How to edit an image …

… or why it takes so long to edit images.

I thought it might interest you to peek inside my editing process. Well, at least my editing process for this particular day and image. Because, you know, it’s never the same day, image or same process ever.

Start the editing process

• Open Adobe Lightroom, my preferred choice for image database and editing.
• Scroll endlessly through thousands of images.
• Choose the image I want to edit or re-edit in this case.
• Get up, make a cup of tea.
• Throw out the trash while tea brewing.

Back to edit

• Sit back down at my desk.
• Check email.
• Turn on Spotify or other music.
• Pull curtains to shield the sun through the window.
• Look at the image you chose.
• Try to determine what you want to do with it.
• Export to post-processing software #1.
• Get a message to update the software.
• Click update.

While the software is updating …

• Add ideas to idea list in Trello, the application I use to keep my ideas in one place, along with Google Drive.
• List new locations to your tour list, also on Trello.
• Look up a recipe for the chicken to cook tonight.
• Attempt to print the recipe.
• Restart the printer — only once this time, usually it takes several tries. It’s so annoying.
• Print the recipe. No, I don’t own a tablet of any sort to use in the kitchen or elsewhere for that matter.
• Take the recipe out to the kitchen to make sure you have all ingredients.
• Get the spices that will be used out of the cupboard.
• Take various items from the freezer that will be used.
• Clean out the sink, load and start the dishwasher.
• Put away the pans and dishes in the drainer which are dry now.
• Check on software update.
• Fold clothes and put more laundry in the dryer.
• Run back downstairs to get more paper towels.

Time to edit?

• Sit back down at my desk.
• The image is still not looking like I think it should so, start over.
• Have this idea pop into your head to write this post-processing process down because you find it funny, and often wonder why it takes so long to process an image. I’m also quite sure I’m not the only one who operates this way.
• Really, what I wonder is why it takes so long for post-processing software #1 to update and why it’s updated so often.
• Updating often isn’t necessarily bad unless it slows down your editing process, which I feel it does because I always have to wait for it to update.
• Sit down at my desk to edit the photo.
• Export into post-processing software #1 now that it’s finally finished the updating process.
• Try numerous options of presets, AI, sliders, etc.
• Save one result that you like.
• Look at it again in LR.
• Nope, doesn’t really work for me.
• Delete that edited version.
• Try Post-processing software #1 again — Why am I here again?
• Nope.
• Try post-processing software #2.
• Nope, not even close.
• Hit Auto in LR — Will that work?
• Not entirely.
• Make mask selections, try other sliders, settings, etc.
• Compare it to original.
• Remove some spots.

Now what?

• Maybe I should have just left it alone and the way I edited it back in 2019.
• Maybe I should choose a different image to work on.
• Am I going to post this one? Will it be used for the project I’m working on?
• Oh, it’s almost lunch. What am I going to have for lunch?
• Delete another version from my LR catalog.
• Check the original version again. Check the LR editing history to see what I did.
• Removed a few distracting spots.
• Decide to leave it how I originally edited it, other than the spots.
• Remove those again because this version still had them.
• Export for screen and print.

How long does it take to edit an image?

These Family Circus comics pretty much sum it up.

I should have marked down what time I started this process. It was almost two hours at least. And I wonder why it takes so long to get through editing images.

Disclaimer: I may have inadvertently left out a few steps as well.

What’s your editing process?

Do tell! I’d love to share experiences here. Let me know in the comments.