HOW TO BE A BETTER PHOTO EDITOR

Taking pictures is one thing. Going back and looking at the thousands of photos you shot, picking out the best ones, and putting together a coherent story is another. Editing your photos is an essential step all photographers must make when building up their body of work. The photo shoot might be over, but your job is not done. You now need to become your own curator, decide what it is you want to share with the world, and make sure your selections align with what you want to say. 

Here are 10 steps you can take to improve your photo editing:

1. Trust your gut. Photography is this magical, ethereal thing that despite having done this for so many years, I still find it hard to verbalize what truly makes a good photo. However, I noticed the best photos make you feel something, usually something you can’t describe. They make you stop, even if it’s just for a split second. These are usually your strongest photos.
   

2. Know yourself. And be aware of yourself. You can’t select your best photos if you don’t notice the way you feel when making your selections. You need to know when you are moved by an image. You also need to know when you are not moved at all. It’s a very subtle difference, but it makes all the difference.
   

3. Edit fast. Go quick! Especially for your first round. Don’t think too much. When we think too much, we start to invent reasons as to why a certain photo is worth keeping. This prevents us from sticking to our gut. It also wears us down. Go quick for your first round. You can slow down and specify later on.
   

4. State your intention. Be crystal clear about what you are editing for and what you’re trying to say with your images. For example, the way you would edit photos for a personal project would be totally different from how you would edit a project for a commercial gig. Be clear about the intention of your photos, and let that be your compass. Otherwise, it can be really easy to get lost.
   

5. No excuses. Photography is hard. You might have spent years of your life and tons of your money trying to get that one shot. You might have flown across world. You might have even risked your life. But effort alone doesn’t create a great image. Don’t make excuses for yourself. If it’s a bad photo, then it’s a bad photo. Nobody cares about the backstory unless it’s a great photo to begin with.
   

6. Just because you shot it, doesn’t mean it’s a good. There’s a general bias when it comes to critiquing our own work, and that bias is the belief that because you made it, it’s good. Perhaps our parents and teachers were a little too kind to us back in the day when they would ooh and ahh over our random scribbles as if they were masterpieces that belong in the Louvre. Who knows. Whatever it is. Just because you made it, doesn’t mean it’s good. It may have been good in stretching your creative muscles, but that might be it. Detach yourself from your inner ego. It’s not good just because you made it. Sorry to burst your childhood dreams.
   

7. Step away. Once you’ve made your selections, step away for about a week or two. Then see if you still feel the same about them when you return. You may find that some images may have lost their appeal. Hopefully, most of them kept their pizazz. Sometimes our excitement about having finished a shoot skews our vision, making us think our images are greater than they really are. By spending time away from your beloved work, you can clear your head, come back thinking straight, and make the proper adjustments.
   

8. Live with your images. After you’ve narrowed down your selections, it is best to spend some serious time with them. Print your pictures out, and hang them on the wall. Maybe even in different sizes. Keep track of how you feel about your selections. Which ones stand the test of time and provide long-term fulfillment? Keep those. Discard the rest.
   

9. Find a challenger. By this, I mean a second pair of eyes of a colleague you trust. This person understands you as an artist and challenges your work. They ask you questions you’d rather not answer. You will need to answer these questions, fight back, and prove yourself to your challenger. This part is quite difficult. It’s hard to talk about your own work, but I’ve found it is very helpful when it comes to making sure my work is really as strong as I think. (PSA: A giant hug at the end of a session always helps.)
   

10. Reflect and revise. Take a look at your final selections, and reflect on whether or not your images align with why you started the project in the first place. Is it saying what you want it to say? If not, what’s missing? Do you need to shoot more? Or go back, and revise your edit? Sometimes the project we are left with is completely different from the one we intended to create. No worries. It’s all part of the creative process. What’s most important is you now have a foundation you can stand on and refer back to as you make your finishing touches.

Editing photos require us to take on many roles. We have to be technical, sensitive, and assertive all at the same time. It can be a rather daunting task requiring so many decisions to be made that we may be paralyzed into not making any decisions at all. I’ve certainly delayed many personal projects because I couldn’t come up with an edit. But one of the best things about being a photographer is being able to share our work with the world. I hope these 10 tips help you get there because I want to see your work too!

by Jason Lam

ON PHOTOGRAPHING CELEBRITIES

I’ve had conversations with colleagues of mine who talk about how they want to photograph celebrities. It’s like if they don’t have celebrities in their portfolio, then they are a failure. But I think that’s a waste of time. 

Why not find your own celebrities?

All the people I photograph are people I admire. They aren’t celebrities in the traditional sense, but they are famous to me. 

You don’t need to be photographing people everyone else is photographing. 

You need to be photographing your people. The people you think are special. The people who are famous to you. 

Forget celebrities. 

Make your own celebrities.

by Jason Lam

1 SECOND EVERYDAY - 2016

A transformative year to say the least. 

