I recently got a few questions regarding to the post-production of a wedding image, so I decided to elaborate a little bit and explain what goes into making of my images or better yet, what happens after I leave a wedding, so here is my workflow to edit wedding photographs:
1. After leaving your wedding, all RAW images will be downloaded into two hard drives, number one (that stays at the studio) and number two (that travels with me). This is a prevention for your files, having back ups in two different places would protect the files in case something happens to my computer or even to the building that they are in.
2. Also I make a third backup on DVDs. After the DVDs are burned and checked, I can erase the Memory Cards for a new shoot or wedding.
3. All the files are uploaded into
Lightroom. (See photo examples bellow of how they look straight out of the camera, before any editing)
4. I look at every single picture taking by me and the second photographer (when there is a second photographer), and sort them all, marking the photos that I will use.
5. Verify if I miss anything important in my selection, just to double check.
6. Start Basic Retouching and
Post-Production: make any necessary adjustments, like exposure, cropping, contrast, dodge and burn if needed, saturation, sharpening, etc.
7. Export all final files to
JPGE into a separate folder
8. Work on all final files in
Photoshop for small enhancements that haven't been made in
Lightroom. (See photo examples bellow for basic retouching and
post-production)
9. Organize all final files and rename them to present to client in order.
10. Burn a new set of DVDs with all the final edited files in
JPGE.
11. Re size all final files for web.
12. Upload all final files to the online gallery.
13. Notify the client. (If a proof book was ordered, I'll send to the lab after this step. Proof Books will have the Basic Retouching and Color Adjustments of step 8)
14. Any other artistic enhancements and our signature style will be done once the client place a order for prints, enlargements or albums. All my finished printed images (not proofs) won't leave the studio without being retouched or enhanced. (See photo examples bellow for Artistic Enhancements/ Our Signature Style)
15. Any custom product like special occasion cards, collages, albums will be a collaboration of photographer and client on the design process and it requires a signed approval from client, then go to lab.
16. Images provided on a High Res DVD will not have the signature style or artistic enhancements. The images will have the basic retouching and color adjustment of step 8. Clients may request enhancements or advanced retouching on a separate disk for individual files, separate charges may apply.
Our Signature Style:
Formal of Family and Friends:
We treat the formals as a portrait that the Bride and Groom would like to probably display on a frame around the house, with that being said, all portraits would be a little bit more on the traditional side, with everybody looking at the camera, no fun cropping will be applied to these photos as I mentioned before, they are portraits.
Photos of Bridal Party:
Photos of bridal party will be at first treated as portraits and they will follow the same guide lines as formal of family and friends, after the portraits are done, with time permitting I like to create some fun and creative poses for the bridal party.
Photos of Bride and Groom:
The couple's images that you will find on my website are all from real weddings and reflect my artistic sensibility. Obviously some time went into creating an image, if the couple provide only 10 minutes with the photographer, the chances are that the photographer will not even have the time to create the romance atmosphere for the couple to relax in front of the camera. All images are a collaboration of my creativity, time and willingness from the couple.
The photos will have at first a more portrait feel, with bride and groom looking at the camera, after that we will have fun looking for great backgrounds and natural lighting. The creation of artistic images, fun and different cropping, additional lighting, unusual posing, all of these are part of the artistic images. Don't forget that time is needed to explore all of these things. I always like to have a meeting with my couples before the wedding to talk about all of this and discuss all their ideas and the appropriate amount of time for each individual part of the wedding.
