Photo editing help

ForeverYung

ForeverYung

Active member
I've been taking pictures for a few years now, I started shooting film and loved it, however after a while it simply became too expensive for me to keep up with exclusively so I bitched out and bought a digital camera.

One of the reasons I loved film is the lack of editing required, I would get a roll developed and any keepers I could just upload. However shooting digital I find myself needing to tweak them before I get them looking the way I want. As of now the extent of my editing knowledge is using VSCO on my phone, which works find for just instagram, but I would like to start being a little more professional and getting my stuff out on flickr and such. However I have no idea how to start being more professional about my editing. I have a basic Asus laptop so I'm not sure what programs I would even be able to run.

Any advice would be much appreciated!
 
Lightroom is most people's go to. Adobe CC is rather inexpensive for students ($25ish/month?) and it's even less expensive to crack the free trial... and if you can fog a mirror you can do that yourself
 
"Polarr 3" is a free chrome plugin that has a (free) desktop app that's surprisingly robust. Very similar features to lightroom. Might as well check it out. The "photography" package from Adobe (LR and PS) is only $10/month for students too.
 
Yup Lightroom CC is the go to. VSCO originally started as a plugin for editing programs, and has some great presets for Lightroom.
 
13701396:Belzebub said:
Yup Lightroom CC is the go to. VSCO originally started as a plugin for editing programs, and has some great presets for Lightroom.
Click to expand...

Lightroom x VSCO x slight adjusments (tint, exposure, ramp clarity to 50) = instagram famous

Just make sure you ramp the clarity up. The higher it is the more likes you'll get.
 
13701408:KaneDog said:
Lightroom x VSCO x slight adjusments (tint, exposure, ramp clarity to 50) = instagram famous

Just make sure you ramp the clarity up. The higher it is the more likes you'll get.
Click to expand...

Dont forget the grain slider and rising the blacks
 
13701414:Belzebub said:
Dont forget the grain slider and rising the blacks
Click to expand...

I currently have Adobe CC for Photographers (Includes Lr and Ps) with the student discount, it's $9.99 a month, not a bad payment. I would suggest getting that.

Don't buy VSCO presets. It so easy to make it yourself if you absolutely want to mimic that style. I'd say develop your own style.

I will say this, the only thing that I really enjoy personally from photos edited with VSCO, is the matted shadows. All the grain, yellowish colors, etc. are not my thing.

If you like matted shadows, then mess with the tone curve. That's what I do if I want to matte them.

Answer to, "how do I get better/ more professional?"

-Just keep shooting and keep editing, you will soon find better ways to shoot and better ways to edit by simply getting your hands dirty.

I am still trying to nail down an editing style, it takes a long time and work.

There are still some Lightroom sliders and settings that I don't know how to use, or what there purposes are. I think a lot of people can say the same.

Hope that helps homie
 
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