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5 Editing Mistakes That Make Photos Look Amateur

Chiara Talia - Wildlife Photography

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✨Join the Wildlife Editing Lab: https://www.chiaratalia.com/wildlife-...
Go from boring to amazing photos through intentional editing. The course I wish I followed when I started!

Are you a wildlife photographer and perhaps over-editing your wildlife photos?

In this video I go through the 5 most common editing mistakes that make wildlife photos look over-edited and unnatural - the ones I see coming up again and again after reviewing thousands of photos from my community and students. From over-cropping to incorrect masking and color mistakes, these are the things that end up ruining a bird photo you worked hard to get, no matter the editing software you use!
The good news? Once you can see them, you can't unsee them.

📸 TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Intro
00:31 Mistake 1 - Over-cropping
02:38 Mistake 2 - Over-sharpening
04:15 Mistake 3 - Visible masking
06:58 Mistake 4 - Crushing clarity on the background
08:15 Mistake 5 - Wrong Colors

📚 RELATED VIDEOS:
👉 Do This BEFORE Editing any Wildlife Photo: What PROS do before editing that beginners...
👉 10 Types of Bird Photos You Need to Know: : I Was Stuck Taking the Same Bird Photos Un...

📷 ABOUT ME:
I'm Chiara, a wildlife photographer and educator who helps photographers take impactful photos through an anti-gear, anti-perfectionism approach. I went from struggling to find time while working full-time to becoming a professional wildlife photographer - and I share everything I learn along the way.

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#birdphotography #wildlifephotography #birdphotographytips #wildlifephotographer #birdphotographytutorial #editing

20 Comments

@chiaratalia_wild Creator 4 months ago Pinned

What's the editing mistake you wished you started to recognise sooner? 👁‍🗨

@polygoncoco 4 months ago (edited)

It’s weird because I think all of these things are a result of people trying to chase an aesthetic that to their gear cannot achieve reliably. The most popular stuff you see on social media is the "big prime" aesthetic (which is neither good or bad). But then people try and chase that without having the gear to achieve it.

All of these things are things I caught myself doing after I got a 600 f4 and realised I don’t need to do any of them anymore. Optics are so good you don’t need to worry about adding sharpening or overcropping because you always have detail to work with, depth of field and bokeh are great so you don’t need to do the weird masking tricks etc etc.

We need to be exposed to more types and styles of photography that isn’t using the big primes. Wider compositions that aren’t obsessed with detail. Trying to get more in focus because you don’t have crazy fast glass, etc. (And in addition to this people need to move past social media being the place they showcase their work because a phone screen is a terrible medium to view photography).

@MissySkeeter 4 months ago

Excellent! Here are 5 more: 1) Hallo around the edge of the subject from masking, 2) Over-editing the catchlight in the eye 3) Not leveling the horizon 4) A green or magenta color cast on the white area of the subject 5) Not enough space in the leading area of the subject

@Terryb31 4 months ago

Oh Chiara, how fine a line you tread. You are saying exactly what I have been thinking for years. In fact, I have recently lost the trust in a beautiful friend I had for 20 years, because I dared to suggest that " Her Way" was not the best way. I suggested that to make things look so sharp under a microscopic evaluation was not natural. Sadly, we have taken separate paths ever since.
Heart breaking after so many years, but she allowed the feeble bunch of hangers on to convince her, that her way was best. I think narcissism may have played it's part too.
Keep up the great work and stand your ground, just be careful, some photographers are so hardened to the " Other way"

@jeffolson4731 4 months ago

Great video. I think everyone has made these mistakes at some point. I know I did, especially early in my journey in wildlife photography. Now, if the bird or other animal is going to be small in the frame I frame it as an environmental photo where the focus is the animal in its environment, not just a close up of the animal.

@thomasjennings2593 4 weeks ago

This video compels me to take a second look at most of my photos. Thank You So Much!

@mozzamhosein6476 4 months ago

Good video, I think the magic word is "Subtle"

@Emiliaaa_OS 3 weeks ago

I was doing all those mistakes when I've started editing my photography, really cool and usefull video :D

@davidclode3601 4 months ago

Good tips, thank you!

@lskrishnan178 4 months ago

Good advice! 🙏

@davidclode3601 1 month ago

Thank you Chiara. It is so easy to make any or all of those mistakes. I feel like I need to join a photographers anonymous support group😅.

@deliciousirony 2 months ago

Love the way you present this info. Like a good photo actually - clear, good level of detail! Enjoyed your self-deprecating humor too. Subscribed!

@iastorgaphotos 4 months ago

Thank you! Never too experienced to be reminded of faux pas😃👍🏽.

@my4191-t2k 4 months ago

You are a good teacher!
I mostly do bird photography and I am definitely guilty of over cropping followed by over sharpening! I am about to upgrade from a Sony a6400 to a 6700 with slightly more mega pixles and better tracking. I have the Sony 200-600 lens and the Sony 70-350 for portability. Along with following your advice in this video, and the new camera I hope my photos will improve:).

@CarolineFarrow 4 months ago

Ive noticed my older photographer friends with years of experience over sharpening their photos and I think its their eyesight getting worse as they get older. Esp if their earlier work isn't as crunchy. I'm finding it more challenging to edit as my eyes are getting older.

@RiccardoD-j2t 4 months ago

The quality of the content of your channel, amazes me every time

@ChrisScott-n6b 3 weeks ago

Excellent content and very well described, thank you. We've all made each of these mistakes - sometimes all of them in the same work flow! The best way to improve editing skill is to develop camera techniques (well-composed, well-exposed images) and then edit as many images a possible. Effort = results.