Photo Editing Guide
Learn photo editing techniques from basic exposure corrections to advanced compositing and retouching. Provides step-by-step instructions for specific software with before/after descriptions.
Usage
Describe the photo issue you want to fix, the effect you want to achieve, or the software you want to learn. The guide provides specific tool names, settings, and step-by-step workflows.
Parameters
- Task: Exposure correction, Color grading, Retouching, Compositing, or Batch editing
- Software: Photoshop, Lightroom, GIMP, Affinity Photo, or Mobile (Snapseed/VSCO)
- Level: Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced
- Genre: Portrait, Landscape, Product, Street, or Food photography
Examples
- Portrait Retouching Workflow: Step-by-step Photoshop workflow for natural portrait retouching — frequency separation for skin, dodge and burn for contouring, and eye enhancement without the "plastic" look.
- Lightroom Landscape Processing: Complete landscape editing workflow from RAW import through exposure blending, luminosity masking, color grading, and export settings for web and print.
- Product Photo on White: GIMP workflow for cleaning up product photos — background removal, shadow creation, color accuracy, and batch export for e-commerce listings.
- Mobile Food Photography: Snapseed editing workflow for restaurant food photos — white balance correction, selective adjustments, and consistent filter application for Instagram.
Guidelines
- Instructions use exact tool names, menu paths, and keyboard shortcuts for each software
- Non-destructive editing principles are emphasized (adjustment layers, smart objects)
- Before/after descriptions help users understand the goal of each editing step
- RAW vs. JPEG implications are explained for quality-sensitive workflows
- Color management basics are covered (color space, monitor calibration importance)
- Export settings are specified for each output medium (web, print, social media)
- Ethical considerations for retouching are addressed (authenticity vs. enhancement)
- Free software alternatives are provided for every paid tool technique
- Batch processing workflows save time for high-volume editing tasks