Editing is an essential piece of the photography puzzle. We all strive to get it right in camera, but even back in the glory days of analog photography, much of the magic happened in the dark room. Today, we have even more tools at our disposal, from photo management software to programs like Adobe Photoshop where we can make drastic changes to our work.
What we consider too much in terms of editing is up to the artist and their creative vision. What matters more is being able to make the edits you wish to make in the most efficient way possible. Today, we’ve put together a few accessories to help you achieve that goal. Let’s get into it.
Color Accurate Display
While a monitor may not necessarily be an accessory by some metrics, one that accurately represents colors is essential. Apple is known for the color accuracy and acuity of their displays, and that’s why so many photographers choose the MacBook Pro as their one and only editing rig. Aside from the stellar display, these laptops are robust, intuitive to use, and work well with popular post processing software. Not to mention you can take them anywhere.
For desktop PC and Apple mini/studio users, a good monitor is a must. Dell’s Ultrasharp 27” 4K HDR 120 Hz Monitor is a popular display, and the monitor of choice for the author of this article. It’s large, boasts a respectable resolution so you can pixel peep to your heart’s desire, but most importantly, it offers exceptional color accuracy rivaling that of the classic Apple Retina Displays. It achieves this feat with IPS Black panel technology which offers 35% deeper blacks, but superior color accuracy overall.
Sometimes we want to edit while watching a show, or maybe we’re working with two software’s at once and need more screen space. For these intense jobs or multitasking, you can daisy chain up to two of the above displays using the DisplayPort out port or use the thunderbolt passthrough port with either windows or apple systems. You can even hook a laptop up to these when home for a larger view!
If you’re all set with a monitor, fret not. Many current monitors have fairly good color accuracy out of the box, but not all. There are color calibration tools that can be used to optimize your current system. The Calibrite Display Plus HL Colorimeter works with the included PROFILER software to accurately measures, calibrates, and profiles your LCD, OLED, or Apple XDR screen, just to name a few. Unlike some calibration tools out there, the Display Plus HL supports multiple displays.
The Trusty Computer Mouse
A computer mouse is pretty standard, isn’t it? Turns out, there’s actually quite the variety in the world of computer peripherals, and mice are no exception. Not all mice are created equally. Some are wired and minimalist in button layout, whereas others are wireless. Some even offer greater control while a few are furry, have a little tail, and love peanut butter. Okay, maybe not that last one.
When we talk about mice for editing, we’re looking for one with a variety of controls that can be programmed. The Logitech MX Master 4 Wireless Mouse features quiet click buttons, a long-lasting battery, and reconfigurable buttons via the Logi Options+ software. Reassign your mouses buttons to perform common and repetitive tasks.
The mouse alone is quite impressive, but we’ve gone a step farther and recommend the MX Creative Console Kit. This includes the aforementioned mouse as well as the creative console for a streamlined workflow. Nine customizable buttons can be customized to your needs, whether it be to quickly launch apps or other actions.
Pen/Tablet Display
We’ve covered computer mice above, and while a good mouse can certainly make a difference, there is another tool to refine ones editing to an even greater degree. That tool is the pen tablet. One of the most popular brands in this sector is Wacom, with a variety of creative tools from portable tablets to sizeable desktop units. Available in both wired and wireless configurations, a pen and tablet will unleash your creative capabilities.
With a pen, brush strokes are refined and controlled. Masking, selections, brushwork, and even dodging and burning can be done with a precision that a mouse just can’t replicate. If you do most of your post processing in apps like photoshop, a pen and tablet.
Our pick is the Wacom Intuos Bluetooth Creative Pen Tablet. This is an ambidextrous tablet, compatible with both left and right-handed users, with an active use area of 8.5 x 5.3 inches. It features four programmable buttons, known as ExpressKeys. These can be configured for common uses such as copy, paste, and undo. The pressure-sensitive pen is battery free, plus its soft nib can be swapped out with a hard felt nib for a feel more akin to pencil or pen on paper.
Creative Software Controller
The Creative Console gives users the ability to quickly cycle through their favorite editing software, but what do we to streamline our workflow once in our app of choice? We use a creative software controller. These provide a variety of buttons, dials, and switches to control sliders, levels, and any other tools in your editing software of choice.
When it comes to versatile software controllers, we have a true universal editing console for creators of all caliber. Introducing the TourBox Upgraded NEO, the second-generation programmable editing controller. Each control has a unique shape and design to allow users to more easily find them by touch. This allows you to focus on the task at hand.
What tasks can the TourBox cover? Pretty much anything you can imagine. Brush size, flow, transparency, and hardness can be adjusted with a versatile knob. The large left-sided dial works in tandem with other controls to provide slider control, numerical adjustment, frame stepping and more. We also can’t forget the arrow keys, that let you switch between multiple tools with ease.
What makes the TourBox NEO such an effective tool beyond its own capabilities, is that it can be set up to work alongside tools like the mouse, pen and tablet. Photographers often use the controller with one hand while operating the mouse or tablet with the other.
Blue Light Glasses
If you’re staring at a screen for multiple hours of the day, you’re likely to experience some eye fatigue. We can confidently and wholeheartedly say that we get it. Consider just how many people were staring at computer screens all day just to bring this article to you!
To beat the tired eyes that come with the territory, try wearing a pair of blue light blocking glasses. Prescription wearers can have blue light coatings applied to their everyday pairs, but those with good vision are not so lucky. While many pairs are clunky and uncool in appearance, the GUNNAR Pendleton Glasses are stylish, robust, and the perfect tool to protect your eyes from dryness and strain when looking at digital screens for extended periods of time.
If you’re not wearing them every day, this pair is bound to get tossed or forgotten in a drawer at some point. This is where things can get scratched or worse, broken. Rest assured that the GUNNAR glasses can handle this. The frame itself is constructed from a high-grade stainless steel. These glasses are fitted with GUNNAR’s patented Amber GBLF 65 lenses, which can block 65% of blue light as well as 100% of UV light.
Wrist Support
You know what really grinds our gears about sitting behind the computer all day? Carpal Tunnel syndrome. Now, it’s important to note that we’re of the artistic temperament. This is by no means medical advice, rather, a tip that comes from experience. When working tirelessly on edits, typing up captions, tags, and such, you’re bound to get that twinge in your wrist at some point.
If it’s your mouse hand, why not try a padded mouse pad like the Belkin WaveRest. This mouse pad features a foam wrist rest to reduce stress from repetitive motion disorders. You don’t have to wait for any discomfort to start using a pad like this either. There’s nothing wrong with using one as a preventative measure.
Take Your Editing to the Next Level
While you don’t need accessories to master your post processing workflow, there’s no denying that some tools make our jobs a whole lot easier. Whether they save us time or stress, any of the aforementioned tools aim to streamline and perhaps even refine our workflow.
As artists, we’re always learning. Never discount the benefits of a new tool in your arsenal and always be open to new ways of doing things. To learn more about photography and post processing, check out our others guides, articles, and reviews on the B&H Explora page!
