In this day and age, when we see apps and filters manipulate images in the blink of an eye, it can be easy to think photographers can do the same. However, that’s not truly the case. In this article, we’ll cover some common photo terminology and what you can expect from the images in your Engaged on Maui gallery.
Editing Versus Retouching
The terms ‘editing’ and ‘retouching’ get thrown around a lot in the photography world. Sometimes they are used almost interchangeably, which is confusing because they do mean two different things.
What is editing when it comes to your photographs?
An edited image is corrected for color, contrast, saturation, and exposure. It may also be cropped to get rid of distracting elements and bring the focus to what’s more important – like the two of you.
Every photo included in your Engaged on Maui gallery will be edited. We try to get things as right in camera as possible so editing is enhancing the elements of the photograph that were already in place when the image was captured.
The final product is a slightly elevated version of reality, not a complete fabrication of reality.
Our goal is for your gallery to look very close to what it actually looked like that day, so you can relive those special moments over and over again.
What is retouching when it comes to your photographs?
Our editing is performed in Lightroom to correct the entire image, but retouching refers to changing a part of the image, typically using Photoshop.
Photo retouching is a far more specialized form of editing that is most commonly (and often excessively) used in fashion photography to remove so-called imperfections such as wrinkles or cellulite, whiten teeth, brighten eyes, body slimming, etc.
What is included when it comes to retouching?
We would never assume you would want your appearance changed, so our standard retouching includes:
Removing people from the background
We can’t promise you an empty beach, but we can do our best to remove other people in the background of your photos.
Removing distracting elements
We typically try to angle so that distracting elements aren’t in the frame, but if things like the light stand from flash photos at sunset are in there, we take it out. Distracting elements are removed at our photo editor’s discretion.
What is not included in retouching?
Body shaping
Your sweetie is marrying you just as you are. Please don’t feel you have to digitally alter your body into something it’s not.
Sunburn removal
Fixing a sunburn or tan lines is really difficult to do well. The best way to prevent this is to schedule your proposal early on in your Maui vacation and protect your skin (wear sunscreen and don’t forget to reapply) before your big moment.
Removing hotel wristbands
We know a lot of hotels require wristbands on property if you’re wearing them for the proposal, don’t forget to take them off for the rest of your engagement photos.
Wardrobe malfunctions
Since the proposal and engagement session are usually a surprise, your partner most likely won’t know they are having their picture taken until it’s happening, but you can still help them out. If you notice a bra strap peeking out, let them know so it can be fixed before we snap the pictures.
Since you do know you will be photographed, make sure your outfit looks good in a full length mirror. Don’t forget to remove bulky items like your phone and keys from your pocket.
Before and after examples of Engaged on Maui editing
Below you will see some examples of Straight of out the Camera (SOOC) on the left and the final edited version on the right:
Ultimately, we really want you to be thrilled with your images, so it’s crucial that you know what you can expect from Engaged on Maui. If you have any questions about our proposal planning and photography services, let’s chat!
Other articles you may enjoy:
How to Choose your Maui Proposal Date
What to Know About Maui Weather
How to Make Your Proposal More Personal
