photo editing and presets

THE EDIT

Photo Editing Services & Custom Presets for Wildlife and Travel Photography

photo editing services

In the early days of editing, I got it wrong. I pushed colours too far, chased what I thought an image should look like rather than what it actually was. Learning to edit well took years — not of technical study, but of learning to see.

That shift changed everything. A good edit does not alter reality. It returns you to it. It restores what the camera almost captured: the particular quality of the light, the held breath of the moment, the weight of stillness before something moves.

That is what I bring to every image I touch — mine or yours.

Shape the Story.

Professional editing service for photographers who want their images to speak louder, feel deeper, and tell unforgettable stories.

Where raw moments are shaped into lasting stories.

Deanna DeShea at sunset on the rocks, Meru Conservancy, home of the Born Free Foundation, Kenya — Deanna DeShea

The Editing Service

I offer a professional photo editing service for photographers and travellers who want their images handled with the same care and intention they were made with.

This is a discreet, one-to-one service. I work with a small number of clients — wildlife photographers, travel photographers, and those returning from safari with images they feel deserve more than a quick preset pass.

One of the images I edited for a photographer was subsequently acquired by a gallery. I say that not to impress, but to be clear about the standard I hold myself to.

What I offer

  • Full image editing in Lightroom Classic — colour, tone, clarity, mood
  • Selective adjustments, masking, and sky work where needed
  • A cohesive edit across a set — consistent look and feel throughout
  • Feedback and notes on the editing decisions, if you want them
  • A short turnaround, and a straightforward process

Who this is for

  • Photographers who want a second pair of eyes from someone who shoots the same terrain
  • Travellers returning from East Africa with images that deserve the time and skill they earned
  • Anyone preparing images for print, exhibition, or sale
  • Photographers who have a vision but are not yet sure how to reach it in post
Samburu warrior silhouette against golden sunset in Kenya.

LIGHTROOM PRESETS

If you prefer to work in your own style — learning through doing, shaping the edit yourself — I have developed a set of Lightroom presets built from years of editing East African light.

These are not filters. They are starting points: a foundation for understanding how light, colour, and tone work together in the field. Each preset was developed from a specific quality of African light — the flat midday haze, the golden hour at Amboseli, the cool grey of the Serengeti at dawn.

Custom presets are available on request. If you are interested, include a note when you enquire.

SOUL OF THE WILD

Theme: Emotional depth, connection to nature.
Ideal for dramatic skies and wide landscapes that tell a story.

BEFORE AFTER
Raw file of an African elephant in open savanna, dust and midday light — unedited wildlife photograph A majestic African elephant with large ivory tusks faces the camera in its natural savanna habitat.

Safari Sun

Theme: Rich, true color, safari vibrance.
Perfect for enhancing natural hues with warmth and clarity.

Savanna Bloom

Theme: Richness, natural beauty, painterly feel.
Crafted for wide scenes and colorful landscapes full of life.

Raw file of a leopard at rest, dappled light, East Africa — unedited wildlife photograph AFTER
Raw file of a male lion resting in golden afternoon light, East Africa — unedited wildlife photograph Large dark-maned male lion Marley resting on Serengeti plains, Tanzania, at golden hour — Deanna DeShea

Savanna Noir

Theme: Drama, contrast, timelessness.
A classic monochrome with rich depth and bold storytelling.

Giza bone

Theme: Bold, cinematic, intensity & soul.
High contrast and crisp blacks for a striking, emotional tone.

Raw file of a zebra in natural light, plains of East Africa — unedited wildlife photograph Male zebra rear view, black and white, Samburu Conservancy Kenya — Deanna DeShea
Raw file of an East African landscape at sunset, wide savanna horizon — unedited nature photograph Elephant matriarch herd-color fine art photography, Amboseli, Kenya — Deanna DeShea

Twilight Mara

Theme: Warm light, golden glow.
Captures the magic hour with soft warmth and radiant tones.

Pori Light

Theme: Purity, stillness, minimalism.
Soft whites and gentle contrast for a refined, airy finish.

Raw file of a male lion resting in golden afternoon light, East Africa — unedited wildlife photograph Black and white portrait of a majestic male lion in the African savanna wilderness.