Unit 3 · Project 1
Editor's Portfolio — 5 Edits
Select 5 of your own photos and edit each one with intention using Lightroom or Photoshop.
Editing is not fixing mistakes — it's making creative decisions. In this project you'll select 5 of your own photos (from any unit so far, or new shots) and edit each one with a clear intention. Before you open Lightroom, write one sentence for each photo describing what you want the edit to achieve: 'I want this to feel cold and lonely' or 'I want the subject to pop against a soft background.' Then edit toward that intention. Submit both the original and the edited version of each photo so the transformation is visible.
Objectives
- 1Select 5 photos and write a one-sentence edit intention for each
- 2Edit each photo in Lightroom or Photoshop toward your stated intention
- 3Submit original + edited pairs for all 5 images
- 4Write a brief reflection: did the edit achieve what you intended?
Materials
- Adobe Lightroom (school license)
- 5 of your own photos (RAW or JPEG)
- Visual journal for intentions and reflections
Tips
- Start with exposure and white balance before touching anything else
- Less is often more — a subtle edit can be more powerful than a heavy one
- Compare your edit to the original frequently — it's easy to lose perspective
- If you're not sure what to do, ask: what's the strongest thing about this photo? Enhance that.