How Much Photo Editing is TOO Much?

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

Re the backlit shot: rather than HDR, you might have tried an exposure stack. Just two images: one exposed for the sky and reflection, the other exposed for the buildings. The latter could be slightly under-exposed so that, when you merge them, it will still look backlit but bright enough to look as your eyes saw them. It wouldn't look HDR-y (new word!) and you'd reduce or eliminate halo & extra noise.

[@tjsinva]

All good things to keep in mind. Prague looks like a good bucket list candidate. Good job getting ahead on your uploads when you're reportedly at 3800m in Nepal. Hopefully, the thin air isn't kicking your butt. Safe passage wherever! Rock on!

[@lifefootsteps7506]

That tripod leg was right on the edge man!! 😳

[@lint2791]

Nah the edge was on the tripod leg

[@cbroerse]

I was very distracted from the Brendan, kept looking at the leg. One small push and his camera would disappear in the water!

[@donh4907]

Sometimes you have to work with what your given. Yep the leg was on the edge. Unless BVS lurches into the tripod, it's not going anywhere.

[@lifefootsteps7506]

Don H thanks 😂

[@Semeyaza]

Damn right... I was tense the whole time expecting him to turn and push the camera into wet, dark oblivion.... Cheers

[@MatthewSaville]

Hehehe, indeed I love my NEF and ARW files... +1 to +2 on exposure, and +100 Shadows AND +100 Blacks, ...no problem! As a timelapse photographer, I can't always bracket, and I don't always have the extra space in my bag for a big fat square filter system for GNDs, if I'm running timelapses on 2-3 cameras at once. (Or vlogging) Having said that, overall color and tone always trumps sheer shadow recovery, and in-Lightroom HDR blending is now more efforltess than ever before, so unless you REALLY do need to get insane dynamic range out of a single file, (and no, "shooting sloppy" is not a good reason,) ...then literally any camera these days is more than good enough for even the toughest conditions... Gorgeous images, Brendan, my favorite was the "turned around" shot!

[@treyfoerster8759]

Hey, want to thank you. Many of your tips from the vids helped me to get an outstanding shot of some rapids near me.

[@shaken0007]

Great video - nice to see that spontanious decisions are a part of good photography. I guess years of experience gives you good insticts. Technically solving a light issue something i am still struggling with and trying to make an image work. Video really helped👍🏻

[@SteveP_2426]

Brendan, totally agree with you about people taking photos on phones etc. Take what you want then get out of the way of others! ...... I was on Karlov Most for sunrise in summer 2 years ago...only thing I had to worry about was trying to avoid the 2 street cleaners who were doing impressions of tortoises walking along the bridge. I ended up in exactly the spot you did to avoid the backlight. Nice shots.

[@PeteMiller]

Get the image ‘as right as possible’ in-camera, that way you have less “what does this image need” input when post-processing!

[@MikePanic]

Was in Prague 13 months ago, had the same feeling when I got to the bridge for sunrise with the same group of people having wedding photos shot, and walked to the other side, around to the right and found the same restaurant and the same patio you were at! Very pleased with the image I was able to capture imgur.com/EhOtUve albeit not the 'traditional' Charles Bridge photo everyone knows. X-Pro2, 10-24, 3LT tripod + L bracket, Breakthrough X4 ND filter.

[@travissaunders4686]

You probably could have talked a little about ISO Invariant sensors. That is the reason behind The A7RIII's great shadow detail recovery.

[@donh4907]

BVS your work is steadily improving. Like that recently you are showing more of the finished product. Earlier blogs seems more about the process the adventure of the moment. On-Prague: lovely place but being strangled by its beauty. Maybe as many humans per square meter as Paris on new years eve.

[@tysonator5433]

I had the same photo image at 6.10mins, except mine was full of tourists and stretch performers. As I did not get up at 4am to get to the bridge at stupid o clock, ..ha

[@twotone3070]

I thought there may still be an image on the silhouette bridge, if it would take a large crop into the middle. The lit windows of the domed building with a line of street lamps heading towards the arch. Interesting shaped skyline and still having the light reflecting on the cobbled street. But, as I say, a massive crop and maybe it wouldn't take it.

[@chrisborgmotorhome]

Nice to see how you set up for a photo and what type of filter you use. Also great to see how you edited in lightroom.

[@SalvatorePisanu]

finally, someone that notice it, people taking shots and starring there for idk what reason, I always do changes at home and never on spot LoL, magic place, I went there and it is great for make good pics

[@bradzaruba9686]

Just returned from three days in Prague. Your video reminds me of exactly what I saw while there. I took photos from each end of the bridge and close to where you were on the water. Probably got the same swan! I enjoyed the effort and appreciate your efforts that don't result in an "epic" photo! It's OK. Oh, you said that.

[@hughwolfe1176]

Prague looks like a beautiful city. I have a co-worker who visits there often, air travel benefits really help... The rail transportation looks very advanced by comparison to Amtrak standard.

