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There are two major components that make great photographs:
- The ability and skill of the photographer.
- The post production – what needs to happen to the photograph after it has been taken.
What is Post Production?
Post production is what is needed to give a photograph its professional edge to “look right” – digital or printed. Its nothing new – darkrooms from the years ago were the post production systems of the time.
Post production is a skill, just like photography, that takes years of experience and effort to perfect. The skill of post production is an ability to “see” things and colours most us are not aware of because our minds filters the obvious. Many of same techniques and skills are applied to film production, to give it the right “look”. These skills are applied to black & white teqniques too, there is no “quick filter” to do this, each photograph has a style that needs to be applied. The skill of photography AND post production is much like learning to play a musical instrument, without practice and all the theory in the world, you will not be able to play at a professional level.
The tools needed
Just as any professional musician needs the right equipment, so do we, starting with the camera gear, lighting and lenses. Post production too needs the right equipment; high end screen/monitor displays, screen calibration equipment and systems in place to get the colours right… this applies to digital and printed images.
Having a high end printer to print what we have worked on to print perfectly. Often we will still need to redo post production and reprinted if we are not happy with the quality and the standard. So understand you are in good hands.
To get this all right we need a good image – full stop. Bad images cannot be made to look good.
Yes, post production can be about removing blemishes, bumps and lumps but unless it’s specifically asked for, post production is more about correcting colours, shadows, layout balance and making sure you look good and real.
What will we or won’t we do in Post Production
- We do by default remove “non-permanent” blemishes, such as spots etc. So unless you request your scar or mole etc to be removed, we won’t remove it.
- We do by default fix makeup smudges etc.
- We do by default apply a very basic skin softening and grain to reduce shadows and create an even tonality.
- We can, most of the time hide bra straps, most wardrobe “malfunctions” and minor issues, eg chipped tooth… if requested.
- We cant “open eyes” or will we attempt to change/modify eyes.
- Some clients will ask for bits to be “pushed in”. We do this if we have missed a posing technique and there are sections that protrude in a way that doesn’t flatter. However we will not reshape you into 30kgs lighter or 20 years younger… what we will do is make sure we pose you well to start within a way that best celebrates the you, you are now.
What we dont do – Software enhanced “Face tuning”
We are a body compassionate studio. Simply this means that we think your body is a treasure whether you see it that way yet or not. We are also a studio that runs a charitable trust called Every Body is a Treasure, that works with girls and women who have struggled with body shame and body dysmorphia. Since the advent of social media, there has been a meteoric rise in girls dealing with depression and anxiety. The Girl Guides report that body image is the front of mind issue for most girls. So no. We will not face tune you. Or clip off 30 pounds, or shed 20 years. You earned those years darn it and your wisdom lines are badges of honour not shame.
Below is an example of heavy handed photoshopping that distorts the face…this style with the obliteration of all features and the “face tuning” (shifting your features to meet the dominate beauty idea…ie a very slender white woman with a thin nose and pale skin). It just isn’t authentic or cool and we will not do it. Sorry…not even remotely sorry.
Post Production, is it really needed?
YES!
We recently saw a poster for a skincare range. Turns out the images where taken by a relative who was a “good photographer”. Unfortunately, unknown and unseen by the promoters of the skincare range, where issues and components of the image that actually made the individuals in the photographs look rather “unhealthy”… not the image the skincare range needed to be promoting.
Here we have an example of Ashley, before and after
Note:
- The blurred hair on Ashley’s lower cheek
- The slight green hue from the natural light outside the studio
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Here we have an example of “Greencast”
- Just standing under a tree or in grass can give you a green or yellow hue that a camera will pick up – things you don’t normally notice with our normal use of eyesight.
- Also removing “head sticks” 🙂
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