Photoshop has gotten a bad rep lately.

When ‘photoshopped’ is used as a verb (“yeah, that’s a great shot, but you definitely ‘photoshopped’ that”) it implies that the photo is fake. 

What most people don’t understand is that point & shoot cameras make assumptions on what the scene really was. With the RAW files professional photographers use, the camera does minimal processing and allows the photographer to develop their digital files, similar to working with film negatives. The only difference? The information processing must be done through image processing software such as Photoshop.

There is no camera or equipment that is capable of duplicating the innumerable colour, tones, hues and details the human eye can see. As a photographer, I examine each image and process it to showcase the elements the camera could not record but I loved when I clicked the shutter.

For me, Photoshop is a tool that helps me create beautiful images with subtle alterations after the fact. Like disappearing that annoying pimple that showed up the day of your photo shoot. Whitening of teeth. Brightening the eyes. Removing the makeup smudge. Anything that makes you look your natural best.

Photoshop has allowed photographers to expand their abilities and stretch the bounds of photography. Just like the darkroom did with film.

EDITING Vs RETOUCHING

EDITING

Even the top-of-the-line DSLR cannot capture what the human eye sees. Photo editing allows me to make photos look closer to what the human perceives. So, as the photographer, I take a shot and know that it’s not exactly the best it could be, but I can recapture some of the magic in “editing.”

When I am editing a picture, I make adjustments to things like brightness, color, contrast and other factors.  Does it mean I am “fixing” or “correcting” the picture?  No, not really – what I am doing is taking a picture and optimizing it to ensure you look your best at all times.

RETOUCHING

Retouching a photograph includes editing but it can also require much more work, such as:

• Brightening the eyes of the subject.
• Fixing discolored or damaged teeth in a smile.
• Minimizing acne or scars.
• Softening the bags under eyes and wrinkles.
• Enhancing face shapes, waist lines, upper arms, and other areas.

If you are planning on displaying your pictures, whether on your living room or online, then it is worth having your photos retouched.

In today’s age of high-quality cell phones featuring fantastic cameras and apps, you may think that I just apply a filter to an image and call that retouching. And there are many people out there doing precisely that. I do not.

As a professional photographer and editor, I judge every picture individually. I address color issues, such as color casts created by different light temperatures, I match skin tones and create a consistent genuine look across the entire picture series, even though the light situation differed drastically. To achieve this, you need to do more than simply apply a one-click preset. You need professional experience with technical knowledge and software to evaluate each issue in each picture.

Boudoir images are delivered in a retouched state. Retouching takes time, it is accomplished image by image and that is why you have fewer images delivered.

As a photographer I do more than push the shutter – behind every image are hours of expertise, expensive gear and software, courses, etc.  I put a lot of myself in the pictures I take – why wouldn’t I want them to look their best for the people who will see them?

Why I don’t deliver all the pictures I’ve taken.

There are many reasons why I shoot way more pictures than I deliver. Some are more obvious than others.

• almost identical duplicates of each other
• blurry images
• eyes closed
• hair in the face
• unflattering posing or facial expression

Believe me, I gave you the best shots that were there. For that one perfect picture, I can take up to 20 shots.