[@Melissa_939]

Really nice pictures Brendan! It really is quite amazing how far you can push raw photos during editing.

[@TheOmegaKira]

OMG I feel you on the take your picture and move.... I got up early to shoot at the Lincoln Memorial at sunrise; for this particular shot I wanted; and like 5 people did that to me. What's worse is they were runners, so I presume they weren't actually doing photography related things! I hate to inconvenience people so I didn't say anything... but yea... I feel you.

[@soccerbabe13129]

I'm super new to learning photography....is this editing program a free or paid for service and if so how much and is it called light room or is that a different thing?

[@jensvielmann7662]

Backlit is my favorite form of photography. That’s why I do (still) not use Canon. And because I look at photography as art, I have no problems blending images etc. you Do not have to have the hdr look when using multiple images. E.g. luminosity masking. For me: I want to have the sun an pretty colors in the image... and not turn away because of dr issues. Granted different goals here. Never shoot editorial or such...

[@scottman895]

Awestome video! Lightroom is definitely a powerful tool when it comes to photo editing. I really like your opinions on this topic. I feel that when it comes to editing a photo, the only time a photo looks like it has been edited too much is when it looks very unrealistic and there is too much noise. Whenever an edit gives that photo that wow factor, go for it!

[@johnallibon2792]

Superb pics & super educational, thanks - JA

[@MSmith-Photography]

I do push beyond -50 and +50 partly because I'm shooting with a Canon T6 and partly because I sometimes like the look. Go me. 😁

[@rothschildianum]

What time did you wake up? I was there 3 mornings in a row. I woke up 4:30 am. Around 5:30, the sky becomes so bright already. I was there in April.

[@jamesscarborough9545]

Why didn't you bracket the exposure and then merge the shots?

[@1spitfirepilot]

Great - but does bracketing have to have an 'hdr' look? Done sensitively we can surely create an image that doesn't have that infamous style. Plenty of good photographers do it. In particular, an extreme edit like the one you show here doesn't seem that different to some blended images I've seen. Plenty of good points made, though, and I thank you, Brendan.

[@tomburke5311]

Just a comment on your point about the number of people at these locations at all times of the day and night: How would the eventual image appear if you used a Super Stopper filter to dramatically lengthen the exposure time? Is it possible that with a long-enough exposuse the people would blur and fade into (almost) nothing? The landscape/cityscape would (of course) remain in place and would hopefully come through unobstructed. Even if the result weren't the same as if the people weren't there, I can't help thinking it would be an interesting experiment!

[@BrendanvanSon]

Way too many people. It would have looked like a dust storm on the bridge, haha. But, I have a 15 stop ND and I'm going to do this exact test soon.

[@tomburke5311]

@@BrendanvanSon I think that was what I meant, actually.

[@shenaluke]

Have you ever had anyone ask you to move or have you ever heard anyone say anything about you talking through your youtube video while you were on location somewhere? Or does people usually just go around you or wait?

[@nomadcompany]

thanks for mentioning what you used as your landing page for Antartica.... i wanted to know and assumed it was Squarespace. ate can you do a video on what photos you actually think are the ones you would use in a presentation of your style... the best of the best etc? I like your videos but i guess most of your images are all good but do you have some that are awesome etc? love to hear what you think about it all.

[@barrymcalle7377]

Editing is a personal thing, you seem to prefer a fast turnover of work but others may use a different approach such as exposure blending which also can eliminate the need for filters. I suppose it’s a case of it works for you don’t change it

[@BrendanvanSon]

Yes, definitely the case. P.s. my lack of blending and use of filters had nothing to do with workflow, and everything to do with my lack of delayed gratification. I want to see how it looks right away. I also use grads so I keep my cloud movement - which I like, and you lose a lot of times when blending.

[@barrymcalle7377]

Totally agree, I’m not knocking your approach and get your process completely Brendan

[@emilehusson6052]

@@BrendanvanSon My wife and I got into an animated discussion over whether or not to take the extra step into Photoshop for that extra touch of exposure blending when dealing with such a heavily backlit image. It looks like there is a combination of factors arguing against it in this case, including, as you stated, the delayed gratification and the cloud movement, but also the complexity of the skyline, which would make the PS post-production excruciating in my book. It might be an interesting demonstration when you have more time, however, just to see what the difference would be from the in-camera/Lightroom solution you went with.

[@R.Hogarth]

I have a quick question and a comment. Ignoring the fact that there would probably be more people and just thinking in terms of light, would the image that you didn't like at 11:00 be better as a sunset image rather than a sunrise image? (Would that give you better lighting?) You ask "How Much Photo Editing is TOO Much?". My general Rule of Thumb (suggestion) is that if a casual observer thinks it looks edited, then there is too much. IMHO, I tend to view editing as a part of my workflow much the same way as film photographers used to view dark room techniques. I have had "issues" using GNDs on location. The classic example is looking straight into the setting sun at Horseshoe Bend in Page AZ. By introducing another layer of glass that is in front of my lens, I have never been able to get that shot in camera without weird flares, ghosting, and occasionally even reflections of the writing on the end of the lens (seeing Canon 16-35 f2.8 and 77mm written backwards in an arc in the middle of the image). None of these issues are present when I choose instead to handle the dynamic range in post. As I said though, IMHO, the final image should not LOOK like it has been edited and that is the threshold that I try to stay under.

