Cute Newborn Photos
Nailed it!
I’m editing through this wedding from the Taglyan Complex and I got to this photo and just couldn’t help but stop and share it. It reminds me when I first started shooting weddings 10 years ago, I’d work with this one photographer and he and I used to joke about shots like this.. We’d always say “Bulls eye Baby.”
Ashley & Travis Engagement Photos
Lyn & Allen’s Steam Punk Wedding
My Editing Process for Weddings
Many people think photography is such a great job. I get paid to take photos? Taking photos isn’t even a 10th of my job as a photographer. Most of my time is sitting in front of a computer editing. I know several photographers that shoot and print but I’m not one of those. I think the editing process is as important as taking pictures.
After shooting an event I go home download and backup all my files. Then I load all those photos into a laptop so I can go through and check focus. Which means I blow up and check thousands of images, to make sure the focus is exactly on the focal point. (When I was in school one of my instructors was nicknamed the focus Nazi. He scared me for life.)
After the focus check I do a quick run through looking for images that aren’t up to my standards, then I batch process for the initial color saturation, rename the files, back up and re-upload.
At this point, I’ve put a couple days of work into the event. Once the files are all re-uploaded color and I go through correct each file. Then I organize the files and upload them on to the online gallery. At this point, I will email my clients and let them know that the gallery is up and they can start picking out their final images and share the gallery with family and friends.
Once they have made their final selections I will double check their final images, confirm their address and mail them out a disc.
While my process is very long I really think it’s the best way to ensure that my clients receive quality images. I know most photographers limit their editing and some only spend 4hrs max. Can’t imagine their clients being happy with the final result but….
Color Correcting & Calibrating
Life for photographers used to be so easy we would simply shoot film, drop it off at a lab, pick up prints and deliver them to you the client.
Now the editing process is very long and tedious but has been done correctly to give you the client quality prints.
After I get done shooting a wedding I immediately download and back up
All my files. Then I load everything on to both my desktop computer and laptop. Typically I spend a day editing down photos looking for closed eyes, checking focus getting rid of doubles. (I overshoot all my weddings). After this is done I organize the shots into categories bride getting ready, groom getting ready, first look, formals, ceremony, and reception. Then I color calibrate my professional NEC monitors so I can see all the colors correctly when I color correct. The reason I color calibrate is because I shoot my entire wedding in a raw format. Raw format is a larger file format that captures a lot more information than the standard JPEG format. Color correcting is a long process it typically takes days. The reason is when I color calibrate I have to adjust the contrast, color casts, shadows, highlights and the mid tones all independently to ensure great prints.
After I color correct the files I back up and load them all onto an online gallery where you the client can pick out your final selections and share the photos with family and friends.
Tips: Look for consistency in a photographers work. Have you ever seen a photographers work that seemed washed out or too dark? The reason being is usually because they’re not calibrating their equipment correctly. Believe it or not, this one thing that I’ve never had a bride ask me but it’s one if the most important steps to loving your wedding photos.
In addition to calibrating your monitor, you also need the lighting controlled in your workspace. If the lighting is constantly changing in the room you’re working in your going to get inconsistent results.
Happy Valentines Day! LOVE!
One of my client just posted these photos from a shoot last year on her Facebook and I thought I should re release them on my blog today because they remind me of Valentines Day and these kids are just so cute!!!
Congratulations Jen & Tuan are Married!!!
Photographs by Sara Jordan
Make up and Hair by Colour Me Quinn
Location: Palos Verdes South Coast Botanical Garden
I love shooting at the South Coast Botanical Garden. This botanical garden has lots to offer as far as backgrounds, it’s really well maintained , it’s never crowded, its safe, family photo friendly and I’m a proud member.
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The Natural Light Photographer
First off I prefer natural light to artificial light. However, if you understand lighting you can have amazing results with artificial light.
Recently there has been this flourish of “natural light photographers.” Most photographers use natural light but for the purpose of this blog we’re only going to talk about wedding photographers that only use natural light. Since I’ve been doing weddings for almost 10 years I know the idea that a photographer would claim to use only natural light sounds like a disaster after sunset especially during the winter, outdoors at night and dark venues with no ambient light.
I recently met with a bride whose sister hired a natural light photographer for her wedding and had less then amazing results. When she told me she hired a natural light photographer I just shook my head. She laughed. “I know right, I didn’t think about. What if there wasn’t any natural light?”
As a seasoned wedding photographer, I will say I use flash at all my weddings. The only reason I’d use natural light for an entire wedding is if it was a June wedding during the day but even then I’d probably want to flash fill a little.
Tip: If you’re planning to meet with a photographer that only uses natural light ask to see wedding he or she has shot at your venue or venues with lighting similar to yours. Also, ask to see lots of night photos.