SUMMARY
Sean Dalton presents a structured five-step Lightroom editing workflow designed to achieve "editing fluency," enabling photographers to execute their vision without guesswork. The process begins by defining the desired mood and emotion of the photograph before any adjustments are made. Dalton then breaks down the editing into five distinct stages: prepping the image, editing light, editing color, editing detail and effects, and fine-tuning. He demonstrates this method with examples, emphasizing that the edit should serve the initial intention rather than relying on presets that may not suit the image's context.
TAKEAWAYS
Prioritize defining the photo's mood and intention before editing.
Follow a five-step workflow: prep, light, color, detail/effects, and fine-tuning.
Avoid forcing presets onto images; adapt edits to the specific photo's context.
Determine when an edit is complete by stepping away, checking against intention, or seeking a second opinion.