Welcome to the fourth installment of this series! Check out the previous posts, one, two, and three.

Okay, so I took a bunch of photos.  Now what?  There are two separate actions at this point, post-processing and editing.  Post-processing refers to the actions taken to refine a photo, to add contrast, modify color, brighten or darken an image, and apply any necessary changes to make it look as close to the actual scene as possible.  Editing refers to the selection of images chosen to best illustrate the story you want to share.  Both processes can be an exercise in frustration, but with practice, they become easier.

Processing

The first step to processing is selecting images to be adjusted in post-processing software, like Lightroom or Photoshop.  As I posted previously here, I take a lot of images of one scene, but I only choose the best ones (maybe up to five frames for each specific image I was trying to make) to refine in Lightroom.  My post-processing tends to be minimal (which is why I use Lightroom), and the goal is to make an image look and feel like it did to be there in person.  This is incredibly important when it comes to personal expectations.  In documentary photography, the scene is not manipulated.  That means, you use available light, even if it’s middle of the winter indoor/incandescent light (which tends to be very dull and yellow-ish) or middle of the summer mid-day sun (which tends to leave harsh shadows).  Light is light, whether it’s the light you would like or not. What is important is to use that available light best in camera and later, process the image to make it look like it felt to be there in the moment, which usually includes adding contrast, adjusting exposure, straightening a horizon, and adjusting white balance.  

The street light made the scene very yellow, so I had to work on the white balance to correct it. I also added clarity and contrast and darkened the top part of the image.

Images that are straight out of camera tend to be dull. Here, I adjusted the tilt, raised the exposure and shadows (so you could see Bennett’s curly hair!).

My goal is to make the scene look as close to it did in person. This was a day with a bright blue sky, and so I wanted to retain the colors and texture that I remember from being there.

Editing

The second step is looking at the images you have and choosing the best ones to tell a story.  To evaluate which images are strongest, it’s important to refer back to the post on composition.    Which background is the cleanest?  Is the frame filled?  Which one has all the elements you intended to capture?  Which ones are you drawn to?  Which images best represent how it felt?  Once you have that narrowed down, you can edit images together in sequence to share a story.  Some images stand all by themselves, sharing the story of the scene.  While others belong in a series, a way to share multiple viewpoints, details, and stories about the individuals within the greater story.  It can be a story that takes place within a few moments or one that stretches out over time, when you see a pattern begin to emerge.  It can be a story about a “day in the life” or a family vacation or the first day of school.  Sharing the elements in a cohesive way will add visual impact to the viewer and communicate exactly what was happening and the feelings that went along with that experience.

Moving Day

Here is an example of the day we moved out of our house of 13 years, this past June. This was an emotional, stressful day, one that I had been looking forward to and dreading. While the movers were at the house, I took the time to take just a few images. It felt so strange to see the house that way and even looking at this images makes me nostalgic for all the years we spent there. And even in chaos, the kids still wrestle and get in the way of helping . . . and that day, my husband was at work, so it really felt like this quiet, sudden shift for the four of us who were there to pack up the last remains (The last two images were taken on an iPhone and edited with presets in Lightroom mobile. When it comes to smartphone images, I take shortcuts, and you can find the presets here!)

The Lost Tooth

Another example of a story is when my son lost his tooth. I use this one because it shares a more specific, shorter story. And yeah, I did include the blood and it’s a detail I actually love. Parenting is messy, and I have been dealing with other people’s teeth for way too long. We have a method now that works, but is reserved for the brave . . . and as usual, there is always a flare of dramatics.

A Final Note on Processing + Editing

It’s a lot to learn and takes a lot of practice . . . but it doesn’t have to be perfect. The best thing to remember is “less is more.” Less images in a series or story help bring focus. Simple edits, like color correction and adding contrast, have more of an impact than heavy handed presets. Photography, like any other art, has trends that come and go, and keeping the images simple are a way to help them feel relevant in the years to come . . . until our current hairstyles and eyebrows shapes age to the point of giving away the decade (so 20’s!).