Storytime 📸

Picture this: Photography conference. Award ceremony just ended. I'm holding my 7th "Best Professional Photographic Editing" trophy, still buzzing from the win.

At the hotel bar afterward, sipping my tonic water and catching up with my photographer friends from around the world, a guy sidles up to me.

Definitely sunk more than one beer. 

Tie wonky and jacket casually over his shoulder.

"You know what's wrong with photography today?" he opens with "All these “photographers” (yes, he literally put his drink down to do bunny ear fingers).

“… they're all cheating. Real photos shouldn’t need editing. Editing takes hours anyway. If you're using a preset, you're not a real photographer. All chargin’ the earth to pay for fancy holidays. ‘Cos presets have them thinking they’re professional photographers!”

He took a dramatic, satisfied pause to pick his beer up again.

I kind of shuffled my trophy behind my back a little, cocked my head to one side and let him continue his lecture about being a real photographer.

“You’re not one of those are you? Cor I hope not (har har har). If you are using presets love, it’s not too late to become a real photographer. Delete them and actually learn how to use your camera. If you're gonna Photoshop, do it yourself! You’ll never learn, with a preset slapped on!”

I think he mistook my polite smile as gratitude for his knowledge. So he continued:

“Honestly love. I've been doing this for 30 years. Started with proper film cameras, real darkroom work. That's where you actually learn about light and shadow, not by clicking some magic button. No edits or do-overs then!"

*dramatic sip of beer*

"These companies sellin’ presets are destroying the industry. Making everyone think they can charge expensive rates after spending $50 online. Putting real photographers out of business. No respect anymore for the craft."

He leans closer, almost whispering like the oracle he clearly is:

"I can spot a preset edit from a mile away. All looks the same colour. Probably don’t know what a real raw photo is”.

At this point, my online photographer friend (S) ran over, heels in hand. She'd been at the ceremony, watched me accept the award.

"Laureeeeeen! There you are. CONGRATS ON THE AWARD FOR LSP ACTIONS! Seven wins - that's got to be some kind of record for an editing creator right?"

The guy's beer stops halfway to his mouth. His eyes dart between S, me, and the trophy now peeking out from behind my back.

"Wait..." he says slowly, the smugness draining from his face replaced with horror. "You make... presets?"

"Haha, umm yes kind of! I develop professional editing workflows," I replied, bringing the trophy forward. They aren’t just presets. Well, not in the way you’ve described at least. Editing has come a long way. I create professional tools that help photographers spend less time on repetitive technical work and more time on their creative decisions. It’s a tough industry right now, my editing tools help them edit and craft their signature galleries".

I braced myself.

But here's what really struck me: His reaction wasn't anger or embarrassment. It was curiosity.

After the initial shock wore off, he started asking genuine questions like:

"Wait, so how do they actually work? 

"Don’t presets just slap the same look on everything?"

And that's when our real conversation started.

I explained how professional editing workflows aren't about applying one-size-fits-all looks anymore, as you would an instagram filter. 

I dived into my favorite subject (I could talk editing all day). He touched on how Ansel Adams edited film portraits by hand in his darkroom by using the “Zone System” to manually dodge and burn.

We concluded that editing wasn’t something to be afraid of. Change is GOOD if you can embrace it and make it work for you.

By the end of the night, he was genuinely interested. 

Not defensive, not lecturing - just conversing.

Here's what that conversation taught me:

The loudest gatekeepers or nay-sayers in any industry are often the most exhausted.

They're protecting a system that's burning them out because they're afraid there might not be another way.

But there is always another way!

Your editing should work for you, not against you.

Have you ever had your mind changed about a "rule" in photography or life? Something you thought was sacred until you discovered a better approach. 

Or have you ever had to handle an unsolicited lecture?

P.S. Plot twist: That guy is now one of my biggest supporters online. He uses LSP Actions editing packs regularly and credits them with helping him rediscover his love for photography (mainly dog and pet). 

Turns out, when you're not spending hours wrestling with basic corrections, you have more energy for the creative work that made you fall in love with photography in the first place!

 Sometimes the best brand ambassadors are former skeptics.