Editing your photos is an important step to creating content that is visually striking. Regardless of what your goal is when curating your feed, a stunning picture will capture the attention of others and will make your images look professional, stylish, and elevated.
But just like every new task, how to go about editing your photos can be confusing since there are so many options and ways to do it. The good news is that you don’t have to be a professional photographer or spend thousands of dollars to get that wow look we are all after.
Keep reading to find effective and fun tips on how to edit to perfection with tools and techniques that will quickly up your game no matter what kind of content or for who you post.
Look for Clean Lines and Good Light
The first step in taking pictures that can be edited to perfection is to have a good base to begin working with. This requires you to look out for either indoor or outdoor spaces that have strong shapes with clean lines, vibrant or muted tones that feel balanced, and of course good lighting.
Having these elements in your photos will give you the opportunity to apply a larger number of filters and presets and will make your content look consistent and curated. The beauty here is that you can select from a variety of spaces, and can even change the space you live in to make it more editing friendly.
When it comes to lighting, all pictures need to be will lit in order to absorb different filter tones and edits. Dark pictures tend to look blurry and are never captivating, so to get that perfect photo you need clear and clean lighting. Look for natural light and shoot away from the sun, or use indoor lighting that is white and that illuminates every spot of whatever you are photographing.
Follow the 60-30-10 Color Rule
This rule is used by designers of all kinds, from those who work decorating interior spaces to graphic and set designers. To apply it you must have a color palette where 60% of items in the photo are a dominant color, 30% represents a secondary tone or even texture, and the remaining 10% is an accent.
This technique works best when setting up a room while keeping in mind your outfit and accessories, or when choosing correctly when and what to photograph. Cropping your photos to leave out unwanted elements is also a way to get a good balance.
For example, 60% can be a room that is mostly neutral, 30% could be an outfit that is of similar textures and tones, and the final 10% can be clothing accessories that give a pop of color. The best part of this technique is that other than the percentages you are trying to get to you can freely play around with elements and colors.
Use Presets for Truly WOW Photos
Taking your content to the next level is a mix of what you photograph and where, and using the correct filter or presets. No matter how much planning and staging you do, presets are the only way to get impressive photos that feel professional and innovative. And this is because presets work wonders when it comes to getting tones right while smoothing out skin and making textures feel alive.
Let’s start by taking a look at minimal presets, which focus on white and neutral accents for a modern and polished finish that will draw your viewers’ attention. What minimal presets do is accentuate lighter tones and can help you get closer to the 60-30-10 rule by making specific elements pop while keeping the rest of the photo balanced.
To get this look start with Minimal Mobile from 123presets, a high fashion and stylish tool that feels bright, airy, and luxurious. Another excellent preset in this category is Interior Mobile Lightroom, which makes spaces feel consistent, cozy, and light.
Preset, Edit, Repeat!
Take your editing journey past minimal and try new themes and tools to get beautiful and high quality photos of all kinds. Perfect Tones Mobile, for example, brightens and makes photos smooth while giving a warm and sharp feel that looks expensive yet natural.
The Selfie Mobile preset is another editing gem that will make your selfies look perfect by getting rid of unwanted tones while making your skin look silky. This one is great for fashion and style bloggers and will elevate your selfies in an instant.
And of course there is Golden Hour Mobile, which takes the beauty of sunrise and sunset to all of your pictures for a warm finish that glows. With 14 different settings, this collection is sure to boost your editing game no matter what you are photographing.
Editing pictures to look stunning is a mix of the right elements to photograph, lighting, and of course presets. Focus your creativity on getting these right and you’ll be own your way to masterful perfection.
