The Etiquette Of Editing

Or how to post-process without tears. Or as few tears as possible... No tears, but the occasional bout of mindless rage. it wouldn't be photography without it. It is the digital equivalent of working with mercury fumes. You'll all have a electronic devices and programs to let you post-process your images. Even if this is as simple as loading them from the camera to the computer or tablet and then flicking through them, you have a workflow. Some working professionals can have workflows that are so complex as to resemble air traffic control - and others have everything automated down to one button press. Simple or complex, there are rules of etiquette and pieces of good advice for this part of the art. We'll call it editing...

1. Do not edit tired after a long day and a tough shoot. You'll make mistakes that may not be recoverable.
2. Edit on copies or edit with a program that doesn't disturb the original image. It might be better untouched than after you've worked on it, and it's vital to be able to get back to the start.
3. Do not edit drunk.
4. Edit on a screen that is not drunk. Get a monitor that can reproduce the correct colours and tones the same way every time ( come see us for this sort of pro screen ) and maintain the accuracy with calibration ( we also sell the devices to do this... ).
5. Do not edit 2000 images in one sitting unless you edit one well and command the program to synch the rest while you have a cup of tea.
6. Cherry-pick your images to find the ones that will pay you back - the also-ran's and nearly's are a time burden that you need to avoid. Use the flag or star or collection feature in your program to pick the gems out and set them aside.
7. Do your own editing and do not let it become a committee or collective exercise. Be right or wrong for yourself.
8. Save the edits and proof a few out as you go along. Your eyes can tire and lead you astray.
9. Never forget that you can often crop your way to success from failure. And vice versa.
10. Do not rage at the machine.

If you shot 2000 images and three of them are good - and one sells - it is time to sit and take stock of what you are doing, and who you are doing it for. And see if there is a way of improving upon that ratio.