Is It Really That Important To Edit a Photograph?
A very wonderful friend of mine was told recently that photographers should need to do any post shoot work- everything should be done in camera. I mean… good for him? If he (yes, it was a he) likes that look to his images, I’m not going to take that away from him. In my eyes though that is like a chef handing a diner the ingredients and saying ‘Here you go!’. Editing is a way of enhancing your work- it has been done for many, may years- dodging and burning in film photography is an old method of changing a photographs appearance, editing not something that suddenly appeared with the creation of photoshop.
As a maternity, motherhood, newborn, and family photographer, I have always been passionate about capturing the beauty of motherhood and family life in its raw, authentic form. But, as much as I love capturing the real moments, I also believe in the power of photo editing to elevate my work and give my clients the best possible images.
Photo editing has come a long way from the days of simple cropping and brightness adjustments. Today, it's an essential tool for enhancing the quality of my photographs and bringing out the best in my clients. Whether it's smoothing out skin, brightening eyes, or removing blemishes, editing has the power to transform an okay photo into a stunning work of art.
Before and after photos are a powerful demonstration of the impact of editing on my work (below).
But, as much as I love the transformative power of editing, I have always been hesitant to change body shapes. As a body positive photographer, I strive to empower women and celebrate their unique beauty, and I don't believe in creating an unrealistic standard of beauty through editing. Instead, I use editing to enhance what's already there and help my clients see their own beauty more clearly.
This means that, when editing, I focus on bringing out the natural beauty of my clients, rather than changing their bodies. This could mean brightening their eyes to make them pop, smoothing out skin to minimize blemishes, or adjusting the lighting to bring out the details of their skin and hair. But, no matter what, my goal is always to empower my clients and make them feel confident and beautiful in their own skin.
Photo editing is an essential tool for any photographer, and it has the power to transform a basic snapshot into a stunning work of art. But, as a maternity, motherhood, newborn, and family photographer, I believe in using editing to enhance, not change, the natural beauty of my clients. And, through my body positive approach to editing, I strive to empower women and celebrate their unique beauty in every photo.
