The question you should be asking yourself

As I’ve matured in my photography, I’ve started thinking more about the message my images are sending. I mention this in my videos from time to time, but it’s worth repeating: it matters less what a photo is of. What matters more is what it’s about. What is it saying? What is it asking the viewer to feel?

Until a couple of years ago, I spent exactly zero time thinking about that.

Back then, it was usually just, “Here’s a photo of some place,” and my primary goal in editing was to make it “look good” - whatever that meant at the time. Often, it meant cranking up the saturation and calling it done.

But photography is a visual language. And since most of us share our work online, where people actually see it, I think it’s worth asking what we’re communicating.

Of course, we all want people to like our images. But more than that, I want people to feel something when they view mine. A sense of calm. Awe. Curiosity. Even tension. It doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, simple is often better. A photo doesn’t need a long speech - it just needs a clear emotional direction.

This shift in mindset has changed how I edit. I’ve slowed down. I’m more deliberate. I’m less concerned with producing a constant stream of content and more focused on creating images that feel intentional - images that I feel deserve to be seen.

It’s also one of the reasons I rely so heavily on masking in my editing. Masking allows me to shape the light, guide the eye, and control the color in a way that reinforces the feeling I want to convey. Every adjustment becomes less about “making it pop” and more about making it speak.

Do I succeed every time? No, but I’m trying. 

More importantly, I’m thinking about it throughout the creative process. That awareness alone has changed my work for the better.

So before you hit export on your next photo, pause for just a moment and ask yourself:

What is this image really saying?

And if you’re not sure… maybe that’s the place to start.