Today’s modern image-editing tools enable us to turn good photos into great ones, and even transform a subpar shot into one that’s quite special. But there’s a common mistake made by beginners and more advanced shooters alike; namely excessive processing that can really kill a photo.

We’ve said it time and time again: don’t overcook your photos with a heavy-handed approach. This advice applies to numerous processing tasks, two of which are discussed in the quick video below. We encourage you to pay close attention, because heavy-handed editing is often worse that no editing at all.

Educator Matthew Cuda is a professional wildlife and nature photographer, and he’s really good behind the computer—in large part because he always takes a subtle approach. In this episode he discusses a couple of detrimental editing mistakes he says he sees all time. One is going overboard with Lightroom’s Denoise tools and the other is over sharpening photos to the point that they’re crispier than potato chips fresh out of the fryer.

Cuda pulls up an overprocessed image of a black vulture in flight, to demonstrate these problems. Then he explains how to get the job done right. The photo was shot at ISO 20,000 with the exposure bumped up by 1.5 stops. As he explains, the image was captured with a Sony A9, “which is a fairly low-noise camera,” but you’re really up against it when shooting with these settings. In other words, “this isn’t a hill you want to die on.”

Zooming in on the shot reveals ugly noise and artifacts that cause some photographers to jump into Lightroom’s Develop module, click on Denoise, and move the slider far to the right. Unfortunately, doing that further degrades the image in predictable ways that Cuda explains. This isn’t to say that Denoise AI is merely an image-killer, as long as you use it with restraint on an appropriate photograph.

The second, and often related, big mistake that happens all too often is that these same photographers take sharpening to the max in an attempt to reclaim all the detail they just destroyed. Doing this simply piles one problem top another, with the result that the image becomes totally unusable.

Cuda demonstrates how to do things properly for an effective compromise between minimizing noise without smoothing out all the important small details in a shot. Anyone who has ever cooked oysters understands the importance of doing so carefully on low heat, and much the same applies when cooking your images.

There’s much more to learn about shooting and editing on Cuda’s instructional YouTube channel, so be sure to check it out and pay attention to his advice.

And speaking of taking the proper approach to processing your images, don’t miss the earlier tutorial we posted from another expert, explaining a better way to convert color images to b&w, with common mistakes you should avoid.

We’ve all captured what we thought was a great photo, only to pull it up on the computer and discover it’s not nearly as compelling as expected—particularly when shooting outdoors when there are several challenges to overcome.

Sometimes the problem can be easy fixed with a bit of thoughtful cropping, but other times you confront converging vertical lines or bland colors because your exposure settings missed the mark. Today’s Photoshop tutorial from the PHLOG Photography YouTube channel explains how to correct these issues and more with some straightforward adjustments in Photoshop.

Instructor Christian Mohrle is an accomplished German landscape photographer whose image-editing tutorials are very popular among Shutterbug readers. The video below demonstrates his approach for transforming ho-hum late-day images into those that are really special.

Mohrle begins with a bland panoramic photo that was shot after the sun dropped below the horizon, and, frankly, it needs a bunch of work. His primary goal is to pump up the colors while maintaining a realistic look, but there are other issues that require attention. As always, there’s a link beneath the video for downloading the Raw file so you and Mohrle can make the fix together.

The lesson begins with some rather significant cropping to achieve more dynamic framing, and the wide format of the photograph provides plenty of flexibility. The next step is an initial correction of the shewed perspective of the buildings that gives the strange appearance as though they’re leaning outwards. He quickly uses Photoshop’s Geometry tab for a first pass at this task, which he refines later in the lesson.

Next are a few very basic adjustments to prepare the image as much as possible for the selective masking enhancements that follow. These including changing the profile from Adobe Color to Adobe Landscape, improving exposure in the Lights Panel, and a few other quick tweaks. Now it’s time for straightforward masking to improve the image even further.

The real magic occurs as Mohrle demonstrates several color grading enhancements that provide a truly stunning look. He also employs careful sharpening before further refining the remaining distortion of the buildings.

All that’s left to complete the transformation is a quick fix for lens flare and the addition of glow to the bright area of the sky. He provides all the important settings for each step of the process. The difference between his before/after images is truly remarkable.

You can find more editing tips and tricks for editing landscape images by paying a visit to Mohrle’s’ instructional YouTube channel, so be sure to take a look.

And on a related note, check out the tutorial we posted recently from another accomplished outdoor photographer who explains how to edit sunset photos in Lightroom, with free presets included.

