What does the photographer do with the images after the shoot?
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 adjustment are foundational to creating visually pleasing images and ensure continuity throughout the set as a whole. Exposure, color temperature, contrast, and sharpness are standard adjustments I make using Adobe Lightroom.
My studio portraits are edited for proofing; reviewing of the images by the client for the purposes of selecting images for purchase.
Retouching - 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.
On average, retouching takes approximately 2 hours per image.
Occasionally, my retouching process also includes compositing; digitally combining two or more images into one. Below is an example of a portrait taken in the studio combined with a landscape I took in Colorado several years before. Although uncommon, I enjoying compositing when it serves my portrait style!
Compositing: Before (L) and After (R).
