Have you ever been sitting in front of the screen, eyes glazed over, confused, and unsure about how to edit your images? Yeah, me too. Editing is such a huge part of our work as photographers, but finding an editing style that truly brings a brand to life is a constant challenge.

That’s why I’m sharing three things you really need to know about editing (with a list of my favorite presets). These three tips will help you move forward with clarity when it comes to creating consistent imagery that reflects your brand and style. 

Understand your shooting style and brand.

When it comes to editing, the first thing you need to establish actually has nothing to do with editing. That’s right! The first thing you need to establish is your brand and style. What are three words that could define your photography style and brand?

This is the starting point for all editing. Without this, we can run around trying anything and everything when it comes to editing, all the while turning away our most ideal clients because we’re confused about who we are as photographers. Before you can get consistent with your editing, you need to get consistent with your branding. 

Make sure your editing presets align with your overall brand and style. 

Once you’re able to define your brand and photography style, you can start to explore editing presets that support you. If you’re a bright, airy, film photographer, your editing style will be drastically different than a dark and moody, emotive photographer.

For our brand in particular, we want to consistently create joyful, vibrant, and timeless imagery. That’s why I’m always on the lookout for editing presets that are vivid and bright with a timeless film aspect. Those editing styles directly support the imagery we are creating and the brand we are supporting here.

Tweak purchased presets to create custom looks and save for ease and speed.

Since it’s very difficult to find one-click presets that are exactly aligned with my brand and photography style, I have learned to tweak purchased presets to support my own brand and style. That’s something I highly recommend for all beginning photographers.

Find a few presets that you are drawn to, and start tweaking them to suit your own business. To help you in this process, here is a short list of some of my favorite preset sources:

Dark & Moody – Twig & Olive, Cascade Presets

Versatile (Film Look, Bright & Vivid, Bright & Airy) – Mastin Labs, Mandy Ford

So there you have it! I hope that saves you hours of your life, starting blankly at a screen!

Start your editing journey

Now that you know that your brand and style are of the utmost importance in editing, you can begin to discover presets that align with your overall brand. And once you tweak them to your personal style of shooting, you’ll be able to move forward with confidence when it comes to editing and creating consistent imagery.

If you’ve found this helpful, then you’ll love my free guide: The 3-Step Blueprint – Building a Magnetic Brand