Importance of editing in newborn photography!
Editing… Retouching? Why?
Capturing the newborn’s innocence and purity in a special way, newborn photography requires editing and post-processing for extraordinary, lasting images.
Post-production enables photographers to refine the natural beauty of a baby and produce a finished image. This may include cropping, adjusting brightness/contrast, or erasing undesired elements from the backdrop. These minor adjustments can significantly impact the image’s overall aesthetic.
As a Chicago newborn photographer, I’ve learned over time that we should not excessively edit photos. It’s essential to keep natural colors and features of the baby, such as permanent characteristics. We can remove temporary flaws and redness, but not drastically alter the hue.
To Do or Not to Do?
Many parents, after newborn photography sessions, request no post-processing beyond cropping and object removal. Others ask for changes that, in my opinion, alter a newborn’s features too much. As a newborn photographer, I can only suggest and highly recommend against it, but the final decision is up to the parents. I won’t go beyond what I consider a red line, like completely changing color tone/characteristics too much.
If done, correctly – editing and post-processing can be used to give a creative spin to the image. This can involve adjusting the colors and applying effects to make it unique and eye-catching. And again, it is important to remind that editing and post-processing should not be done at the cost of altering the true characteristics and uniqueness of the baby’s features.
Finding a balance between editing and post-processing newborn photos is essential. Enhancing the child’s natural beauty is important; however, preserving the image’s authenticity and integrity is also key. Avoid over-editing or altering the child’s appearance to the point of unrecognizability.
Retouch Yourself or Hire? That is the Question!
Some photographers that specialize in newborns and babies, entrust the editing and post-processing work to a professional photo editing specialist or post-processing professional, if the feel comfortable doing so. It is important though, to keep a level of control over the post-processing process by providing guidance and direction.
Hopefully, these little newborn photography tips will be helpful in your newborn and family photography journey.
