Editing Photos

First, cut away the boring or messy edges so the important thing gets more room. Then straighten it so the horizon isn't tilted — crooked horizons make people feel seasick.

Exposure makes the whole photo brighter or darker. Highlights control the bright parts (like sky) and shadows control the dark parts (like under a tree). If the sky looks white and empty, pull highlights DOWN. If faces are too dark, pull shadows UP.

Contrast is the gap between the darkest dark and the brightest bright. A little more contrast makes a photo pop. Too much and everything turns into black blobs and white blobs.

White balance decides if the photo feels warm (orange, cozy) or cool (blue, chilly). Saturation is how strong all the colors are. Turn saturation up a tiny bit — if grass looks like a highlighter, you went too far.

Sharpening makes edges crisper. A small amount helps. A lot makes crunchy, weird halos. The pro secret is knowing when to stop — save your edit, walk away, look again tomorrow.

Try it at home: Edit one photo two ways: subtle and extreme. Come back an hour later — the subtle one almost always holds up.