Taking photographs and editing those photos are completely two different stories. First of all, you should focus on improving your skills and taking better images with more accurate settings. Afterwards, editing is your best friend for polishing your work and conveying a look that you want to achieve throughout your photography. However, too much photo edit can start to decrease the value of your images.

Here are the five things photographers must avoid while editing in Photoshop –

1.Creating Excess Layers

When you create many layers for your work, your work area becomes unorganized.

Therefore, it is always better to minimize layers by using adjustment layers which can replace many other adjustment layers.

2.Avoiding Smart Objects

Smart objects preserve image quality so you can resize the image as many times as you like. Moreover, you can apply filters to smart objects and they will appear as fully editable smart filters in your layers panel allowing you to change the settings or blending modes when necessary.

Hence, avoiding smart objects is not a wise decision to take.

3.Using Wrong Document Settings

Some people get confused about DPI and resolution. Changing DPI will not make your image sharper.

Before changing your photo to CMYK in Photoshop, simply allow your printer to convert it for you and you will get more accurate results.

4.Unnecessary Luminosity Masking

Luminosity masking is a technique to make a layer affect a specific tone of ranges. Sometimes, it has already built into the tool or filter.

Image Courtesy – GregBenzPhotography

Therefore, you do not need to make any extra changes unless you need to target a specific tonal range. The built in luminosity masking is perfect for your use.

5.Over Processing

Sometimes photographers add an effect that they think is cool but they overdo it such as – the vibrancy, HDR look, faded tones or frequency separation.

Image Courtesy – Abduzeedo

Therefore, consider what looks best in your photos and what looks fake, over-edited or not right.

There you have it. These five common mistakes photographers make when photo edit that can be easily fixed. Hopefully, you have already taken the steps to avoid these errors!