For Better Edits, Just Walk Away

One of my tips to take better photos: never edit a photo in a single session. Instead, work on it as much as you think it needs, and then walk away from it. Have some coffee, go for a stroll, wait until the next day – whatever you like.

Once you’ve taken some time, come back and take a fresh go at editing your photos. I guarantee that you’ll notice something you missed – maybe the highlights could be brightened and emphasised a little, or you could tweak the black slider to add a little more atmosphere.

Take this beach photo for example. I love this shot – the depth of field, the interesting angle, the range of colours, the contrast between something man-made and the wild grass, and of course the questions it raises when you look at it. When I exported my first ‘final’ version from Lightroom, I was pretty pleased with how it looked. Check it out below.

The following day, as I was reviewing the image, I realised that it felt flat, and that something was missing. I fired up Lightroom again, added some masks to brighten up the flattened grass in the foreground, and was really pleased with how much better it looked. Take a look at the before and after below.

The difference is subtle, and of course you may not necessarily agree with me. Either way, the point remains the same: my first ‘final’ edit was, in fact, not my finest, nor was it the one I was happiest with. By walking away and coming back with a fresh set of eyes, I noticed some minor tweaks that really improved the feel of the photo. Easy.