[@BrendanvanSon]

At the bridge at sunset there are 400000 people on the bridge.

[@prestonmoore9070]

What camera are using to shooting your video. It is nice

[@wendynewing8834]

That was so interesting. Thanks for the advice.

[@roberttangen2942]

I try to do as little processing as possible. I move sliders till it looks good to me and then I back off by 10 clicks. So if it looks good to me at 50%, I back it off to 40%. That tripod leg scared me too. All I could see is the whole thing going over the edge and into the water. Music isn’t too bad but the singing is for me very distracting and off putting.

[@ralphwatson7036]

I enjoyed and learned from this video. However, the front-lit bridge image edit ironically had an "HDRish" look to me (not a bad thing though, I liked it a lot).

[@bigbrownmab189]

Iv been enjoying the texture slider since it came out, seems like if used just right like my pictures have been shot with a higher mp camera lol.

[@MichaelTapel]

4:38 there's a garbage bin in your shot, unless you like erasing them on Photoshop you better off without them

[@hongk0ngfu3y]

why not use bracketing to capture highlights, shadows and midtone. Oh, you can use the \ key to show before and after instantly in lightroom

[@BrendanvanSon]

You definitely can blend exposures. I tend to avoid it out of personal preference. But do it from time to time

[@GMC43]

Interesting mate. Thanks for the run down bro.

[@MichalOlender]

A lot of faith in that tripod at 6:45, living on the edge...

[@ThomasDutour]

Can't wait for your Nepal videos!

[@jcben]

Very interesting. Thanks to share your editing.

[@bigdhav]

Range mask virtual ND Filter?

[@annakubalkova5247]

I’m from Czech Republic ❤️❤️

[@mcmouse313]

Zvlastni ho videt v ty nasi zemicce :D

[@BrendanvanSon]

Hi!!

[@MartinKyral]

Me too :) Seems so familiar...

[@pin65371]

You mention you dont like hdr or the hdr look but then say that the camera cant capture as much dynamic range as your eyes. That is exactly what hdr solves. Its not an hdr look its just extending the dynamic range.

[@BrendanvanSon]

There's extending the dynamic range to what the eye sees, and then there's extending the dynamic range beyond that. When I say "the hdr" look, I mean the extension of the range beyond what the eye sees. Not the pedantic "any filter essentially creates an hdr" version.

[@mauistevebear]

I never wonder...if I like it, that's all. If someone else doesn't like it...oh well. I have developed a style and that's it.

[@dimitristsagdis7340]

Is there anything from the 5DIV that you are missing in the R?

[@BrendanvanSon]

Not really. Maybe the photo intervelomater a bit

[@dimitristsagdis7340]

Brendan van Son tnx I thought it would be more like AF for moving subjects, the little joystick and higher fps. Glad to hear it has worked out for you on the main.

[@michaeljaskolka8125]

The video doesn't really discuss the topic. There are only a handle of sentences related the question posed in the title and none are really that helpful - 'there are no limits, only suggestions' or 'just edit so that it looks good and you don't have artifacts.'

[@pablogonzalez8304]

Hey hey hey don't put down the Canon! This video feels like deja vu

[@Noealz]

ive shot so much at night that daytime pics are hard for me : /

[@DavidSenteno]

Noealz - Rain Photographer how funny. I'm the opposite. 🐼👍🏽

[@williamstatt8651]

Ah, yes. How much is too much. Speaking of too much, how did you tear your pants so much, and, no look of any skin injury?

[@BrendanvanSon]

Haha. I struggle putting them on and always step into the hole making it worse each time.

[@bikecommuter24]

Tripods are like magnets.

[@DavidSenteno]

I wonder what the seven people the chose thumbs down didn't like about this video? I bet they all mothers and hate your messy room. 🐼🤣🤣🤣✌️

[@inlocoparentis]

It took him more than 10 minutes to actually start talking about post processing, and in the 8 minutes he had left, approximately half of that was talking about how we need to see scenes more like our cameras. I don't mind the photo tour of the city; I do mind having my time wasted. It would have been a lot more helpful for there to have been a skip link. Since I'm not a travel photographer, and I have no desire to travel any more than I have, taking a walking tour of Prague was a waste of my time.

[@Travelling_about]

Square space fooking yawn ...... nice images though

[@BrendanvanSon]

Ah, It's only we could all live in rainbows, right. Thanks for watching and supporting.

[@v.livisvisual2641]

Second 🤣

[@binarabuddhikaathukorala2990]

Third

[@lifefootsteps7506]

First !!!😂😂😂