Tweaking Reality: Special Edits

Before the spot color treatment (below)

The Special Edit is one of the best parts of our packages. It's a chance to take an image from photography to "photo artistry." Many clients choose spot color, also called selective color photography, for their special edit. I really loved how the above spot color turned out. It also lent an edgy look to the "unposed" fashion look we were aiming towards.



Another kind of special edit involves tweaking reality. On this one pictured a, the client's request was to mute the colors so the water didn't look as muddy and perhaps crop it to emphasize the family more. She also mentioned that the first boy's pant leg was a little bothersome, "but you can't get everything, right? :)"

Before the Special Edit (below)

Well, I definitely used Jacob's expertise on this one. He helped me with the background and I digitally fixed the pant leg. The trick with the waterfall was to change the color without affecting the family in the foreground. I also added a subtle vignette to the image so that it would emphasize the family without having to crop the image. I made two versions of the edit for the client: one as a muted, vintage look. The client was thrilled and chose both versions as part of her package.

The vintage version (below)

Special Edits take time, but they are so worth it. If I've learned one thing about professional photography, it's that an extra effort in post processing can make a great photo into a stunning one.