A Little Post on Post Production
We don't usually go too much into what happens behind-the-scenes here, but I'd like to start changing that a little!
When you're on a shoot with us and we're showing you the back of the camera to give you an idea of what the images are going to look like you'll have a tendency to hear me add a little disclaimer. I will point out that this is just how it looks out of the camera. My goal for this post is to point out why I mention that.
Once we've had our fun on the shoot everything comes home, gets backed up, then it gets organized. That's when the magic of editing begins.
All that you need to do is grab the center button and drag it back and forth to see the before and after for each photo. Then you can see the difference editing can make, and why that little disclaimer means more than you think.
This first one is an automotive photo from our shoot with Jayjay and his WRX. The light is pretty standard for a sunset here which really helped to make this one pop. I always make my global adjustments first in order to bring back some of that contrast and bright quality. After that I'll work on my local adjustments. This is where dodge and burn comes in, and it's where I try to bring as much focus to my subject as possible. After that I use curves in order to tone my photo. That's where a majority of the color comes in.
This next photo is from a shoot that we had with my friend Shane. This is a more typical portrait retouch. Again, we're assisted with some beautiful light which is something we try and take advantage of whenever possible, but this time it was coming from a strobe with a soft box on it. The technique is the same as previously: global adjustments, local adjustments, and then toning. Here we had to bring back a lot of the shadows in order to help Shane stand out.
Not all photographs require the same amount of work done to them. However, they do all get some kind of treatment. I'm looking to make the best possible image that I can, and this is what allows me to do it.
If you want to check out either of the full posts with these pictures in them you can find Jayjay and his car here, or Shane and his Beetle here!
Matt and Courtney's Engagement Session at DC Ranch
We had originally met this couple a few months ago. They were excited and happy, and it was obvious that these two people meshed well together. That never changed at any time when we were with them even when there were a few bumps in the road!
Upon first meeting them we learned that their wedding day was coming up pretty quick and a lot of their guests happened to be out of town. That would mean that their save-the-date and invitations would need to go out as quickly as possible. However, her ring had been sent in and they weren’t going to have it back for a few weeks. We didn’t think she should settle with not having it in the pictures because surely she would want it there. The other dilemma was that if the engagement photos didn’t happen that weekend then they would be forced to wait a couple more weeks because Matt had an operation that next Monday. It was nothing too serious, but still something that would take a couple weeks to heal. No fear! We made a plan, stuck to it, and it all worked out very well.
When they had mentioned they would like their dogs in some of the photos what we had decided to do was to go out with Courtney, Matt, and dogs for a half an hour or so in order to get a photo for their save-the-date. Well… they originally said they were going to choose one dog, but ended up bringing both which made for some super cute family photos if I do say so myself. I’m glad both dogs ended up there even if they aren’t each other’s biggest fans.
Over this past weekend we were able to run around DC Ranch in Scottsdale for the rest of their engagement session. We were really excited going into it because we had never photographed a couple there before, and after having scouted the location weeks back it seemed like such a great place for photos. It also fit their style perfectly when they asked for a sort of rustic feel. We all had so much fun. They were such an enjoyable couple to be around. It felt like we were good friends that hung out all the time. Our sarcastic humor meshed well, and it was fun to be able to joke around and laugh a lot during the whole session. Especially when a slightly drunk woman thought we were singers. I think Matt’s quick wit further solidified her drunken beliefs.
After figuring out all the little bumps along the way and all the smiles that ensued thereafter, we are incredibly happy with all of the pictures that came from it!
Jennifer's Fun Little Family Session
Jennifer reached out to us because she wanted to do something special for her aunt's 80th birthday. Her Aunt Carol is a spunky, older woman who has everything she could ever want. She still travels the world! With that in mind, Jennifer came to the conclusion to treat her to a nice weekend at a Scottsdale resort, and add on an awesome family photo shoot. Jennifer got her aunt, sister, and adorable little niece and nephew together for a memorable session that was a ton of fun. See for yourself!
Shane and the Bug
Shane pops up a lot on here because he's one of my best friends. Very recently he got rid of his slammed Miata in exchange for this little Volkswagen Beetle. Since I'm all about capturing memories, I thought that it would be fun to go capture some photos of him with it before it starts to undergo its changes and repairs. I love this location too! It set off the purple car quite nicely and helped to make these photos really pop.
