Minnesota Family and Newborn Photographer Editing Tips
Volume 1: Adding Visual Interest
As photographers, your editing techniques have the power to tell the story of your subjects, as well as who you are as an artist. The following provides you with some guidance and a few tips for better defining your artistry and your storytelling.
When you approach your photography editing, I want you to ask “why do I edit?” Is it to simply add a few tweaks? Add contrast? Brighten color? Enhance the tonality? Or is it more than that? Have you ever looked at your images and desired that they reflect your personal style and artistry? Or, to go a step further, do you see your editing as a way to create images that tell a story?
When thinking about your editing, I want you to apply some guided questions. These questions are meant to help you think about who you are as an artist. In doing so, they will inspire your editing so that it is not something to just “get done” for a client, but an artistic practice that you enjoy.
I am drawn to connection and details. I edited this image in color and black and white. I love the black and white most because I feel like it tells a more peaceful story. The softness of the light, absent of color, with a filmy edit expresses a classic and timeless story.
In order to capture the story of this sweet baby girl and her momma, I used perspective. Shooting from above instead of to the side allowed me to capture their connection. Through editing, the slight darkening of the floor and soft glow of the light above them leads our eyes to the subject and their interaction.
What emotions do you love to see in your images? Is it peacefulness? Joy? Passion? Tenderness? Compassion? etc.
What do you want to feel when you look at your images? Emotional? Excited? Filled with laughter? Thoughtful?
What colors are you drawn to?
What style of images do you appreciate the most? Bright? Moody? Film-like? Airy and soft?
What makes you excited when you are photographing your clients?
What details do you want to highlight in your images?
Take some time before a session and answer these questions. Write them down. Look at them often. Now that you have your inspiration set in your mind, your end-results may be more in tune with what you want to convey in your images.
Adding Visual Interest through a Classic Vignette
One of my favorite ways to add visual interest to a simple portrait while editing and thus adding to the story is by adding a tilt-shift vignette. Check out the video to see how this simple technique can enhance your storytelling!
Want to learn more? Subscribe below or sign up for my up-coming workshop: Using Maternity Sessions to Bless Your Clients and Your Business.
Here are some other blogs to inspire your photography heart!
How to Build a Relationship with Your Clients Before Your Session
The Blessings of Maternity Photography for Every Family Photographer
