For this post I thought I could go over basic photo editing techniques to really make your photos pop. There are many products you can use like Photoshop CC, but personally I prefer Adobe Lightroom because it is very easy interface to learn and very user friendly. All the effects I’m going to be talking about, you should be able to preform in any other photo editing software.
Basic Shot Correction:
One of the first things you should look at was the exposure level. Is it too bright or too dark? A small adjustment can make a very big difference in your pictures. Here is an example:
I slightly brought the exposure level down and it brought out more detail.
Next, you should look at the white balance or temperature of the shot. This is either going to make the colors in the picture warmer or colder based on the light around you. Many different lights give off a different color that the camera may not pick up. That is where editing the white balance comes in handy.
The top photo here is too warm, so i brought down the color temperature in the second photo.
Adding More to Your Pictures:
One thing you can change on your picture is the contrast of your image. This makes the individual colors in the picture pop more than the original photo. One problem you can run into when you mess with this control is loss of detail. There will be a point when the black parts of your image will blend and you wont be able to see the edges of that object. When I edit, I go to that point then bring it down 5-10 clicks depending on the shot. Here’s another example:
Another thing I like to do is to add “clarity” or sharpness to my photo which will make more details pop in your image. This adds a great effect, but with this you also have to be careful because if you sharpen an image too much, it can become grainy and it will distort the image. Adding clarity will also give the image a little more contrast so you have to be careful about that little bit. Here’s and example of this effect:
There are many other things you can do to add or take away color in your photos and make them your own. If you’re into this kind of stuff I would recommend getting a basic photography editor to mess around with and see what you come up with.
This is so cool! Your photography is amazing and it’s so interesting to know that there is so much out there to do with photos. I definitely want to try these tips now. It makes the photos look great!
The differences are so subtle, but they make the pictures so much better. This is honestly really awesome that such simple solutions yield great results. I’m going to have to look into Adobe Lightroom if it means that as I get better, I can produce images like those.
Your photoshop tips are helpful. I took a basic photography class in high school and found out exactly how hard photoshop is to use. After you practice with it it gets easier, but my pictures never turned out that well.
Okay, so I thought my mad Instagram skills were pretty top-notch, but that is nowhere in comparison with your pictures. This post was really cool and I like the before and after photos that you added in. Photography is evolving with technology, and apps like Instagram make any amateur feel like a pro, but there is definitely something to be admired of someone who actually knows what they are doing with editing.