The Before

In the raw image, we see a beautiful moment—natural lighting, a Border Collie in a classic herding creep, and the reflection on the water. While the photo captures the essence of the moment, it was taken shortly after high tide, leaving the beach cluttered with distracting elements. The dog's tongue was out, and the reflection felt overwhelming, taking away from the overall impact. The image, as it is, just doesn’t have that wow factor.

The After

I made some thoughtful edits to bring out the best in this scene. I performed a jaw swap using another image, creating that intense, serious expression to match the Border Collie’s herding stance. I also removed many of the distractions from the beach as well as the reflection for a cleaner, more polished look. Ideally, I’d love to start with a perfectly clean beach, but sometimes I have to work with the environment I’m given—and this was one of those times. The result is a transformation that elevates the photo from a good snapshot to a stunning piece of art, without it feeling overly edited or fake.