I actually look forward to heading into work. Why? Well, besides the obvious perks like a paycheck, there’s one major upside: it gets me outdoors in the early morning hours. Honestly, if it weren't for my job, I’m not sure anything else could drag me out of bed that early. (Does that mean retirees never photograph the sunrise? Maybe they do ‒ but probably only the disciplined ones, or the ones who can't sleep.)
As you've probably guessed, these aren't straight out of the camera ‒ they’ve been edited. There are photographers who pride themselves on doing (almost) no post-processing. Their reasons range from purism and old-school sentimentality to the simple fact that they just don't know how to do it. Personally, I used my favorite tool, Luminar Neo by https://skylum.com. The edits were actually quite straightforward ‒ honestly, just a few clicks of the mouse.
I used some landscape presets I’d put together earlier. Using presets ‒ pre-defined settings ‒ tends to stir up even more debate. The most common argument is that every photo is different and requires a unique touch, which supposedly isn't possible when you're using something "pre-packaged."
On one hand, that's true, but on the other, it’s a bit of a misunderstanding. Using a preset isn't the finish line; it’s the starting block. A preset gives the photo a specific stylistic direction, but the final polish is always individual work. It’s up to the creator to decide how to dial it in.
I actually have some preset packs for Luminar Neo available in my Etsy shop. Just a reminder for my Hive blog readers: you can use the coupon code HIVE25 for a nice discount across my entire shop.
Curious about what the original, unedited photo looked like? Here it is:
