Everyone strives to make their wedding a ‘picture perfect’ event, but sometimes things don’t go exactly as planned and being an Ireland Wedding Photographer, I’m often asked a big question… Do you retouch your photos? Here are the details of what I do and do not do, so that you know exactly what to expect from me. Every photographer is different and does things their own way, this is simply how I work. 🙂
Editing
Let’s start at the top! The term ‘edit’ to me is used to describe the process of editing your wedding photos. This includes tone and colour correction, cropping, straightening, and exposure adjustment.
Basically this is what creates my style, which is hopefully what you’ve already fallen in love with and what you want your photos to look like! At this stage, light retouching will be done. For example, an unseemly blemish or unsightly exit sign in the background will be removed from the image. As a general rule, if it is something that isn’t ‘normally there’, I will remove it. This includes things like a spot or make up smudge. Bigger things like body manipulation, background manipulation, etc. are addressed below.
Here are a few examples of editing and my style:
Retouching
Retouching begins with the basic edit and takes it a lot further. It is a highly skilled form of editing that deals with everything from removing people from photos, removing backgrounds, adding different features, airbrushing skin, slimming bodies, removing red eyes, brightening teeth, etc. Generally what is done in the relm of fashion photography.
As a rule, it is not something I offer for weddings. Partly because it is very specialised, but also because I have never seen anyone on their wedding day that did not look absolutely radiant from pure joy and excitement!
Yes, you could whiten those teeth to a blinding white or slim those arms to stick thin, but to me – everyone already looks perfect as they are, cacooned in a bubble of happiness with their loved ones. These are the moments I want and love to focus on. 🙂
Can you retouch this photo though?
The short answer is yes. However, heavy retouching such as body maniuplation or removing/adding people and manipulating backgrounds can cost extra.
I hope this cleared up a lot of the mystery surrounding editing and retouching that you may have. If you still have questions that this post didn’t answer, please don’t hestitate to get in touch! Simply email me at info@silkephotography.ie and we’ll work through all of your questions!
If you’re on the hunt for an Ireland Wedding Photographer, I’d love to chat with you also! Please email me at info@silkephotograhy.ie, I’d love to learn more about what you have planned for your wedding day!
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