Question
What are Scott Kivowitz’s top recommendations for avoiding common post-processing mistakes?
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Scott Kivowitzpost-processing mistakesrecommendations
Answer
From Scott Kivowitz0 votes
Hi there! I’m Scott Kivowitz. Glad you asked about post-processing mistakes—this is one of my favorite topics to help photographers with.
Here are some of my top recommendations for avoiding common post‑processing mistakes (based on what I talk about in my “9 Post Processing Mistakes You Can Stop Making” video and article):
- Don’t overdo clarity, texture, and sharpening; aim for natural detail, not crispy halos
- Be gentle with contrast and blacks/whites so you keep detail in shadows and highlights
- Avoid over‑saturating colors; watch skin tones and skies especially
- Use the histogram and soft proofing instead of trusting only your screen
- Work non‑destructively (RAW files, virtual copies, adjustment layers, etc.)
- Crop thoughtfully in post rather than committing too tightly in-camera
- Stay consistent with white balance across a series of images
- Zoom to 100% to check for noise, banding, and sharpening artifacts
- Step away and come back with fresh eyes before exporting
If you tell me what software you use (Lightroom, Photoshop, something else), I can tailor these to a concrete step‑by‑step workflow for you.
