How to Edit Your Own Work

The importance of editing, and my personal hacks and tips.

Welcome to In the Flash, a reader-supported publication about intent and creativity in photography

---

There is often confusion between the terms “editing” and “processing.” In the editorial world, “editing” means choosing the images, while “processing” means post-work.

For some, the act of photography stops when the camera is put down after a shoot. For others, like me, it is just the beginning. Being able to sort through hundreds of photos from a shoot and pick out 10 images is a daunting task and one that takes years to hone. To take photos and to edit them requires different skills. Both rely on “seeing,” but the former is a more laissez-faire process that’s instinctive and reflex-driven, while the latter requires hyper-focus and articulated intent.