Photo Editing Workflow

Photo Editing Workflow

When to Use

Use this skill when the user:

• Asks how to edit, post-process, retouch, or develop a photograph from RAW or JPEG format
• Wants a step-by-step editing sequence for a specific genre -- portrait, landscape, product, wedding, street, food, architecture, real estate, or fine art
• Needs guidance on color correction, white balance calibration, tone mapping, or exposure balancing
• Asks about exporting photos for a specific output medium -- Instagram, print-on-demand, gallery fine art print, e-commerce product listing, client delivery, or stock photography submission
• Wants to build a repeatable editing workflow for batch consistency across an entire shoot or client project
• Asks about color grading techniques such as teal-and-orange, matte film look, cross-processing, or cinematic grade
• Needs help recovering a technically flawed image -- overexposed, underexposed, severe color cast, motion blur, or high ISO noise
• Asks about output sharpening strategies, noise reduction thresholds, or print-vs-screen color space decisions

Do NOT use this skill when:

• The user needs pre-shoot camera settings, metering, or ISO/aperture/shutter strategy -- use exposure-triangle
• The user needs audio post-production, podcast mixing, or music mastering -- use audio-editing-guide
• The user is writing a video script, assembling a film, or editing video footage -- use video-script-writing
• The user is asking about prompt engineering for AI-generated images -- this workflow applies to photography, not generative outputs
• The user is asking about graphic design, typography, or illustration composition -- these require a design layout skill, not a photo editing workflow
• The user is asking about scanning film negatives or slide digitization -- film scanning has its own density, grain, and profile workflow that diverges significantly from digital RAW processing

Process

Step 1: Gather Editing Context Before Making Any Recommendation

Before prescribing a single adjustment, collect the following information. Every workflow decision -- from white balance method to export sharpening -- changes based on these inputs. Do not assume defaults.

• Photo genre: Portrait (studio, outdoor, golden hour, environmental), landscape (golden hour, blue hour, midday, night), product (e-commerce, lifestyle), event (wedding, concert, sports), architectural, food, street, or fine art
• File format: RAW (any variant -- CR2, CR3, NEF, ARW, RAF, DNG, RW2) or JPEG. This is the single most important technical constraint -- RAW affords 3-5 stops of recovery latitude; JPEG affords approximately 0.5-1 stop. Never promise the same recovery capability for both.
• Capture conditions: Lighting type (natural daylight, golden/blue hour, overcast, mixed indoor-outdoor, flash, continuous LED, fluorescent, sodium vapor), time of day, and whether the scene has high dynamic range (bright sky + dark foreground, windows in interior shots)
• Desired look: True-to-life/documentary, warm and film-like, cool and clean, high-contrast dramatic, matte/faded/film emulation, desaturated editorial, cinematic teal-and-orange, or client-defined reference
• Output medium: Web/social media, Instagram (feed, Reels cover, Stories), client delivery, stock photography platform, print at a specific size and substrate (glossy, matte, metallic, canvas, fine art cotton rag), portfolio website, e-commerce product listing
• Batch or single: One hero image or a shoot of 200+ frames requiring consistent look. Batch work changes the strategy -- per-image perfection is sacrificed for cohesion.
• Intended display brightness: Instagram and web content is often viewed on bright phone screens. Print is viewed under reflected light. Calibrated monitor work is viewed under D50 or D65 standardized conditions. A photo that looks perfect on an uncalibrated laptop will print too dark.