Editing Is one of the most essential parts of the photography process to take ordinary images to the next level. While the initial photo shoot is also a crucial step of process, post-processing is where you can really individualize and elevate your photography and truly show your vision, story, and style. In this blog post I will dive into the importance and significance of image editing as well as some of my favorite editing techniques and technologies.
People often think when they are hiring a professional photographer that they are paying for their initial interaction with the photographer and the photographers time. But when they pay for a photographer they are paying them not only for the time when they show up and take photos, but also for the time they put into communicating, building relationships in order to edit and capture true emotion and memories through images.
Yes, technically photographers do get paid to show up, but they do much more than just that through putting time and effort outside of the shoot to make these images stand out and memorable.
As a photographer, some photos need little editing and some need lots of adjustment to things like lighting, fixing imperfections, contrast & exposure and much more. There are lots of ways to enhance images through editing platforms such as light room and photoshop to make photos more personalized to your individual style. Good photographers are highly comfortable and experienced in using these technologies to add to their professional photos.
Here is my comparison between light room & photoshop for editing photos:
Lightroom:
- Lightroom is a super easy platform for editing, specifically when you need to edit lots of photos in a short amount of time.
- It’s also good for organizing and sorting photos — I use light room a lot and love that I can organize my edited photos and different events into albums and photos.
- It’s Non-destructive and does not take away from the quality of the initial photo.
- Allows users to apply consistent styles quickly across multiple images.
Photoshop:
- Photoshop has a lot more features than light room when it comes to editing.
- It’s a very versatile tool and can be used for graphic design as well!
- Excellent for detailed editing, compositing, and retouching.
- Ideal for photographers needing to create complex edits, such as removing objects and blending.
- Offers an extensive range of tools and features & more customization
Both Lightroom and Photoshop are powerful tools that serve different purposes in the editing process. Many photographers use both. Because of the complex nature and extensive options of photoshop, light room is a more user friendly and beginner editing option. While Photoshop poses as a good option for experienced professionals and those wanting to work beyond photography and into design.
So what do these technologies allow us to do?
These Editing technologies allow us to enhance photos post production
Here are a few of the tools that editing technologies allow you to use to better your images:
Enhance visual / Overall look
The main goal of photo editing is to enhance the overall visual appearence and enhance the overall look of photography. Editing can make the overall appearance of a photo more appealing and stand out more to the desired audience. Editing allows photographers to adjust elements like brightness, contrast, saturation, and sharpness, making images more visually appealing.
Correct flaws
An additional aspect of editing technologies, specifically in photoshop, is that it is made easy to fix flaws such as smudges, marks, and other unwanted aspects of photos including people in the background.
Lighting & Exposure
Editing through either photoshop or light room you are given the ability to fix lighting & exposure post production, This comes in really handy when you get that perfect shot and pose but the exposure was too dark or light.
Create a style
Editing shows the unique style and look of each photographer — With editing photographers create their own unique style that sets the apart from other photographers — This is what make YOU unique and stand out as a photographer — Clients will book you based on your style and appearance of photos & if they resonate with the your editing style as well.
Enhance mood & Emotion
Different color palettes and filters can create various feelings—warm tones can create a sense of nostalgia, while cooler hues might create a sense tranquility. You can make endless combinations of color tones to convey different emotions through your imagery.
Focus
When it comes to editing, focus can be something that is questionable, however with today technology, In photoshop you are able to adjust focus and now even use AI technologies to auto focus on one subject in a photo and blur out others. Through this you can highlight specific elements, guide the viewer’s eye, and create a visual flow.
CONCLUSION:
In conclusion, Photo editing is a crucial step in the photography process and an important aspect of photography that can dramatically enhance the quality and impact of your images. By investing time in post-processing, you can transform good photos into stunning works of art that resonate with viewers and communicate your unique vision. So, embrace the editing process with open arms— it’s a vital part of the creative process whether you’re a beginner or a professional photographer, with mastering your editing skills you will elevate your photography to new heights.
So Get Editing and enhance your photos to their fullest potential!
— Maci 😉