Photo editing — how to build a coherent series

A detailed guide to Photo editing — how to build a coherent series.

Create distance

The first edit removes errors and repetitions. A later pass should happen after the emotion of making the image has faded.

Rhythm

Wide views, portraits, details and transitions create pace. Too many similar frames weaken strong work.

Opening and ending

The first image invites viewers into the series; the last should leave tension or thought.

Presentation context

An exhibition, book, magazine and website need different sequences, scales and image counts.

Putting this knowledge into practice

The most effective way to retain these principles is to work deliberately with your own material: make photographs, leave them aside for a while and return to the edit without attachment to the circumstances in which each frame was made.

Compare not only individual images but also their neighbours, presentation scale and viewing context. These relationships are where photography begins to function as a language rather than merely a record of an event.