I’m turning a new leaf in ‘09.  I am now a believer in Photoshop!

For most of ‘08, I did what I call “light editing” on client galleries:  necessary cropping, a bump in saturation, tweaking of contrast.  I never believed in changing the facts — and still don’t — such as removing a tag or creating something that wasn’t there.  But what I love about Photoshop is using it to give images that extra oomph!

This post-production work will be done to images when clients order prints (for 5×7 and larger), if the image requires it.  Some images look great straight-out-of-the-camera.  And starting in 2009, I will also allow clients to purchase high-resolution digital files of images that have full post-production editing or oomph-ified!  Please see my website for pricing under Info.

Here are some BEFORE (straight-out-of-the-camera images) and AFTER (”oomph-ified”) examples!

BEFORE and AFTER:

This post-production step is creating art because you can take 10 different people to work on the same image and get 10 different results.  Everyone has their own style and preferences.

Overall, I like my images to stay natural-looking, not over-processed.  But some “mood images”, like the one above, may look better in a dreamy state and some close ups may need a little smoothing out of the skin, for instance.

I like choosing the key factor that makes the image great, like the lighting or the vivid colors, and enhance that particular factor.

BEFORE and AFTER:  Now you see more details in the monkey (the focal point) and there is more color saturation. 

BEFORE:  This is a good example of a photo you like seeing in your gallery, but you probably wouldn’t frame and hang up in your house.

I like they way this little boy is looking downward at me.  I love the symmetry of his ears in the shot… it reminds me of his monkey lovey that he carried around – tee hee.

AFTER:  I liked it before, but now I loooove it!  The photo has an artsy vibe.  I think it’d look fantastic enlarged and mounted on canvas!

BEFORE:  Example of improving the perspective.  The colors are beautiful, but there are other details that take away from the photo, such as her sister sitting in the left side.

I wanted the focus to be on the baby’s amazing eyes!

AFTER:  Not only did I make a tight crop on her face, which takes you directly to her gorgeous eyes and lashes, but also, I smoothed out her skin.  Since we were at the beach, her face had some sand on it.  Plus, it was so windy and cold that her skin was dry.

I also bumped up the blueness of the sky to better balance out with her colorful hat.

BEFORE and AFTER:  I didn’t use a secondary light source.  It was just me and the sun.  So sometimes images can benefit from a little brightening.

BEFORE:  I like the spotty sunlight and the wide angle.

AFTER:  Now the photo has a little more depth and, well, need I say it?  More oomph!

Click here to see Before and After – Part 2!

Click here to see Before and After – Part 3!

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