing

[@pavel228]

Thanks for the advice. Especially the one about eye over histogram and the one, that a bad foto can't be improved or "fixed" in edit. That's stuff you usually know in theory, however, sometimes a little reminder is very helpful!

[@robertray1284]

Great video, James. See you on Saturday. Thank You.

[@DominicMuir]

Loving the midweek upload ☺️

[@themitchheard]

Terrific video! Would love to see a quick how to on the process after taking the SD card out of the camera and before editing. Import, backup, naming, organization, dealing with the size of all the images. Thanks!

[@jimfok4343]

Excellent review, especially about time spent and stepping away for a bit. Sometimes it's hard to give up on a photo, but for sanity's sake you just have to. - Elaine

[@tommayo5778]

Midweek Popsys! Winner 👍👍

[@dailydriven991]

This is the most helpful editing tutorial I’ve seen. When you changed the sky I thought “wow that looks quite nice.” And then you mentioned how terrible it made the photo look and I eventually saw it 🤦🏻‍♂️. Also I love the pale, clean color palette of your photos. I have a lot to learn.

[@Franc-ob5ng]

THANK YOU! Your thinking different always inspires me!!!

[@colbybundy6082]

Love the mid-week video, James. Tip 7 is my favorite.

[@Sketchupification]

Just got into photography again and I really enjoy your videos. Lots of great tips there. You got yourself a subscriber.

[@rucksackrebellen]

07:47 Lens profiles are baked into the EXIF data by modern cameras when a supported lens is used, and automatically applied by Lightroom. There is a message that shows "built-in lens profile applied" in that case. When using Lightroom, unless you want to use custom profiles, you don't have to worry about that.

[@genewaddlerandomstuff2122]

Sometimes it's really good to just go back and touch again on the basics. A lot of the advancements in editing software has simply been to make the basics easier to do.

[@joycady8325]

Love it when you do LR editing tips! In fact, the first photo that you viewed was the one that I purchased and received the other day. Thank you!

[@drwalka10]

Thanks James

[@Relyse]

Great tips thanks James. The lens correction on import will be a game changer.

[@2phase965]

I just started photography and I've been doing a few of these unknowingly lol. I make music and i guess the creative process I picked up from that has helped me here. Thanks for the the informative video!

[@Ktizo_Images]

Outstanding James! Thanks.

[@Joe_Edits]

Great video! great to always learn things from your videos

[@ImpManiac]

This video really helped me. I am a photo editing novice and your advice is absolutely on the money. Thank you! 🙂 Paul 😎

[@byoregon1]

I should print out tip #7 and post it over my studio computer! I love editing and have lost track of the time I’ve wasted trying to save a crappy shot. Thx James.

[@JFW5358]

Very useful reminder James. Thank you.

[@mitch-lawless]

Loved tip 7. Very true.

[@soiammagenta]

Wow, this was a reallly really great video! Thank you!

[@johnclay7644]

useful few tips on photo editing

[@marios739]

thank you great video, love the music inbetween, simply makes me smile :)

[@davidheilbron]

Thank you for the tips

[@DrixxMadison]

Gr8 tips! Thanks so much James. Early in my photo journey.

[@hilleviupmanis8687]

Thank you!

[@kevinhumphries763]

Really enjoyed this video James thank you.

[@Blood_Doc]

Fabulous video. Very helpful and, as always, humerous!

[@ashstubbings2603]

Isn't it nice to know when you're getting things right? (on the whole). I'm pretty much following all 8 of your tips.. apart from the fact that I don't use Lightroom, so I can't do the 'edit locally' thing. Unfortunately the editing software I use (it's free, what can I say?) only let's me edit the whole image. But what d'ya want for nothing? 😁

[@CarolSmith-n7m]

so good! thanks!!

[@der.kommentierende.komment5275]

Lovely Video, For me personally tho I like to turn off the profile corrections as I want the character of the lens to show. It is more of a style choice to have that distortion near the edges

[@wendynewing8834]

Thanks for a really clear and informative video full of great tips and workflow. I don't know how to tell you this - but I really like the pony photograph. I think he is looking at you from behind his forelock.

[@TLM823]

Excellent tips… really helpful! Simple but powerful, thank you.

[@RusashkaTravel]

thanks. really useful tips.

[@AlexConey]

Another great video James, thanks! I’m pretty new so this may be a dumb question, but why LrC over Lr?

[@eddieteabagify]

Good practical tips. Thanks.

[@AndrewWilsonOz]

Luke Skywalker killed The Hut. :) Great tips as always. Thanks.

[@jayc.2139]

Great stuff thanks for the quick tips.

[@jules_mac]

Very helpful, thanks 👍

[@aslater4385]

thanks, I like your reasoning!