I found my smile again. Along with my heart.

Thank you 2016.

by Jason Lam

YOU CREATE YOUR OWN WORLD // YOU ARE WHAT YOU'RE NOT

Within the four corners of the frame, you create your own world. You create connections other people otherwise would not see, had you not blanked everything else out. 

Photographers are curators who are saying, “Look at this!”

And by saying, “Look at this!” you are also saying, “Don’t look at that!”

Photography is just as much about concealing as it is as about showing.

Thus, you are defined not just by what you choose to show but also by what you choose not to show.

Most people may think of photography as placing a spotlight on a certain element of life, but we can also think of photography as turning the lights off as well. 

Highlight by subtracting.

Show by hiding.

Reveal by obscuring.

by Jason Lam

GRATITUDE IN PHOTOGRAPHY

Photograph like you’ve been given the gift to peer into a new world. One that is special to you. One that you’ve been waiting to see for your whole life.

When you do so, your approach will change.

More love. More care. More respect.

Try it. 

Imagine as if you were given this gift.

This one chance to show how much you care.

The photo above is of my mom’s wedding shoes.

by Jason Lam

ON DOCUMENTARY PROJECTS: FILL IN THE BLANKS

When you first start a documentary project you’ll be very excited and shoot everything. That’s good. Get that out of your system. In this initial phase, you must allow yourself the joy of being in this new environment, working on a new project, and run free.

But eventually, you’ll have your basic framework built. The broad strokes are in. It is at this point where you must get clear about what you’re really trying to say with your work and hone in on the details. 

I call this filling in the blanks. These are the little final touches most people might not notice but make all the difference.

Like chocolate thin mints housekeeping likes to leave on your hotel pillow. Or the freshly chopped chives atop a fresh bowl of tomato soup. It is these little moments that allow you the opportunity to show who you are. To show how much you care. To show that you went the extra mile. Not because you had to, but because you wanted to.

I spent the past two months photographing the LINES Ballet Training Program, and like any photographer, I started off taking a bunch of pretty photos of dancers flying in the air. Who wouldn’t? They’re beautiful. But after a couple weeks, I had more than enough of that. So then I began going deeper into the work and started photographing other minor details about a dancer’s life that may often go overlooked. For example, the funky socks dancers wear, the injuries, the food they eat, the in-between moments when they’re not dancing. Life, essentially. I wouldn’t have been able to do this if I didn’t first let myself get the ‘broad strokes’ out the way - because this is what built the framework that allows me to insert the finer details.

Point being, whenever you are shooting a documentary project, when you think you’re done, you’re most likely not done. If anything, you’re just getting started. Go beyond. Look further. Take stock of what you have. Most importantly, take stock of what you’re missing. Then go out and keep shooting. Be bold. Show us how much you care. Fill in the blanks. 

by Jason Lam

PHOTOGRAPHY AS A PRACTICE IN LETTING GO

I miss moments all the time. It sucks and I often try to recreate a moment but it’s never the same.

The reality is the moment has gone and life will not give it back.

But the peculiar thing is when I come to embrace this cold hard fact and understand that I have no choice but to move on, it makes the act of letting go much easier.

I have no choice but to continue moving forward in life.

In addition, the fact that I have these near-misses makes me more confident. They give me hope and belief that other moments will arise. 

And they always do.

While the act of letting go can be quite hard to bear and even sad at times, it is also a practice in the belief that the ‘tide will turn’ and better things will always most certainly come.

by Jason Lam

A DASH OF SALT

You only need a dash of salt in order to bring out the flavor in your food.

You only need to work out a little to reap the many benefits of physical exercise.

You only need a few minutes of quiet every day to center yourself.

I know sometimes it’s hard because our inner perfectionist knows and believes we are capable of so much more. And you are, but often times it’s the little gestures in our lives that make us great. Everything doesn’t have to be so grand.

A few of mine:

• Writing - To share knowledge. Even if it’s a little blurb on twitter.

• Swimming - I’m not the best swimmer but I enjoy the challenge and it keeps me fit.

• Reading - Satisfies my curiosity and maintains my intellect.

• Watching the sunset - Helps me keep calm and reminds me of what matters in life.

• Napping - Life can be quite busy. Designated downtime keeps me functional.

Now it’s your turn.

What’s the dash of salt you can add to bring out the flavor in your life today?

by Jason Lam

MADE IN AMERICA

I was born and raised in America, and growing up I was only able to speak Chinese at an elementary level. But I’ve always felt a desire to get back to my roots. As a kid, I would do things like martial arts, dragon boat, and lion dancing because it made me feel Chinese. Maybe I was stereotyping myself, but regardless of that fact, I always felt a disconnect, and I was bent on reconnecting it. 

