When it comes to editing and post processing, I always tell everyone one thing: get it right from the camera. You've probably heard a lot of other photographers say this, but what exactly does it mean? I'm not saying this from any statistics, but I believe the most common adjustments photographers make to their photos are exposure, cropping, sharpness, noise reduction and color correction. Getting all of these settings right from the camera, so much that they need little to no intervention, is something that requires years of practice. That again, who's rushing you? Nobody who is serious about photography should be unable to expose correctly, to frame adequately and to get everything in focus.
With that said, I still believe in honesty and I will admit that I use these basic adjustments on all my photos. Sometimes the reasons involve me directly, while on other occasions its things like gear limitations or very little time that keep me from getting the perfect shot right from the camera. Also, one more important thing you should remember is that no matter how well you should or how good your camera is, there is still room for improvement.
Whether it's reducing noise levels or removing an unwanted element, like a cable, minimum retouching is a must.
There are multiple choices of software, but most photographers stick to Lightroom and Photoshop for their amazing capabilities.
Here is a video made by B&H in which photographer Tim Grey shares his top ten tips for optimizing photos in Lightroom. Enjoy!
Learn more about retouching with Lightroom from these recommended books:
- Photographer's Guide to Lightroom 5: Develop Module
- Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop for Photographers: Classroom in a Book
- Adobe Lightroom 5: Library Module