Digital Files

The teacher in me is always fighting to come out some how.  Because of that, and perhaps my degree in Education, comes the desire to educate in all circumstances. Lately, I have felt the need to prepare a lesson, to anyone who will listen, about Professional Photography. There's so much about this new profession of mine that is unknown to the general population, and, sadly, to some of us photographers. What's been an eye-opening education for me in this past few months, has been the realization of the true differences in processing now that we shoot digitally as opposed to the days of film - time wise and price wise. So that will be the focus of my lesson today - the processing of digital files!
 
In this digital world of photography, the game has changed. Back in the days of film, we would shoot a roll, package it up and send it to the lab for printing.  The only cost we had, whether it be a fancy lab or a Wal-Mart photo lab, was the cost of the paper it was printed on. We didn't realize the work that the lab had to do to the negatives before an actual presentable picture could be printed.  I wasn't even aware that there WAS extra work for them. I realized that this was not the case once I started to learn more about the photography business. However, with digital photography, the main job of a photo lab IS to print. All of the work between the shoot and the printing is up to us, the Photography Studio. And even though as Professionals, we can take great images straight out of the camera, they still need to be uploaded, edited, processed, proofed, retouched, enhanced (sometimes) and THEN sent for printing.

With that workload in mind, think now of the costs. The same file that we take through all of these steps and then export to use for printing, will be used to print a wallet size, 4x6, 5x7 or 8x10 image (for anything bigger than 8x10, we go back to the original RAW image file, resize and retouch further and finish it differently). It's costing us the same in wages to process a 4x6 print as it is for an 8x10 print. The price of the paper that a 4x6 photo is printed on is only slightly less than the paper used for an 8x10 image. So, understanding this principle, that our cost, in time/wages, is virtually the same for both the 4x6 and 8x10, the price for the client, when we look at it fairly, should also be the same, right? It's very frustrating to us as professionals to have people devalue that process, but I think it's just a matter of not fully understanding the reality of the costs. In this past few months, I have had many 'Ah Ha' moments in this area, because I now have to pay someone to do this for me. Now that you (hopefully) have a better idea of this too, please pass it on!

Also, with this topic, I just want to leave you with a few examples of what an 'out of the camera' digital negative looks like, and what a Custom Professional Studio, like ours, can print as a final project. Here below is a wedding couple, caught in the moment, with spring snow flying. A beautiful picture of them as is, as you see in the first example here:



But here is the retouched/enhanced version of that same image, which graces the walls of our studio:



Here again is a wedding couple, walking toward the family store. Very nice capture, as is:



Then the enhanced, edited version with pop!


This last one is subtle. Beautiful couple here:


Everything a little better here. Skin is smoother, background fixed and a little bit of extra saturation in the color. Not enough to change it, just enough to give it the extra attention it deserves.



Every image that leaves our studio is touched, in some way, to make it better. Whether subtle or enhanced versions, we know our work and our clients are worth the extra treatment!
Thank you to those of you who made it through this whole post, and for letting me educate you, if only just a little! If you have any questions, please ask!

Until next time,

Crystal