What are Scott Kivowitz’s top recommendations for avoiding common post-processing mistakes?

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.