When you first start editing photos and images you’re going to be up against a steep learning curve. Regardless of how user-friendly the software you’re using may be, there are undoubtedly going to be a lot of features and settings that you barely understand.
Always Backup Your Images
Before you start to edit your images, make sure that they are backed up. The last thing that you want to do is to accidentally delete an image or save over it and not have a backup that you can restore it from.
As a rule, it is best to edit a copy of the original image file. That way if you accidentally save the changes that you’ve made, you can always go back to the original.
Find An Organization Structure That Works For You
If you aren’t careful your photos and image files will quickly become a big mess and you’ll find that you spend more time looking for the right image than actually editing it. That is why it is important to find an organization structure that works for you early.
Try to group photos from a certain shoot or similar images together in their own folders. Additionally, name any edited image file differently – so they can be distinguished from the originals quickly.
It may help to look online for ways to organize your photos and images that you can adapt based on your requirements.
Work From Large To Small
Although there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to your editing workflow, it is generally advisable to start with the biggest changes and then work your way down to the smaller touch ups.
The bigger changes will have more of an impact on your photo and will help you make a more informed decision about the smaller details that may need alteration.
For example some of the big changes that you should start with include cropping, white balancing, or straightening photos. On the other hand, smaller changes may include removing unwanted blemishes, sharpening, or dodging and burning.
Don’t Resize Until You Have To
Always make it a point to edit your photos in their native resolutions – i.e. the resolution of the original file. Eventually you may need to resize it based on the dimensions that you want to use it in, but that should be left to the final stage and after all your changes are complete.
Try to make sure that you don’t resize the original images at any stage either, but instead only resize the edited version when you need to export it. Once again this will ensure that the quality of your original remains unaffected, and can be re-used if necessary.
No matter what image editor you’re using, you should start to utilize these best practices. As a beginner it may help to start with a user-friendly editor, and for example you could try Movavi Photo Editor if you are looking for one.
All said and done the best practices described above will help you to improve your editing workflow, protect your images, and ensure that you can always change your mind and go back to the original. That is why they are so important, and why embracing them early on and making them a habit will serve you well in the long run.