As I got older, I would make trips out to hang out with my friends in Chinatown every weekend. We spoke Chinese, hung out at the Chinese Playground, and ate Chinese snacks. It felt right. I felt at home during those moments. When I went to college, I studied filmmaking and wrote stories about the Chinese-American experience. When I graduated from college, I studied abroad in Spain for two months but still managed to find a Chinese restaurant to go to for dinner every now and then. After that, I purposely went to live abroad in Taiwan for over a year to learn Chinese. I really enjoyed my time out in Taiwan. I felt at home. Despite it being a bit challenging at times to get around with the language barrier and all, things felt right. When I left Taiwan and moved to New York City, I still managed to find my way back out to Chinatown to buy groceries or treat myself to an egg tart. Before long, I ended up moving into Chinatown in Lower Manhattan and began photographing a local lion dance group while studying at the International Center of Photography. 

Now that I have returned home to San Francisco, it is still very much a part of my identity. I went back to visit Taiwan recently, and I will do so again in a few weeks. I need to feel connected to my culture as much as I need to breath. Listening to Chinese music, making a trip down to Chinatown, or even something as simple as ordering food in Chinese makes me feel closer to … myself. But it's not that simple. Half-American. Half-Chinese. Too American. Too Chinese. Who knows. Chinese-American is the term we often use. Sometimes I feel really American, really Chinese, or just none at all. One thing’s for sure, I love my culture and where I come from. It’s just that sometimes it can get a little confusing.

by Jason Lam

ON BUILDING OUT YOUR COMFORT ZONE

Today was a special day.

I sang for the very first time in front of an audience.

That’s right; I sang a song, all by myself. 

I’ve been taking voice lessons. It’s something I’ve wanted to do since my teenage years but never got around to because I was scared. I always managed to find an excuse not to go through with it. I noticed fear and staying in your comfort zone makes you really good at that. I also noticed that time doesn’t make your desires go away; it only makes your desires grow stronger, so much to the point where the joy of staying in your comfort zone is no longer worth the pain of not following through. In my case, it took 10 years to get out of my comfort zone and do what I’ve always wanted to do.

“Just because it feels comfortable, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good for you.”

On the same note, just because something is uncomfortable, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad for you.

This bit of knowledge comes from my voice coach, Ellen Robinson, who, despite my limited experience as a singer, I believe is one of the best voice teachers out there. Singing often requires that we reach parts of our voice that may feel a bit uncomfortable. She demonstrated how our normal speaking voice requires rather minimal effort to make a sound and how the ease of regular speaking only covers a limited range of notes. When we sing, we must force ourselves outside of the narrow range we have grown accustomed to and go beyond our comfort zone. It is only by doing so that we can truly tap into the potentials of our voice.

Ellen likens getting out of your comfort zone to building an attic. 

First, you have to make the decision to get up there. And when you’ve done so, start by dusting everything out. Then you need to give the walls a fresh coat of paint and start moving in some furniture. Who knows, maybe you can even put up some window curtains and lay out a few pictures. You’re venturing into foreign territory so it may feel a bit intimidating but that’s why you need to build it out slowly. Then you need to hang out there. 

When you’re getting out of your comfort zone, you’re essentially creating a new space for yourself. It’s going to feel a bit alien the first couple of times. It requires getting over your fears and inhibitions. On a more tactile note, it is a process, often a very slow process. That’s why you need to keep going up there, going through the necessary steps, and work through your discomforts. Remind yourself that just a tiny bit of progress is still progress. You’ll be surprised to find that eventually, you will have created a new space for yourself in a place you never imagined possible. In fact, you might quite enjoy being up there.

How I built my attic:

I came in on the first day only planning to sit in and observe because I was afraid to commit. Little did I know, I ended up participating, loved it so much, and officially enrolled in the class. Each class started by warming up our voices through a series exercises. Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So. Then came the sheet music. Key signatures. Vocal ranges. More music. And suddenly we’re talking about major and minor thirds, key changes, codas, al codas, triplets, and harmonies. This happened for one hour a week. Before I knew it, there I was singing a solo for the first time in front of a real audience, instead of doing it drunk at a karaoke bar. I was actually singing. This was what building my attic was like. Just one hour a week. Imagine what you could do in an entire lifetime.

I sang “How Little We Know” by Frank Sinatra.

Here is my rendition with all its imperfections:

I share this story with you today because I feel that life provides us with a lot of space to really build something beautiful and magnificent. This space comes in the form of time, and if you are staying in your comfort zone out of fear, then I would like to remind you that you don’t have time to waste. Time passes, and you will get older whether you like it or not. You cannot control that, but whether or not you set out to get what you came here for is up to you.

How far will you reach outside your comfort zone? How many extra rooms and attics will you build inside your home? What will you do with these seconds of opportunities that life provides you every day? 

Remind yourself that just because something feels good, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good for you. In order to reach our best selves, we must be willing to trust the process and do things that absolutely terrify us from time to time. Don’t just get out of your comfort zone -- build out your comfort zone. 

by Jason Lam