Image Editing and Delivery
Talk about a can of worms! Just like the number of colors in a Crayola Crayon Box, every photographer has a unique way of image editing and delivery of the photos. To help clear things up, here’s how I do it.
Image Editing Levels
There are three stages of photo editing.
- Straight out of the camera
- Global Edits
- Detailed Edits
Straight out of Camera
This is the image that the camera takes. It’s solid, looks good, but could use some love. Cameras nowadays are incredibly intelligent, and because of that, photographers rely on some automatic features to allow them to focus on capturing great content and not worry so much about being technically perfect. I’m personally very OCD and type-A, so I try to get it as close to 100% right in-camera as possible because that means less time editing later on. Two minutes spent moving a stick or stray piece of hair during the session saves at least 10 minutes at my desk trying to remove it in Photoshop. These images are a little flat, lack “punch,” and are essentially the starting point for a photographer to go nuts.
Global Edits
This is where I do the following edits: White Balance, Exposure, Contrast, Color Toning, Shadow & Highlight Adjustment, Sharpening, Noise Reduction, and straightening horizon lines. These adjustments are for the entire image as a whole, AKA I make a change, and the whole image is affected. If there’s a giant stop sign, my lightstand, or a squirrel doing the Macarena in the background that’s distracting, I’ll remove it, but I won’t be doing the nitty-gritty zits, stray hairs, twigs & leaves, or detailed editing here. These edits are great for images smaller than an 8×12″.
Detailed Editing
This is when I open Photoshop and get specific. I’ll make local adjustments like bring in more sky detail, remove leaves and sticks from the ground, clean up the skin and fly-away hairs, give the Macarena squirrel a hat, and perform localized color toning and exposure tweaks. These edits are necessary if an image is an 8×12″ or larger size.
Here’s what they look like side by side with an example image.
A pretty significant difference, right? There’s also a substantial difference in the time it takes to edit each image.
Straight out of Camera or SOOC: Instant
Global Edits: five to ten minutes
Detailed Editing: fifteen to sixty minutes
Delivery of Edited Images
Now, why does this matter with image delivery? Depending on the package you book with me, you may only get images with Global Edits or Detailed Edits. How do you know what you’ll need?
If you’re only desire is to post images on Instagram, Facebook, or your Website’s blog, then you’ll probably only need Global Edits. If you want to print your images or if they’ll be used at large sizes (marketing materials, website banner images, and Headshots for speaking gigs) then you’ll want to go with Detailed Edits.
I’ve built my services to accommodate both needs. Branding Portraits include Global Edits since most of these clients only need content for their websites and social feeds. Creative Portraits and Headshots include a session fee only. This way, clients only buy what they want and because both of those image services typically produce images that get printed and need detailed editing to really complete the photographs.
I find this process to be the most cost and time-efficient for myself and my clients. Images are turned around quickly at the optimal quality for their specific use.
If you have any questions, leave a comment or contact me directly! I’d be happy to explain further.
Really Nice!! I found the best resource about it. Hope it will be helpful for others who search for the best resource like me. Thank you so much.
You’re very welcome Arif! Glad you found it useful.
When it comes to image editing and delivery, it’s important to keep in mind the end-use of the images. Make sure to edit the images to match the desired look and feel, whether it’s enhancing colors or removing blemishes. Additionally, consider the image file format and size to ensure that it can be easily shared and accessed by the intended audience. Finally, deliver the images in a timely and secure manner, whether it’s through cloud storage or a secure file transfer protocol. By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your images are edited and delivered to meet your needs.
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This is spot on! Great additional information.
Instructive article on Image Editing. I’m very pleased to learn such brilliant piece of article. I want more such informative articles.
Editing is the trickiest part. I always feel less no matter how many changes I make in the editing. Can you guide me about quick editing to make images beautiful?
Hey Aarya – I’m a big proponent of getting everything as right as possible when you take the picture so that your editing afterward is minimal. Beyond that, good editing really can’t be done quickly. That time and attention to detail is what separates well edited images from other images. Additionally, it takes a while to learn how to edit well – again, it’s a long process. AI tools like Evoto or Retouch4Me help a lot if you’re editing on your own, but they’re not perfect solutions, and occasionally, you’ll need to manually edit images yourself regardless. If you’re short on time and don’t trust your skillset while it’s developing, then hiring a retoucher is your next best option. If I’m slammed with multiple sessions and don’t have time to edit on my own, I have a retoucher that I’ll outsource my editing too. You can find them on instagram, fiverr, and similar platforms!
Certainly! Based on the provided article, here’s a short, positive summary that can be used as a comment:
“Wow, what an insightful journey into the world of photo editing! 📷 Your meticulous approach to the three stages – straight out of the camera, global edits, and detailed editing – is truly commendable. It’s fascinating to see how you bring out the best in each image, from the initial shot to the final detailed touches. The comparison between the stages is eye-opening, and it’s evident that your dedication shines through in the stunning results. As someone exploring photography, this breakdown helps me appreciate the craft even more. Looking forward to more of your enlightening posts!
“Love your methodical approach to editing! Your focus on getting it right in-camera shows true dedication. The breakdown of global and detailed editing stages is enlightening. Your tailored services ensure top-notch quality and efficiency. Excited to see more!”
Thank you so much!