For professional photographers, cameras and lenses are tools of the trade—not baubles. When a particular system no longer fulfills their needs, they switch or fortify their arsenal by adding the brand that delivers. They don’t always need the latest and greatest; in fact, an established, time-proven setup is often the preferable option. Equipment that is seldom used is a debit, not an asset.

Passionate amateurs have the same gear options and generally the same motivations. Furthermore, recent research from MPB, the largest online platform to buy, sell and trade used photo and video gear, reveals the US population is hoarding $650 billion worth of devices they don’t use. And bear in mind that older tech does not improve with age. It has a shelf life. It’s fish, not canned green beans.

According to the survey, the average US adult is sitting on $2,459 worth of unused electronics including cameras, phones, smart tablets, TVs and more. Wow! That’s a surprising statistic, but it’s also very good news, because you can quickly and safely convert idle tech into gear you’ll use daily.

Of the 13,000 adults surveyed by MPB alongside research provider CINT, two-thirds feel that the cost of technology is too expensive. Furthermore, consumers say the reason they haven’t sold an unused piece of tech is that they don’t think they’d receive much money in return, or they imagine someone close to them might need it one day. While these concerns are understandable at some levels, it doesn’t have to be this way. There are more secure trading partners who close the confidence gap.

Make Informed Decisions
Buying, trading and selling at MPB.com means zero blind alleys and no unfulfilled expectations. When you sell to or trade with MPB you know the value of your gear upfront, because you can obtain a free instant online quote. If you like the deal, MPB pays for shipment, including the pick-up from your house. If you’re trading in and have picked out something you want to buy, MPB freezes that item until you finalize the transaction.

Expand, Extend and Enjoy
Switching systems doesn’t necessarily mean scrapping one brand and jumping to another. It can mean extending your reach and capabilities by adding a smart drone, GoPro-like wearable video device, or a one-off camera body that melds better with a much needed lens for a specialized application, something like astrophotography or whatever new direction your photo or video storytelling passion takes you.

Pay Less, Maybe Even Zero
One thing is for certain: trading in means paying less. On average, customers earn $900 each time they sell to MPB. MPB’s dynamic pricing engine regularly analyzes the market to ensure you are receiving a fair price. Purchasers typically pay 33% less than new.

Sell Outright
Don’t want to trade up? Rather just convert some unused hardware into cash for the holidays or maybe a stimulating 2024 vacation? No problem. You get the same deal from MPB whether you’re trading in or selling outright.

To Heck With Selling, Buy Some Fantastic Used Gear
Shop MPB and select from one of the largest assortments of used gear to expand your current system or test new waters. You can buy from MPB with total confidence for several reasons.

To start, MPB enjoys an Excellent Five Star rating on Trustpilot with more than 31,000 reviews from photo and video storytellers like you.

Browse MPB’s extensive catalog of used gear which includes DSLRs, mirrorless marvels, lenses, drones, video gear and popular accessories. The camera or lens pictured in every MPB listing is the actual item you receive. All included accessories are clearly listed. Every camera and lens sold by MPB undergoes a thorough 8 to 10 point inspection process by a trained specialist and is covered by a six-month warranty. If you find the item your receive isn’t as described, you can return it free for a full refund within 14 days of arrival.

There’s no guesswork; MPB uses a simple five-point condition rating system. The condition ratings are: • Like New – unboxed, unused or lightly used • Excellent – minimal signs of wear, otherwise pristine • Good – fair amount of use, but well-kept • Well Used – significant use, signs of normal wear and tear • Heavily Used – clear signs of wear and tear, still works.

As a shopper, odds are excellent that you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for at MPB. If you don’t find it on your first pass, check back in a day or so because the inventory changes literally by the minute. MPB adds more than 2,000 products every week.

In fact, MPB recirculates more than 500,000 pieces of photo equipment every year and has hundreds of cameras, lenses, drones and miscellaneous equipment items in stock. Lumping all the photo and video gear together, MPB has more than 16,000 pieces of equipment in the US and over 47,000 globally.

Do More in 2024
Picture yourself driving a new system as the new year dawns. Glide into a full-frame mirrorless or slide up to the beefy DSLR you lusted after — but just couldn’t afford — when it was introduced a couple years ago. Life is short; photo ops magically appear and tragically vaporize when no one is there to capture them. Revitalize your equipment closet with gear that brings you more photographic success and greater happiness in the upcoming year of good fortune and prosperity, the zodiac Year of the Dragon.

∞ Shutterbug Staff