There is a lot more that goes into photography than one might think. While the session itself is quite a bit of work, it's what happens after the session that takes the cake. Editing the final images can be quite the process. For me personally, I spend about 15-20 minutes per image when editing between two programs. I use Lightroom to make some basic adjustments to my images like white balance, exposure, etc. Then the major magic happens in Photoshop that really makes the image stunning! -insert chef's kiss- Plus, I get rid of a lot of things in Photoshop that are distracting from the subject. I love before and after's around tons of different genre's of work. I'll stop to appreciate the before and after of hair, makeup, when someone makes that curbside end table look like an elegant masterpiece that belongs in the White House or something! So sharing some before and after's of my images happens to be one of my favorite things too!

In the above before and after we have Scout! He's a gorgeous Dutch Shepherd that I photographed earlier this year. I would say this was one of my more minimal edits. Scout was on his own property and is a working dog so he didn't need a leash. But Scout is an intense looking boy (really just a big loving goofball) so I wanted his images to really look dramatic! A lot of the editing here was white balance, changing the hue of some colors, adding some light and a bold vignette! And of course, making the eyes POP!


Typically, there is leash removal in most if not all of my session images. I almost NEVER have clients unleash their dogs, especially in more public areas like downtown Pittsburgh. There are situations where I will also need to edit out a pet parent who is holding the leash, a garbage can in the background or a tree that just doesn't frame the image nicely. After that, I'll sprinkle on a little love and sharpening and the image is good to go!


If you're like me and you love before and after's check out my Instagram where I share more of those crazy behind the scenes of my editing process!


This post is a part of a photography blog circle featuring photographers specializing in a variety of niches. To see what the next photographer is sharing for our weekly theme, “Before & After...,” check out Jessica Wasik with Bark & Gold Photography, celebrating the joy and love between Pittsburgh pets and their people. Continue to click the link at the end of each post in the blog circle until you eventually find your way back here.