LS 36: Composition Based Editing—Pt II

Summary

In this session, we’re diving deeper into how composition should drive every editing decision you make. I’ll show you how to break your images down into three to five major shapes using gestalt principles, helping you see the visual hierarchy that matters most. We’ll work through real examples—from backlit village streets to dramatic desert skies—analyzing how tonal variation creates movement without relying on obvious leading lines. Most importantly, we’ll explore that crucial question every photographer wrestles with: when does editing go “too far?” The answer isn’t technical—it’s about whether your interpretation serves the story you’re trying to tell.

Key Takeaways

• Your RAW file isn’t the truth—it’s just raw ingredients. Whether your editing has “gone too far” depends entirely on the story you’re trying to tell, not some arbitrary standard of what the scene “really” looked like.

• Break your images into 3-5 major shapes before you start editing. This composition-first approach tells you exactly where to guide attention and what deserves emphasis—not every part of your image should get equal treatment.

• Leading lines are helpful, but visual vectors created through tonal variation are what actually move the eye through your image. Light, shadow, and value changes create movement even when there’s no explicit path to follow.

• The moment you capture is just the beginning—your vision determines the interpretation. If you lose that initial feeling during editing, step away and come back when you can reconnect with what drew you to the scene in the first place.

Action Items

• Use the Value Study App or Photoshop’s Cutout Filter on three of your recent images to identify the major shapes. Can you see 3-5 clear shapes, or is your composition fragmented into too many competing elements?