Bramley Apple

200%

Added 2024-09-18 07:30:01 +0000 UTC

Sometimes I have to teach myself not to be too precise, to allow some slack in my work, because perfection is not necessarily the most enjoyable result for the people looking at my pictures.
In the latest version of Lightroom Classic, I use 2 levels of zoom on the pictures.
100% while selecting the pictures for selecting the pictures in focus or retouching the skin on the body of the model.
200% for critical retouching, mainly on the face of the model.

But the 200% zoom is dangerous when it is left on, because if you're casually reviewing the pictures you've already selected while this excessive zoom is still on, you might discard some great photo on the wrong assumption it is not of good enough quality!

The quality of a photo should only be judged on the 100% enlargement, sometimes even less than that, because most people are never going to see them in those conditions.
But also the most perfect picture is going to crumble at 200% enlargements because it is the actual technical limits of the file itself that are giving up.
You should reserve this extreme enlargement only for critical retouching, and remember to go back to 100% as soon as you have finished, or some pictures may be discarded for no reason at all!

For example, who am I to decide to hide this photo of Linda from you?
I would deserve to be arrested and handcuffed if I committed such a crime!

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