Editor’s Desk
These days, editing is probably the most confusing word among photographers—and everyone around them.
For some, depending on their field, it means developing and doing post-production; for others, it means selecting images, grounding them, and shaping a coherent story. Depending on the context, one must explain what editing actually means.
Choosing images—or editing a body of work—is, in itself, a quiet craft. In fact, it’s a big part of what we do at DoublePage, because that’s what we are: editors.
Today, I want to share an example of a situation familiar to all of us who make photographs: making a portrait and then deciding which frame should—or could—be used. Which one, and why? This portrait of Milvia, part of the project Fotógrafo a Domicilio, was made in Seattle, Washington, in a house under construction, at the end of a sunless afternoon—only clouds. The light was soft and scarce; the shadow you see in frames #1 and #5 is artificial—flash light—thanks to my younger son, Ignacio, who doubled as my light assistant.
How do you decide which frame works best for Fotógrafo a Domicilio, the series about fractured embraces?
I like to add light as an accent rather than a necessity. Almost every portrait I make could do without that beaten-up flash that travels with me. Still, I like it. I can, or could, decide independently of the light source—natural or artificial—it makes no difference in the end.
In this case, I chose the image that best tells the story of building a house for three different families living together. I needed to see the house mid-transformation; the other images only showed an empty space, not one under construction. Milvia looks wonderful in all of them—it was easy with her—but the surroundings dictated the selection.
Yet, despite all this reasoning, I confess there’s no formula—just intuition, experience, and a bit of craftiness.
I’m sharing this particular portrait because I think it adds something to the conversation. And also because, in this case, I had five options to choose from. Normally, I have one—sometimes two. Five is an absolute rarity. But was my choice the right one?
From 1 to 5, which one would you have chosen—and why?
Let me know in the Instagram post—thank you!
📸 @robertomataphoto
