6 Editing Mistakes That Make You Look Like an Amateur

Here are top photo & image editing blunders, common mistakes & errors often committed by an amateur or beginner & how to steer clear of them

By Claudio Pires
Updated on November 6, 2024
6 Editing Mistakes That Make You Look Like an Amateur

Mastering photo editing takes time, patience, and an understanding of common mistakes made by beginners. Many subtle errors can slip under your radar and make your work feel less professional than it could be. With that in mind, here are some photo and image editing blunders, mistakes, and errors often committed by an amateur or beginner and how to steer clear of them.

Using the Wrong Resolutions Amateur Editing Mistakes

Understanding and correctly applying image resolutions is fundamental in editing. If you’re using the wrong resolution, your pictures can appear blurry or pixelated.

For instance, a low-resolution image being used on a large poster would deliver a dismal result, as visible pixels will be apparent to even the casual observer.

On the other hand, employing excessively high resolution images for web use will unnecessarily increase file sizes, affecting site speed and user experience negatively.

Missteps like these make it evident that you aren’t yet versed in professional editing practices, so always aim to adapt the resolution according to the context in which the image will be used.

Overdoing it with Filters

While filters can aid in transforming a dull image into something striking, overusing them is a mistake that many amateurs tend to make.

These features are designed to enhance the existing elements in your photographs, not overshadow original details or distort reality excessively.

An excessive reliance on filters results in artificial and overtly-edited images which can distract viewers from the main subject matter or degrade overall aesthetics.

Balance and subtlety are key when using any form of digital alteration tools. Including filters, so by all means have fun with them. Be rein in your impulses when producing images for public consumption. This is particularly important if your images are being used in digital marketing. Whether that’s as a means to boost conversion rates from email campaigns or in a PPC context.

Failing to Maintain Aspect Ratios Amateur Editing Mistakes

Neglecting to maintain aspect ratios can lead to unintentional distortion. Making the subjects in your photographs appear leaner or broader than they are.

This mistake typically occurs when you try resizing an image without considering its original dimensions. Consequently, everything looks stretched or squashed rather than maintaining their real-world proportions.

You can avoid this issue if you edit photos using an AI tool, as many of these come equipped with functionality that automatically preserves the correct aspect ratio while editing images.

Implementing Improper Cropping Techniques

Cropping photos can bring focus to a particular element or help fit images into specific layouts. However, improper cropping techniques are detrimental to your work’s accuracy and aesthetics.

For example, careless cropping may leave out critical parts of the image. Or even make an otherwise perfectly composed shot seem off-balance.

Perfecting this technique requires understanding composition rules like the rule of thirds. Thinking carefully whenever you make adjustments while editing, rather than rushing ahead blindly.

Excessive Image Sharpening

As tempting as it can be to sharpen your photos in post-processing, excessive image sharpening is a common rookie mistake. Keep reading to find top photo and image editing blunders, common mistakes, and errors often committed by an amateur or beginner and how to steer clear of them.

When overdone, this feature can introduce unwanted noise and create unnatural textures within your photos that detract from their overall quality.

For instance, landscapes may seem overly detailed or portraits might highlight skin imperfections excessively.

The key here is moderation. Sharpen images just enough to enhance clarity. But not so much that the picture loses its authentic feel and looks hyper-realistic.

Inconsistent Lighting Corrections Amateur Editing Mistakes

Lightning is a fundamental element of every photo. Knowing how to handle it can make or break your editing process.

If the lighting corrections you apply are inconsistent across an image series. It breaks the visual coherence and continuity between individual photos.

To avoid this, ensure that changes like adjustments to shadows, highlights. Or contrast, are uniform throughout all images in a collection.

Final Thoughts

Learning through experimentation is useful when it comes to image editing. But knowing about pitfalls to sidestep before you get started is a good way to save time and make the results more professional immediately, so take this advice onboard no matter the project you’re tackling.

Claudio Pires

Claudio Pires is the co-founder of Visualmodo, a renowned company in web development and design. With over 15 years of experience, Claudio has honed his skills in content creation, web development support, and senior web designer. A trilingual expert fluent in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, he brings a global perspective to his work. Beyond his professional endeavors, Claudio is an active YouTuber, sharing his insights and expertise with a broader audience. Based in Brazil, Claudio continues to push the boundaries of web design and digital content, making him a pivotal figure in the industry.