Today we will take a look 5 Things You Should Do and Not Do When Retouching Images.
Photography and retouching go hand in hand and they had welcomed thousands of people that discovered photography as their calling. This path of conventional and digital photography to nowadays when most people think anyone can be a photographer. And while technology has made it almost possible, the knowledge that you need to know if you are on the highway to visual arts. I’ve selected the most important do’s and don’ts of photography and whether you are a beginner or advanced, I believe you can find the essence of being a photographer.
Wasting time instead of spending it on education and tutorials from masters of the area
With the development of the digital world we now live in, it’s getting easier and more accessible to find any information online. People mistake the free articles and videos for the ultimate guide they should get in order to be good at what they do. They get misled that they can trust the basics these videos provide. And while I don’t want to underestimate what all of you can find as free guidance online, I still want to advise against learning only from that kind of tutorial.
Instead of spending time trying to learn, make sure to invest in yourself depending on professionals that proved themselves as ones. If you have new photography tools that you are not sure how to use or you have problems reaching your goals in Photoshop, you should not hesitate to spend your time learning from those who were once in your shoes.
And the ultimate guide, you can now find my Online Photoshop Courses. They are divided into different levels of retouching. I can promise you will spend your time more productively if you choose to trust me while together we work over your potential. Learn more about the retouching courses here.
Being afraid of editing instead of experimenting with Photoshop and Photography
Not being brave enough never worked well. As Malcolm Gladwell reveals in “Outliers: The Story of Success”, no one was born a genius. All masters we know from history are just people that spend enough time improving themselves. No one becomes great in just one night. It takes time, effort, motivation, and hard work. And along with that, there is no place for fear of the unknown. This also applies to the process of retouching images.
Quite the opposite, experimenting is the key to great photography success. Don’t hold back on settings, editing, style, accessories, camera, and retouching photos thoroughly. Photoshop is a wide world to dive into and only by trying new and different approaches in editing, you can find your own vision of your aimed photos. You’ll find your own signature in Photoshop and that’s definitely a “do” in photography.
Comparing too much to others instead of focusing on your skill-set
Comparing to others? A hard “don’t”. When you spend time looking at the competition and how they are doing things, you lose your own focus on the work you should be doing. As the saying goes “be so busy working on your own grass, that you don’t have time to notice if the others’ is any greener”. Of course, learning about the competitors in your line of work is part of the process of knowing which strengths you should rely on, but don’t overdo it.
Instead, try comparing yourself to who you were yesterday. How your work is changing. Is it getting better, are you being braver in photo retouching, can you see a difference in your work from last year, last month, or last week? Because only when you notice your own improvement, you’ll know you’re on the right path to becoming the best version of yourself. Not only in Photography, but in life in general.
Staying in your safe zone instead of exploring
We know the safe zone so well. It brings us comfort, security, and assurance. And we all love it, don’t we? But the truth is nothing changes when we stay there. That’s why the greatest advice I could ever give you, is – take risks. Push yourself, even fail a few times, learn from your own mistakes, and then start again.
Fear will always be part of us – whether it’s fear of failure or fear of not being good enough. And you are the only one that can change the course of events. Explore, learn, and try. Every day. That’s’ how ideas are created. That’s how you find your muse and become better.
Overdoing or rushing instead of spending your time qualitatively
Art is a thin ice to walk on. You should proceed carefully. What many photographers do is get pushed too hard by clients to send retouched photos and they rush the process. Or the opposite, they take too much time to work through every single little detail and lose sight of art as a whole. These two common mistakes are often neglected while they should be really considered.
Your time is your most powerful strength. And you should use it carefully for the best of it. When it comes to Photoshop and photo editing, all professionals need different time frames and so do you. Don’t let people rule over your own time. Instead, plan your work, plan your day, plan your time. Think of it as a part of your work. If you spend 12 hours a day doing nothing productively, you are simply wasting your time. And if you fully take advantage of it – you will soon be a master of your own self. So, watch online Photoshop tutorials, learn new tips from experts, read, educate yourself every day with the newest trends, explore different ways of doing your job, and spend time qualitatively. That is the way of becoming a great photographer.
Photography and retouching had welcomed thousands of people that discovered photography as their calling.
This path of conventional and digital photography to nowadays when most people think anyone can be a photographer. And while technology has made it almost possible, the knowledge that you need to know if you are on the highway to visual arts.
I’ve selected the most important do’s and don’ts of photography and whether you are a beginner or advanced, I believe you can find the essence of being a photographer.