Why Wedding Photos Take Time to Deliver
Your wedding day is once-in-a-lifetime. It's an event filled with love, joy, and lots of moments in-between that make it uniquely special and yours. After your wedding day, one of the most exciting experiences is reliving the day through your wedding photos. I get it though, the worst part about wedding photos is having to wait. That being said, there are reasons why it takes time to get your photos. Great wedding photography doesn't stop when the camera shutter clicks. Your photographer puts each image through an intentional process to ensure it reflects your special day in the best way possible.
What are RAW Images?
I often see couples asking for RAW images over social media. This brings forward a topic that is often not talked about when booking a photographer. RAW images are unprocessed, uncompressed files that come straight out of camera. These photos are not like JPEGs, that are automatically processed by the camera. RAWs allow full control over colors, lighting, and fine details.
Typically, RAW images look dull and flat. They're not intended to be shared instantly. They're created to be manipulated and brought to life. That's why professional wedding photographers don't deliver RAW files. RAW photos are not indicative of a photographer's quality of work. We take time to painstakingly edit each image. For me that means making sure your final image looks as beautiful and true-to-life as possible.
Editing is More than Just Filters
If you're like most people filters and presets are now a part of life. Hello TikTok and Instagram! But editing wedding photos isn't as simple as adding a filter or preset-it's an art. Here's what goes into it:
- Choosing the Best Moments and Photos through Culling
- After a wedding, I often have hundreds to thousands of images to go through. I select the best photographs that tell your story of your day. This means I remove duplicates, unintentional closed-eye shots, or anything that doesn't reflect the best version of you or your day.
- Color Correction to help keep things real but also add an artistic flair
- Once I have the best images, I adjust colors so they look like what you'd expect from fuji film, photo exposure, and contrast to ensure everything looks natural and consistent. Skin tones are especially important. I want you to look like yourself, just in the best possible light.
- Retouching to Enhance but not Change
- I keep my retouching light and natural. I believe in keeping images as authentic as possible. You shouldn't expect the images I send you to come out with overly smoothed skin or for you to not look like you. I might remove a distracting blemish or correct lighting inconsistencies but that's where I draw the line. There is beauty in imperfection, so I embrace it!
- Last touch of Creative Editing
- This is where I finish up my editing and do the very last fine-tuning of each image to match my style which is true-to-life colors with a touch of nostalgia. The goal is to create a consistent gallery that feels timeless that allows you to step back into the emotions of your wedding day every time you look at your photos.
Delivering Your Final Gallery
Once the images are fully edited, I organize them into an online gallery where you can easily download, share, and even order prints if you'd like, I also include a print release so you can have your photos printed wherever you'd like. Afterall, it would be a travesty to have your images collect virtual dust on a hard drive.
Good Things Take Time
I know waiting for your wedding photos is difficult, but trust me, it's worth the wait! Each image is crafted with love and attention to detail, ensuring that when you receive your gallery, it feels like stepping back into the best day of your life. Quality takes time, if you're looking for a photographer that is dedicated to giving you their best and are getting married around Denver, Colorado Springs, or anywhere in-between reach out to me today to set up a free consultation call. I look forward to seeing if we're a good fit!
