Picture Perfect.. With a Little Help
September 15th, 2006 @ 8:25 am by Mrs. Ant
Sometimes, all a raw image needs is some good post-processing (a la Photoshop).
But, it’s not as easy as you might think. It takes a skilled post-processor to optimize a photograph to its maximum potential while maintaining an element of realism.
Here are some Before’s and After’s from Jessica Claire and Scott Robert.
See what a difference (good) post-processing can make?!
Personally, I am thrilled that my photographer is amazingly talented at both capturing great moments and enhancing them afterwards!
I understand that post-processing might not be for everyone. Some people prefer images that look more.. organic. But I’ve always been that girl who drenches my salad with loads of zesty dressing. 
Which do you prefer? The natural, unprocessed Before’s? Or the digitally altered After’s?
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20 Responses to “Picture Perfect.. With a Little Help”
for your wedding i’m all about retouching and enhancing. it’s your wedding album, it should look dreamy
It’s kind of weird. I am an avid Photoshop user, my degree is based on it and yet I prefer the natural picture.
I do think we’ll take some of the photos from our wedding and clean them up and enhance them and keep both versions. Our photographer is a friend and she’s all for us editing them in PS.
I love the digitally altered! Especially the one where the bride is sitting on the bed. What a difference it makes!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the afters!!!! They are gorgeous.
WOW I think I need to learn more of photoshop!
I prefer the after’s!
I also prefer the re-touched photos, cleaner crisper - better in my opinion.
I love the afters Of course Im biased as I used Tony at my wedding as well and he is a master at photoshop I agree with you that not only does he know how to set up an awesome shot he also knows how to make it even more amazing with his skills
Im so with you on the salad dressing as well
they are both great photographers…
definitely photoshopped 
i wouldnt even consider a photographer who isnt a master at it
i always do a little post processing myself… so i love the afters!
i love both but would definitely prefer the digitalled enhanced. it gives the pictures so much more definition. =) btw … i looooooooooove scott roberts photgraphs.
the after’s are amazing.
we all look back at the great moments and remember them to be better than they actually were…why not have photos that think like we do? i love the retouched photos…they add to the overall mood and feelings from the day.
I agree that for these pictures, the “after”s are definitely awesome. But I’m not sure that will make me run to book someone who is a master of “post processing”. The photographer we’re planning on booking (who is going to cost us an arm and a leg and we have to eat CupANoodle for the next year 
) is one of the most talented and popular photographers in the area. We met with him last weekend and the question of photoshoping came up. He said he doesn’t do any, because in HIS opinion, the true beauty of a wedding should be it being natural, not “faked” (well, he didn’t use that word but that was pretty much the message). And also, a photographer should not rely on photoshoping to have the easy way out…the true talent should be his “photographing skill”, not “post compensation”. I hope I’m not offending anyone!! To tell you the truth, I went to the meeting hoping that the person will do this type of “processing”. But once we saw his portfolios, we knew he didn’t need any. His work looks just as nice as the “after” pix here! We totally fell in love with it.
i have no issues with photoshopping pictures but i do have a problem with photographers OVER doing it. the colors being too saturated, too much blur/glow, bw pic with color flowers. i think because i’m a designer and know the tricks of the trade… it just comes off as tacky/cheesey.
it’s best when you can’t tell the pic has been photoshopped…all i see is a beautiful moment captured…not what’s been done to the img in photoshop.
with that said, my fiance and i decided on a photographer who shoots in film. i just really love his style and his eye for photography!
i like the afters as well…the colors look richer somehow.
I love Photoshopping - it’s what I do - but with these ones, I have to say, most of the originals look nicer then the retouched ones. The third set is an exception - the retouched version is stunning!! The original in that case is kind of boring! but for the other ones:
The first one: i like that the retouched one is less fuzzy - but at the same time, it is almost to intense now and the brightness seems a little less romantic.
The second one: lighting this one is a good idea; but maybe not that much. Their faces look to pale ot pass for normal.
The last one: looking at it now, I like this one to:) much more interesting:)
definitely after! I wish I knew how to photoshop. I guess I’ll leave it to the professionals.
Mrs. Ant, New York/Jamaica
Age and Occupation: 25, PhD Student
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Finance
Engagement Date: July 26, 2005
Wedding Date: November 18, 2006
Blogging Since: February 15, 2006
Venue: Rockhouse Hotel
About Me: I live in New York but I'm planning a destination wedding in Negril, Jamaica. My fiance and I are high school sweethearts!
i am 100% behind photoshopping. (thus, i love the “afters” as they just kind of pop more).
indeed, i wouldn’t have considered a photographer who doesn’t do retouching.
i just had fears of the “perfect” photo of myself and Mr. Daisy marred by a stray hair, a wayward lipstick mark, etc.
screw organic, i’m all about the “assisted” photos.