I realized many of us are repeating the same mistakes over and over, so I decided to create this blog post inspired by a recent YouTube video I made. In it, I not only address these common mistakes but also show you how to fix them!

Let’s dive into some of the most frequent Lightroom editing issues and how you can easily improve your workflow and final results!

1. Lack of Consistency: No Personal Editing Style

One of the biggest challenges many photographers face is inconsistent edits. If you find that your images don’t have a recognizable style, you’re not alone! A lot of photographers start fresh every time they open Lightroom, which leads to disjointed results. The key to overcoming this is to develop a rhythm and pattern in your editing. Once you establish a process with recurring adjustments, your photos will start to look more cohesive, and people will begin to recognize your work instantly.

To help you with that, I’ve created a free resource called KJ’s Keys to Lightroom. Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced Lightroom user, this guide will help you level up your editing game and find your unique style.

2. Missing Small Yet Crucial Color Issues

Sometimes it’s hard to spot subtle problems in an image that can cause the overall aesthetic to feel off. For example, in one of my recent shoots, I had an image where the lighting created a beautiful glow. However, there were some extreme orange highlights on the skin, making it look like someone had painted bright orange on the subject’s hands and face. If you’ve ever experienced this, you know how frustrating it can be.. 

The solution? Use Lightroom’s masking tool to desaturate those overly intense areas, especially in the skin. By selectively adjusting these parts, you’ll bring back balance to your image. Just remember, you need to spot these small issues first!

3. Overusing the Temperature Slider

Another common mistake is relying solely on the temperature slider to add warmth to your images. While it’s tempting to use this method, it often warms up the entire image, which may not be what you want! Instead, try using the color grading tool to add warmth to only the highlights. This is particularly helpful when working with lighter skin tones, as you can create a more natural warmth without affecting the rest of the image.

Alternatively, you can use a brush tool to selectively warm specific areas, like a subject’s body, without touching the surrounding environment.

4. Editing with Heavy Contrast and Darkness

Many photographers think that adding contrast or darkening blacks will instantly give their images that “pop.” While contrast is important, overdoing it can weigh down your image, making it feel heavy and overly dark. I’ve seen this happen time and time again in the Facebook group.

Instead of diving straight into contrast, focus on doing foundational work first. Open up the shadows, reduce highlights, and brighten the blacks. This gives your image a lighter, more dynamic range to work with. Once that foundation is set, you can add your pop without creating a heavy, dark image.

5. Ignoring Odd Color Casts: Blue Hair, Red Ears

Have you ever noticed a strange blue tint in your subject’s hair or odd red patches on their skin? This happens more than you think, often due to reflections or harsh lighting. The blue in hair is often caused by reflections from the sky, and those random red patches can pop up in shaded areas or around the hairline.

The fix? Start by identifying these subtle color casts. Once you’ve spotted them, use Lightroom’s color adjustments to strip out the unwanted tones. This simple fix will dramatically improve your image, allowing you to focus on enhancing the true colors.

6. Neglecting Foundational Adjustments for Pop

Lastly, many photographers jump straight into adding contrast or darkening parts of the image without addressing basic foundational adjustments. If your photo looks flat, instead of rushing to add contrast, take the time to brighten up shadows, lift the blacks, and soften the highlights. Once that base is set, you can safely add in the “pop” without making your image feel too dark or heavy.

You got this! 

Editing can be tricky, but by learning how to spot these common mistakes and knowing how to fix them, you’ll see an immediate improvement in your work. Remember, many editing problems come from small, overlooked issues that add up over time. The more you train yourself to recognize these problems, the faster your workflow will become, and the more consistent your style will be.

If you found this blog helpful, I’ve got even more free training for you! Check out my Lightroom tutorials playlist and sign up for my free editing class. It’s packed with tips and tricks to help you master Lightroom, develop a consistent style, and cut down your editing time.

If you want to see this in action, watch the video below!

Also, if you like what you see, you can literally watch me photograph 100’s of wedding and portrait sessions by joining our KJ All Access membership for only $29/month!! Want a look at more? Try it HERE!

Have you seen some of our most popular youtube episodes?

We release brand new Youtube episodes every other week! They range from business topics, personal episodes, gear reviews, technical training and behind the scenes education! If you’ve never explored this part of our photography education, dive in now! It’s free!! Enjoy!

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