I like having precise control over all aspects of my images, and the various tools in VSCO allow me to do just that.
Will Milne calls his work vibrant minimalism. Bold color against clean, simple geometry, found in the otherwise unremarkable landscape of North Texas. Getting there isn't accidental. It's the result of a deliberate editing process that works backwards into how he shoots.
His workflow is focused: HB2 or AU5 presets to anchor the color from the start, HSL to dial in specific color relationships, Grain to keep things feeling organic. But what's more interesting than the tools is how they've changed his eye. The first time he applied AU5 to an image, it shifted the way he thought about composition. He started looking for colors in the real world that he knew would come alive in the edit.
In this conversation, Will breaks down exactly how that process works, and why knowing your presets before you shoot is one of the most practical things a photographer can do.
1. What VSCO editing tools do you use regularly?
I always start off with a preset! I almost always go with either HB2 or AU5 depending on the image.
But after the preset comes in, I immediately go to my HSL sliders to dial in my colors. I normally adjust my blues first and my reds right after.
My finishing step is to add a touch of grain to make things feel a bit more organic.
2. Why do you use these tools? What excites you about them?
I like having precise control over all aspects of my images, and the various tools in VSCO allow me to do just that. Anytime a new tool or feature is released I like to go in there and play around with it.
Recently, I shot a local fair for the specific purpose of playing with the Bloom and Halation features. I think that the use of presets helps photographers to establish a specific brand through a particular look and feel.
The HSL sliders allow me to play with the color palette to enhance and create interesting color relationships that create unique moods within the image.
4. Tell us about the series you built around HSL. What were you after with the color relationships?
Color is something that I like to experiment with. When VSCO released HSL sliders, I started working on a series of images that featured a colorful object casting a shadow against a plain, different colored backdrop.
The HSL sliders allowed me to play with the color palette to enhance and create interesting color relationships that created unique moods within the image.
5. Can you describe your photography practice in a couple of sentences?
I often describe my work as vibrant minimalism. I look for things such as shadows, geometry, and patterns in the otherwise mundane landscape that is North Texas.
Finding a way to create an interesting frame out of a scene that other people may just walk by without noticing is a skill that I try to develop every day.
Build your style into every shot
Will doesn't treat presets as a finishing touch. He uses them as a starting point, one that works its way back into how he shoots.
That's what gives his work its consistency. When you know how your colors will land, you start composing with that in mind. You look for scenes differently. You notice things other people walk past.
Start with HB2 or AU5 to anchor the color. Use HSL to shape the relationships between individual tones and build the mood you're after. Add grain to keep it feeling organic rather than processed.
Do that consistently, and the work stops feeling like a collection of photos, and starts feeling like a point of view.
Sometimes, I will stumble across a specific preset that will change the way I compose my images.
