Here is another image where there is quite a big going on. I have elongated the bride just a little bit in Photoshop because she was getting lost in the grass and it was making her look shorter than she really was. I made her just a little bit thinner and retouched her just a bit. I also added vibrancy, warmth and contrast to this image. I just adore this image it looks like she’s in a magical forest with fairies hiding around the tree.. its just ethereal!
I want to go on record right now stating that I wish we lived in a society where women and men were accepted appreciated and loved for exactly how they looked and who they are. I’m a huge advocate of women loving themselves. I am plus sized and I have been plus sized most of my life. Although I am working on losing some weight and getting even healthier than I am now. I do love the social movements that are taking place now for women to to help them accept and love their bodies exactly as they are. If we were in a perfect world I would never have anyone ask me to Photoshop anything. This is, not a perfect world. Photo shopping and retouching has been around pretty much since art has been made. In the Sumerian times artists made women heavier with large bulging hips and large breasts to worship for fertility purposes. Kings and queens have looked younger and more beautiful in their painted canvases than they looked in real life. When photography first started artists would retouch negatives and airbrush photographs. Nothing much has changed except that now we have Photoshop. I try to make my clients the best version of themselves without going overboard and without making them different people. I strive to capture the true spirit of who my clients are without having them feel insecure about a particular part of body or problem. I would rather be realistic and let my clients know that I can fix anything they’re insecure about rather than have them feel uncomfortable in front of the camera. I want my clients to be free to be who they really are, to laugh freely, to dance wildly, to love boldly. If we have to tweak a little bit in Photoshop… I’m always happy to do that.
Please look for a photographer that does this also for you if this is something that you would like. Hopefully you picked up some terms in this blog that will help you ask your photographer questions about what he or she can do for you. At the same time learn to love yourself and embrace who you really are. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!! As we work towards a better world of self acceptance hopefully we can retouch just a little less as time progresses.
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Have you ever noticed how so many wedding photos just look BLAH! Sometimes you just can’t even put your finger on it but you .. just know! Sometimes a photo just looks … YAWN.. BORING.. or FLAT.. maybe it just doesn’t have that POP that you like. Many talented photographers just don’t know or have the skills to turn an image from good to great!
When choosing a GREAT wedding photographer take into consideration what other skills your photographer has. Photoshop and retouching skills should be a must for any talented wedding photographer. Sometimes I see pretty photo that needs to be cleaned up a bit.. but the photographer just leaves it. In my opinion that looks unprofessional. Your wedding album should be FLAWLESS! and you should LOOK FLAWLESS in it!
Your wedding photographer should be proficient in using Photoshop to enhance and refine your wedding photos to ensure they are of the highest quality. Here are some key tasks your wedding photographer should be doing for you in Photoshop…
#1 VIBRANCY AND CONTRAST make your wedding photos pop
I think the first thing that every photographer should do is add vibrancy and contrast to your wedding images. Images that come straight out of camera normally look a little bit flat. If it is an overcast day then they’re going to look even more flat. The color that we see with our human eyes is normally enhanced in our brain. For instance it could be a very blue day, there could be green patches of color everywhere, coming from grass or trees. You would probably never notice that. But the camera captures everything.
In Photoshop, enhancing vibrancy and contrast is crucial for transforming images into visually captivating works of art. Vibrancy adjustments selectively amplify colors, infusing them with life and richness without sacrificing naturalness, ensuring that the image appears vibrant and dynamic. On the other hand, manipulating contrast enhances the tonal range, accentuating the distinction between light and dark areas to create a more dramatic and impactful composition. These adjustments not only increase the visual appeal of the image but also play a pivotal role in directing the viewer’s attention, evoking emotions, and effectively conveying the intended message or story. Ultimately, by fine-tuning vibrancy and contrast, photographers and designers can elevate the overall quality and impact of their work, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.
#2 bringing up shadows in your wedding photos so your don't lost any details
In wedding photography, selectively bringing up shadows is crucial for ensuring that every detail captured on the special day is preserved and showcased to its fullest potential. By lifting shadows, a photographer can reveal hidden elements within the image, such as intricate lace patterns on the wedding gown, subtle expressions on the faces of the couple, or the delicate textures of the venue’s decor. This technique not only adds depth and dimension to the photographs but also enhances the overall visual storytelling, allowing for a more immersive and emotive experience for the viewers. By carefully balancing light and shadow, the photographer can create images that exude warmth, intimacy, and romance, capturing the essence of the moment in its entirety. Moreover, lifting shadows can also help in correcting exposure inconsistencies and ensuring that even in challenging lighting conditions, every precious moment of the wedding day is beautifully preserved for years to come.
