In this article, I address questions in relation to the propriety of photo editing, in both digital and analogue spaces, from the perspective of a professional photographer. I will also share tips and examples on how to edit photos like a pro, including top mistakes to avoid.

The best, safest and cheapest way to store a large amount of digital files is using an external hard drive. This involves only a one-off investment that gives you total, physical control of your files. The most effective way of organising your folders is to adopt a folder structure with consistent naming conventions, further enhanced by the use of keywords or tags.

Photoshop is rather necessary for photography work done in a commercial capacity, in which photos are required for large-scale display, both digital and in print. Specifically, Photoshop is generally mandatory for genres involving close-up shots like portraits and products. This is because Photoshop helps photographers get rid of defects, retain full control over colour grading, remove backgrounds, and make targeted, partial adjustments. Despite its powerful tools, it is advised that photographers learn Lightroom first.

In general, viral photography hack Tiktoks contain these parts: Showcase of final product with simple description, behind the scenes at the actual shoot, and editing process with concise narration. It is common to show the end product once more. The use of popular soundtracks is highly effective, and transitions are appropriately used.

The time required to edit a photo varies based on the genre of photography and requests of the client. To maintain a sustainable workflow, it generally takes around 10 minutes to edit a street, landscape or product shot, around 20 minutes for a basic portrait, 1.5 hour for a retouched portrait. For a batch of 10 photos, it can take from 2 hours up to 10 hours to do the absolute minimum. The photographer might take longer to make fine adjustments after the basic look has been achieved.

Here are the 5 main steps in editing urban portraits:

1. Slightly lift blacks

2. Blast highlights

3. Preserve skin tones

4. Create color contrast

5. Cool down overall tones