1․ Over-Editing: Less is Often More
One of the most common mistakes is over-editing․ It’s tempting to push every slider to its maximum, but this often results in unnatural and unrealistic images․ Subtlety is key․ A light touch can make a huge difference․ Don’t get carried away!
Remember, the goal is to enhance the photo, not to completely transform it․ A good edit should be almost invisible․ It should simply make the photo look its best․
Common Signs of Over-Editing:
- Unnatural skin tones
- Excessive sharpness
- Harsh contrasts
- Over-saturated colors
2․ Ignoring White Balance
White balance is crucial for accurate color representation․ If your white balance is off, your photos will have an unwanted color cast․ This can make your subjects look sickly or unnatural․ Correcting white balance is usually a simple fix․
Most photo editing software offers a white balance tool․ Experiment with different settings until the colors look natural․ Pay attention to skin tones and neutral objects․
3․ Neglecting Exposure
Exposure refers to the overall brightness of your photo․ Underexposed photos are too dark, while overexposed photos are too bright․ Adjusting exposure is one of the first things you should do when editing a photo․ It’s a fundamental step․
Use the exposure slider in your editing software to brighten or darken the image․ Be careful not to clip the highlights or shadows․ Clipping occurs when details are lost due to extreme brightness or darkness․
4․ Sharpening Too Much
Sharpening can enhance details and make your photos look crisper․ However, too much sharpening can create unwanted artifacts and halos․ It can also make noise more visible․ Use sharpening sparingly․
Start with a small amount of sharpening and gradually increase it until you achieve the desired effect․ Zoom in to 100% to check for artifacts․
5․ Not Saving Your Edits Properly
Always save your edits in a non-destructive format, such as a RAW file or a layered PSD file․ This allows you to go back and make changes later without losing any quality․ Avoid saving over your original file․
Export a high-resolution JPEG for sharing online or printing․ Choose the appropriate file size and quality settings for your intended use․
FAQ ─ Frequently Asked Questions
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