#3 Skin Retouching
Nobody wants to feel insecure on their wedding day. Whether you got one terrible pimple right on the tip of your nose from all the wedding planning stress or you have had skin acne scars most of your life. Skin retouching in wedding photography is important as it enhances the overall appearance of the subjects while maintaining a natural and flattering look. Wedding photos are cherished memories that couples will revisit for years to come, and flawless skin contributes to the timeless beauty of these images. By softening blemishes, reducing the appearance of wrinkles, and evening out skin tones, retouching ensures that the focus remains on the couple and their emotions rather than distracting imperfections. This process can instill confidence in the subjects, allowing them to feel their best selves in the photographs that capture their special day. Additionally, subtle skin retouching helps to create consistency across the entire collection of images, ensuring a cohesive and polished final product that reflects the elegance and sophistication of the occasion. I try to keep retouching as natural as possible but still allowing the emotion of the day to come through without the distraction of imperfections that may make you feel insecure. I always allow my clients to tell me how little or how much retouching they are comfortable with.
For the final album I make sure that every single image looks flawless. That includes retouching skin, brightening eyes and teeth and making sure that my clients look like the best version of themselves! Here you can see this bride had pretty nice skin. The first image is the image straight from my camera with absolutely nothing done to it. In the second image we retouched her skin just a little, she didn’t need much. We just smoothed the skin tones a bit. At this point we warmed up the images and added a little contrast. On the third image if you look very closely you can see that we brightened the whites of her eyes, brightened and sharpened the brown in her pupils and brightened her teeth just a bit. She needed very little teeth brightening but we added a bit anyways.
Although most brides do not need a significant amount of retouching some of my brides prefer more retouching. I make sure that whatever insecurities they feel will addressed with my expertise. Whether it be fine lines and wrinkles or even body composition.
#4 body retouching aka make me thinner!
Retouching brides to appear thinner in wedding photography is a contentious issue that requires careful consideration. While some may argue that slimming down the bride’s appearance enhances aesthetic appeal, it’s essential to approach this practice with sensitivity and ethical considerations. Moreover, promoting unrealistic body standards can perpetuate harmful ideals and negatively impact body image perceptions. Instead, photographers should focus on techniques that celebrate the couple’s natural beauty and emphasize their confidence and happiness on their wedding day. Ultimately, retouching brides thinner should be approached with caution, prioritizing authenticity, respect, and the celebration of love and joy over unrealistic ideals of beauty. That being said if my bride feels insecure or did not lose the weight that she initially intended to lose I am happy to help with a bit of Photoshop magic. As a person who was plus sized almost her entire life I know what it’s like to feel insecure about my photograph and have always wanted a little extra Photo-shopping in my photos. Let’s be real and realistic. We don’t always look how we want to look in photos. All the perfect posing in the world and the right lighting can only do so much… sometimes a little extra helps. I gotcha!
Although most brides do not need a significant amount of retouching some of my brides prefer more retouching. I make sure that whatever insecurities they feel will addressed with my expertise. Whether it be fine lines and wrinkles or even body composition I am just here to serve!
#5 body retouching for problem areas aka back fat disappear!
Sometimes all that is needed is a little retouching in a particular problem area like back fat that spills out of a wedding gown or the bit of fat that spills out of a corset. These areas can all by addressed with a little Photoshop. This is a very common problem. Probably the most common problem in weddings. THE DREADED BACK FAT!!!! Corsets make this problem just a little worse. Although they make your waist look really tiny they can also spill any fat that you may have on your back over your dress. Again no reason to dismay we aren’t going to ovoid all poses showing your back because of this little problem. As you can see the image on the left is straight out of camera. The image on the right I have thinned the arm of the bride just a bit and tucked in any back fat. Plus I have cleaned up any tan lines. Those dreaded tan lines can really ruin a wedding photo!
