Before and After -- Colorado Black Art Festival Edition

What is the reason it takes sometimes a couple of weeks to get your photos back?

Editing.

The first thing that people think of when they think of editing photos is usually adding in a filter or something that makes the photo look almost unnatural. This is what I used to think too. Editing is cheating right?!? That's not how the photo really looks is it?

Well, editing is more than just adding a filter or taking out a rogue trashcan. Photographers will have different editing techniques and restrictions -- be sure to ask! Generally, however, here are some of the things that your photographer might edit that do not compromise the authenticity of your photo.

Below are some examples from the Colorado Black Arts Festival I recently had the honor of photographing.

Too Dark Photos

This is probably the biggest challenge a photographer faces. If your photo is too dark, it can make it hard to see. A simple adjusting of the lighting and composition of the photo can make a huge difference!

Too Light Photos

Too light photos can wash out a person's skin tone, face and other details of a photograph. Again, adjusting the lighting and coloring of a photo can make a huge difference.

Shadows

Shadows can be a really cool element to a photograph but when you are photographing portraits or events, they can create quite the challenge. Through editing you can turn shadows from challenges into cool effects that work with the photo.

Color Composition

This photo on its own is cute, but bringing out the vividness of the colors really makes the photo pop! I mean it would be impossible to get a bad photo of this cutie but look at the difference the editing makes!

Effects

Sometimes it is about a cool effect. For me, taking a photograph from color to black and white can make a huge difference in the vibe, the contrast and the sharpness. Take the above example. Incredible.

Spacing/Frame

Sometimes you don't need all that extra background stuff. That was the case here. I wanted to make sure that Little Moses Jones was front and center -- as he should be.