[@jonnyisbarretta]

You’re a genius

[@genericposterofaudio6837]

This video was extremely helpful! :)

[@SpyderLEE]

Is that a nice tudor on your arm? 😁 I like those black bay’s

[@Jakobmyershowareyou]

Thank you for your tips! Can we get some more, please?🙏🏼

[@byunTAEuP]

Is there ever a chance that you want to keep the photo as not having lens corrections? I remember there being a different set of tutorials that argued against lens corrections so would like to see different explanations for or against it.

[@edvardkvist3656]

Hi James!, what's your personal opinion on local editing. Where do you think the line should be drawn between using photography as an artform and "photoshop" edits. I hope you see what my question is, cheers!

[@tjsinva]

Nice breakdown. 👍🥂

[@AoyagiAichou]

Oh nice, mid week video from James. Hope this'll become a habit of yours! :) Looking forward to watching this at home. FWIW my biggest problem is when I'm doing events and having to do white balancing in like two or three waves. I can't seem to ever nail it (for pleasing non-orange skin tones) on the first attempt and I need to get the photos done quickly.

[@HB-ow9wy]

Would you start by hitting AUTO after you crop as a basis for editing your photo?

[@CluelessYoutuber]

That tip about lens correction on import was so useful! I didnt know it had that and I know I forget to do that myself 😂 thanks James! Incredibly useful video

[@Pad13]

Any chance of a full step by step on one image?

[@superfluidity]

I just switched from Digikam to Lightroom recently. Very useful tip about lens corrections. I'd been assuming LR did it by default, but I see now it doesn't. I was confused by the "Built in lens profile applied" message, which is not the same thing at all.

[@orianananana]

should i just get the photography adobe subscription or the photoshop one

[@shanephillips7704]

Very helpful!

[@josey304]

Im not familiar at all with “lens correction” besides extortion which i dont really encounter, what else does it do that would make it necessary? Haven’t heard of it before

[@Der_Ed]

You can move the tabs, though. I just put the lens correction one as the first on top.

[@samrey6536]

Just watched first 2nminutesband already loved it hahaha ❤ great man

[@SolFaithman]

Lens correction - very useful to apply presets/do it on import BUT you can also help yourself not forget even further by moving the lens Correction segment of the develop module up to the top of the panel. So when editing you work from the top down and it'll be the first thing your see above the "basic" panel. This will further help to ensure you don't miss it when editing images.

[@stephenschmid492]

Isn't there a checkbox in the Develop module that can just always have lens correction turned on?

[@TheBobOnBass]

You reminded me of the movie Bio-Dome: "Think Globally, Act Locally"

[@mendo35]

Good stuff, some useful tips.

[@kapilbhallafoto]

Good recap

[@paulcomptonpdphotography]

I don't have set profiles for my fuji

[@hummersd]

Love it, and appreciate these tips. On #7 I think the pony shot is fantastic, but do see and understand your perspective. For #8 completely agree; I'll do a quick browse to see what photos I want to work on, then work on them, and re-review later after a complete break away from it before adding to a shared album.

[@jimboshizz]

I use both iPad and Mac, so I use Lightroom, not Lightroom classic. Am I missing out?

[@MrMuralikrishna1982]

Good one bro👍

[@DavidSenteno]

I hate to say it but a really good tutorial video. I think I'll steal the idea. Cheers.

[@peterc2248]

I had an ingrowing toenail hacked out this morning so no getting out for me for a week. Ideal time to revisit my LR catalog :-)

[@saifalbarwani9800]

Last tip is on point. Many times I’d be satisfied with an image only to come back later and find its not that good.

[@SamanyayGhosh]

Which app is this photoshoot?

[@mishkalarsoncreations]

Great advice! I have done very little editing to this point, and now am going to give it a shot. I agree that a little should go a long way. Too much and it becomes a Marvel movie lol.

[@mishkalarsoncreations]

Is that really you telling me I won something or is it a malicious troll? Just checking…

[@SibaNL]

Lightroom seems to enable lens corrections by default for me, I haven't changed anything in the default at least.

[@jamesin9555]

Is that a Tudor pro?

[@steveboys5369]

Hi James, another interesting video thanks for sharing ... re number 7 .. alternate title, "no point trying to polish a turd". Believe me when it comes to photos I've made lots of turds. Re lightroom .. I use a free editor, Nikon NXStudio so i'm pretty limited in what is possible, being from God's county where arms a short and pockets are deep!. Re Cropping - I try to compose narrow and widen the shot for the composition I want, but shoot a fraction wider than that, so that I can adjust composition just a touch if needed. I'm pretty sure I got that one from you if I'm honest.

[@LPZathura]

great video :) even for more experienced photographers it helps a lot! :)

[@TheJoshuaJames]

I usually hit up denoise first thing 😅

[@vibingwithqueenkee932]

What laptop is that?

[@evawettergren7492]

Honestly, editing is my least favourite part of photography. I generally only do crop, fix the temp and exposure. That is all I can be bothered to do. I might start with local editing too though... that was a real eye opener and I can immediately think of several photos that I really could have used that on.

[@platinumoregon1148]

I thing that cropping should be the last adjustment You make, while editing a photo !!