What does the photographer do with the images after the shoot?
While this blog entry is only a brief overview into my post production process, I think it's important to educate all my clients - past and future - on how much love, pride, and expertise goes into every image I make.
Step 1: EDITING = BROAD STROKE ADJUSTMENTS
While the editing process can vary depending on a photographer’s taste and overall style, it typically includes: 1) culling; narrowing the images down to the best of the bunch, and 2) quickly applying standard adjustments across an entire set of images. Although readily described as basic, these adjustments are foundational to creating visually pleasing images and ensure continuity throughout the set. Exposure, color temperature, contrast, and sharpness are standard adjustments I make to my images using Adobe Lightroom.
Some photographers will edit a set of images and then digitally delivery them to the client. In contrast, my studio portraits are edited for proofing; reviewing of the images by the client for the purposes of selecting images for purchase.
Basic editing adjustments in Adobe Lightroom; before (L) and after (R).
STEP 2: RETOUCHING = REFINING SPECIFIC AREAS IN DETAIL
In contrast, retouching involves identifying, isolating, and refining specific areas in an image. The most common areas I retouch as a portrait photographer are skin, hair, clothing and background, which involves utilizing advanced tools and techniques in Adobe Photoshop. Because these processes are exceedingly meticulous, time consuming, and vary from one image to the next, I only retouch the images my clients purchase.
A single digital image purchase has a turn-around time of two (2) business days.
A retouched imaged in Adobe Photoshop by Bella Priscilla Photography.
I'd like to thank Criminal Defense Attorney Sandra Ritz for entrusting me with her headshots, which were featured in this post.