I want to go on record right now stating that I wish we lived in a society where women and men were accepted appreciated and loved for exactly how they looked and who they are. I’m a huge advocate of women loving themselves. I am plus sized and I have been plus sized most of my life. Although I am working on losing some weight and getting even healthier than I am now. I do love the social movements that are taking place now for women to to help them accept and love their bodies exactly as they are. If we were in a perfect world I would never have anyone ask me to Photoshop anything. This is, not a perfect world. Photo shopping and retouching has been around pretty much since art has been made. In the Sumerian times artists made women heavier with large bulging hips and large breasts to worship for fertility purposes. Kings and queens have looked younger and more beautiful in their painted canvases than they looked in real life. When photography first started artists would retouch negatives and airbrush photographs. Nothing much has changed except that now we have Photoshop. I try to make my clients the best version of themselves without going overboard and without making them different people. I strive to capture the true spirit of who my clients are without having them feel insecure about a particular part of body or problem. I would rather be realistic and let my clients know that I can fix anything they’re insecure about rather than have them feel uncomfortable in front of the camera. I want my clients to be free to be who they really are, to laugh freely, to dance wildly, to love boldly. If we have to tweak a little bit in Photoshop… I’m always happy to do that.
Please look for a photographer that does this also for you if this is something that you would like. Hopefully you picked up some terms in this blog that will help you ask your photographer questions about what he or she can do for you. At the same time learn to love yourself and embrace who you really are. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!! As we work towards a better world of self acceptance hopefully we can retouch just a little less as time progresses.
Forgot your spanx to your photo shoot.. no problem I have you covered. A basic retouching need is smoothing out lumps and bumps that no one wants in their photos! Underwear lines and bra lines should not be allowed to make it to the final wedding or engagement image. These images should look flawless!
#6 Custom filters and fine art additions to your final wedding images
Now for something a little bit more exciting. I’m going to get into photo shopping and retouching at a slightly higher technical level. Most photographers are not going to retouch at this level. If they do Photoshop at this level there is normally going to be a custom fine art charge. I retouched to this level on a few of my absolute favorite images that I will add into my wedding couples’ album or of a client is buying a large canvas from my studio. It is normally very time-consuming but so worth the time and energy.
Below are some of the photo shopping retouching fine art effects that I add in Photoshop to make an image stand out! This is the kind of stuff that makes people say “WOW!!!
Adding filters and special effects to wedding photos can enhance their visual appeal and create a unique atmosphere that reflects the couple’s style and the mood of the event. These effects can add an artistic touch, elevate the storytelling, and evoke emotions that make the photos more memorable and impactful. Filters and effects can also help unify the style and tone of the entire wedding album, creating a cohesive look that ties all the images together. These enhancements allow photographers to unleash their creativity and offer clients a personalized and distinctive collection of images that truly capture the essence of their special day. However, it’s important to use filters and effects judiciously, ensuring they complement the natural beauty of the moment without overshadowing it.
Sometimes you need a little sky replacement. What happens when you get to your locations and the sky is gray and drab! NO need to worry in Photoshop we can pop in a new sky and save your photo session!
#7 removing distracting elements from an wedding image
Removing distracting elements in wedding photography through Photoshop is crucial to ensuring that the focus remains on the couple and the cherished moments of their special day. By eliminating any unwanted objects or distractions from the background or foreground of images, your photographer can create a clean and polished final result that enhances the overall aesthetic appeal of the photos. This process helps to maintain the integrity of the narrative, ensuring that the images reflect the beauty and significance of the occasion without any visual clutter. Additionally, removing distractions allows the viewer to fully immerse themselves in the emotions and atmosphere captured in the photographs, resulting in a more immersive and impactful viewing experience. Ultimately, by using Photoshop to eliminate distracting elements, wedding photographers can deliver a collection of images that truly encapsulate the joy, love, and beauty of the couple’s wedding day. Imagine if the original image above ended up in the client’s album with the little girl in the yellow dress in the photo and the lady right behind the bride and groom. What a shame.. the retouched image feels so much more powerful!
#8 some things are not possible without photoshop
Sometimes when a particular pose is just not possible I use something called Photoshop composition. I take several photos in exactly the same spot and then remove the items that helped make the photo. As you can tell above I removed the boxes from the image to make it looked as if the groom was lifting the bride high up in the sky in this engagement photo shot at the Orange Circle in Orange California.
Hiring a skilled Photoshop expert for your wedding is essential to ensure that your cherished memories are beautifully preserved and enhanced. A great Photoshop expert will possess a keen eye for detail, creativity, and technical proficiency to bring out the best in your wedding photos. They will have extensive experience in retouching, color correction, and composition, allowing them to transform ordinary images into stunning works of art. When selecting a Photoshop expert, look for someone who understands your vision and preferences, communicates effectively, and has a portfolio that showcases their expertise in wedding photography post-processing. By investing in a top-notch Photoshop expert, you can rest assured that your wedding photos will be meticulously edited to perfection, creating timeless mementos that you’ll treasure for a lifetime.