It should be said from the outset, and will continue to be said and continue to be a contentious subject but….
THERE IS NO ONE SHOT WAY TO EDIT ALL YOUR SHOTS
How you choose to edit your shot when posting to social media or websites etc, is totally up to you. We are all made differently and therefore have different opinions on different subjects. Which means how you or I choose to edit shots will never be exactly the same.
Sure we take inspiration from those around us, glean knowledge and techniques from our peers or literature… but it’s still going to boil down to various things.
Getting a shot in focus can be overlooked as a foundation block, but it is key (common opinion). The Exposure triangle, the histogram, backlit, depth of field… loads of different combinations of all these are being processed by your eye, brain and camera in fractions of a second resulting in a picture, or several with a heavy finger mashing the shutter button.
So you decided on which shot to edit, this is where the fun begins ( as a wise one once said). Using whatever editing software you choose to use, the sliders get moved, the masks are created and gradients applied, you sit back in wonder and awe at your latest creation. This is what the picture in question becomes… a creation.
Applying multiple layers and edits can completely distort from a great shot or simply just polish a steaming turd. How many times have you scrolled through social media and seen a shot that looks a little dubious only to read comments like “OMG that’s amazing” “wow that’s breathtaking” add infinitum …. when in reality… you want to say just how you feel.
Social media is a Mecca of positivity at times and should continue to be so, but it should also offer the chance to to be able to say ( with respect ) if you don’t think something is quite right. The new masking tools on Lightroom for example, have made it simpler to make steps with edits, but these are not foolproof and leave gaps in some shots, these often get overlooked and the “moody sky” has glaring light patches in there, a simple word of encouragement to highlight this will often offend people and scorn will be poured onto the hater !
By being more open to critique, your skills will develop even if your pride takes a bit of a beating. My chosen career I receive critique the moment I step foot in the kitchens at work, at times it can seem crushing and there is no light at the end of any tunnel, however the more I strive to do better, the more the praise rolls in, then critique for critics sake becomes rarer. Not to say I get it right every time..I still manage to burn water, but listening to the advice and experience of my peers in the culinary world has moulded my skills and style to where I feel comfortable to be able to turn my hand at most things. By being more open to critique on my shots I have developed ( even if at a snails pace and possibly backwards at times ) more of an understanding of what I am aiming to achieve, the style of shots I like to edit and the workflow that works for me and maybe not anybody else, So be it.
My preferred version of a shot may not be to everyone’s taste, i’m ok with that. I know I can ask enough folks for opinions and get an honest spades a spade reply, sometimes even a shovel full, but surely this is for the greater good ( I know you just repeated that phrase lol )
My end goal is to become better at what I do. Produce sharper, better pictures that a wider audience may enjoy. For sure not everyone will accept my approach to an edit, I may not like the over saturated, under exposed, mis masked, de-hazed abomination they have produced, but a little support and encouragement, to keep going and just enjoy what you do for your own benefit and not try to appease the keyboard masses, offer a little critique and promoting a more positive approach than just saying that looks sh1t, has to be a more rewarding message for the whole hobby ?
Ultimately, if you decide to post a shot you are proud of out there on the interw3bz, you should be ready to receive critique, you may not like it, appreciate it or want it, but there’s a higher chance of learning and improving to be gained from listening and learning to understand.
After all, we’re all here living to learn 😉