I started this series when I discovered I had kept all the RAW files from my 2019 Alaskan Cruise and thought it be fun to do some 2024 edits based on new skills and see how my editing chops and tastes have changed. What I have learned is that I haven’t changed as much as one would expect in five years…

That means I really do know who I am as a photographer and I am secure and confident in my style. Most of these edits I do without looking at my first edit, so I do not copy crops or whatever changes previously. That allows me to truly compare between now and then. Sometimes I do nearly identical work and sometimes it changes a decent amount in color or tone.

This mountain scape I chose for this round of RAW VS OLD VS NEW is a personal favorite. This image has adorn my desktop as the screensaver since the day I finished my Alaskan edits. I am very familiar with the old edit image, so this edit was particularly hard because it wasn’t going to be done the same as previously but it was fulfilling after five years staring at this image to make some changes to it that I think really makes it pop more.

The 2019 edit is much lighter, brighter and has much cooler tones. Because at the time my brain was like it’s Alaska, in May and you were wearing three layers and winter coats! Viewers need to get some vibe of coolness.

However; the image was totally made at sunset as we were pulling out of the Harbor on our cruiseship and it was one of the only days it wasn’t overcast and we could see the colors in the sky. You can just make out the pinks, purples, and oranges in the 2019 edit. I have always wanted to pull those tones out more and that is what I did for the 2024 edit.

I took the edit darker, I pulled those sunset colors out and I cropped the image in a tighter manner than in 2019. The 2024 edit gives a much warmer vibe as I brought those sunset tones out but it is a more accurate reflection of that moment than the 2019 at least to my memory.

Which edit is your favorite?