Maternity Classic Session | Fairfax, VA

Lightly Edited Photos

1. Cropping and Alignment:

  • Straighten the horizon and crop photos to enhance composition.

2. Exposure and White Balance Adjustment:

  • Adjust exposure, contrast, brightness, and shadows.
  • Correct white balance to achieve natural skin tones.

3. Color Correction and Saturation:

  • Use the HSL/Color panel for precise color adjustments.
  • Adjust the saturation and brightness of individual colors for a harmonious color balance.

4. Background Cleanup and Spot Removal:

  • Removing studio light sources, large details.

High-End Edited Digital Images

1. Skin Retouching (Dodge & Burn):

  • Remove skin imperfections using frequency separation or Dodge & Burn on a gray layer (Soft Light).
  • Work on details carefully, avoiding the “plastic skin” effect.

2. Shape and Proportion Adjustments (Liquify Tool):

  • Subtly adjust body shapes and clothing if needed (especially important for studio portraits and fashion photography).

3. Advanced Color Grading:

  • Use Curves, Color Balance, and Selective Color for deep color correction.
  • Apply Gradient Maps for stylization.

4. Detailing and Sharpening:

  • Apply the High Pass Filter to enhance sharpness in key areas.
  • Blur the background (if needed) to emphasize the model.

5. Hair Work:

  • Draw individual hair strands using Clone Stamp or Brush Tool.
  • Remove stray hairs for a clean look.

6. Creating Dimensional Light and Shadows:

  • Add lighting effects using Dodge & Burn.
  • Model light and shadows to create depth and a three-dimensional feel.

7. Final Color Adjustments:

  • Apply Color Lookup Tables (LUTs) to create a unique style.
  • Test several color grading options and offer choices to the client.

8. Cropping and Composition:

  • Check the composition and make final adjustments to cropping if needed.