Quick answer
Crop and straighten first, correct brightness and colour, then add contrast and detail gradually. Finish by checking skin and shadows at normal viewing size.
Fix composition
Straighten racks and wall lines, remove distracting edges and keep enough breathing room around limbs. Avoid extreme crops at joints.
Balance tonal range
Lower highlights before raising overall exposure. Add black depth carefully so equipment and clothing still contain visible information.
Check colour and texture
Neutralise green casts, keep skin believable and avoid maximum sharpening. Export once at high quality rather than repeatedly saving edited copies.
Common questions
Should I use HDR?
It can help difficult contrast, but excessive HDR creates halos and flat, artificial texture.
What aspect ratio is best?
Choose for the destination: 4:5 is useful for feed posts, while 9:16 suits Stories and short video covers.