The capture decision comes first. If the frame is wrong in camera, post is damage control. Get the light, the angle, and the exposure right first.

HEIC is the daily default. 24 MP at 1x covers most frames. ProRAW is the deliberate upgrade. Use it when the light is difficult, the subject matters, or the file needs latitude HEIC cannot provide.

The edit follows a sequence. Exposure sets the base. Highlights and shadows shape the tonal range. Black point anchors the floor. Warmth and vibrance define the character. Everything else follows.

Warmth and vibrance are the identity controls. Warmth sets temperature. Vibrance adds presence without pushing the file into noise. Color should feel found, not added.

Sharpness, definition, and contrast are used conservatively. Overuse compounds. Each one changes how the file handles noise, fine detail, and edge rendering. If the edit is the first thing you notice, it went too far.

Vignette starts at zero. If it earns its place, it stays. If the image needs it to feel complete, the composition needed more attention.

The baseline recipe handles most frames. Light changes warmth and tonal spread. The structure stays the same. Only the values move.

The goal is not to make every file look edited. The goal is to make the right parts hold. Light first. Subject second. Restraint always.

The edit serves the file. The file serves the light.