Should my wedding photographer know how to use photoshop?

Is photo editing necessary when it comes to wedding photographer?

Some clients might not know it, but being able to edit photos as a photographer is just as important as taking the photos. It all ties into the over all look of the album created and the polished finish to each image.

All photographers edit their photos, but not all knowledge is created equal. Some photographers get by with just changing the exposure, but others have been using the software for years and continue to train themselves. I started using Adobe photoshop back in 2004 and 17 years later, I still research new ways to edit and what the current trends are.

BEFORE

AFTER

Removing the unsightly-

In this image of the lovely Valorie in Gunnersbury Park, I have shown a BEFORE and AFTER editing. At first glance you may not see a whole lot of difference (No I haven’t photoshopped her face to high heaven or synched in her waist), but I have simply removed unsightly mould from under the arch, dirt and coffee spills and removed any distracting pebbles on the floor. I’ve also colour correct and softened the harsh lines. This is all subtle but I feel cleans up the final image. This may not seem like much, but should Valorie wish to have this in large print, it will make all the difference. This also works for removing people in background of photos or waste bins.

BEFORE

AFTER

Compostion-

A good photographer will edit their images by cropping and straightening their lines to create the best composition. The human eye natural enjoys symmetry and can see that somethings wrong. The brain can tell if composition or lines are off, whether they realise or not. In this second image, I have now cropped out the arch and brought my focus straight to the subject, Valorie. The coffee spills on the back wall are a lot more visible now that I have cropped in, so editing them out was necessary.

BEFORE

AFTER

Blemishes-

We can all agree that Valorie is a stunning lady. She has these amazing pool blue eyes, but out of camera the image appears overall rather dull. What I have done, which you can spot in the BEFORE and AFTER, is a simple colour correction and brightening of the whole image. Some photographers might just stop there, but what I have continued to do, is individual brighten her eyes to make the pop more and I’ve cleared up blemish on her skin. You’re probably thinking “what blemishes?” but if you look closely (and clients usually do) you can see some spots, wrinkles or skin discolouration. Perfectly normal I might add, but by cleaning up the skin it makes for a more pleasurable ascetic. hence the reason we were make up. Once again, if Valorie wanted to enlarge these images, the blemishes would be more noticeable. You can see, her skin isn’t pore-free. She still looks natural and unedited. I haven’t changed her face shape in anyway.

So from these examples you can see why photo editing is a skill worth having, or more importantly, is a skill your wedding photographer should possess to get your photos looking amazing.

To see more of my session with Valorie, please visit my Portrait Gallery

For more on Danielle Li Photography please visit my Wedding Portfolio