I’m dishing out some wedding photography advice today for brides. I wanted to talk about the difference between edited and retouched because they do mean two different things.
An edited image is corrected for color, contrast, saturation and exposure and cropping if needed. We try and get things as right in camera as possible so editing is just a few tweaks to make the image pop more. While a fully retouched image includes smoothing of the skin, lighting of the eyes, removal of stray hairs, removal of acne, reducing bags under the eyes, for just a few examples. It could be the removal of an arm or a person in the background. I do not retouch 90% of the images you see on the blog, so most are just edited. I believe in having my portfolio represent what clients actually get. Being upfront is really important to me. I really adhere to the what you see is what you get mentality.
We do promise to deliver edited images on a disc/flash drive. When you order prints through us, they will be retouched so you get the best image possible. Where retouching is important is fixing anything slight that might show up on a larger print, such as acne or any distracting elements like stray hairs. We may tuck chins or arms in just a bit, depending on your wish. We still want you to look like you thought, so we only do that if you request liquifying. For this reason, I will never take out moles/birthmarks, freckles, scars or anything that makes you unique because that is beautiful.
So below I have included an example of an Straight Out of Camera Photo and an Edited Photo and a Retouched Photo.
This is Straight Out of Camera (SOOC). That means nothing has been done to it and this is how the photo looks when it was taken.
This is the photo that is edited. So the color is corrected, its is lightened just a little bit. Enough where it really makes a difference.
Here is a retouched image with stray hairs removed, highlights/shadows on the arm fixed and slight skin softening (show you can see the difference). I also did just a slight chin tuck so you can see what I mean when I mentioned it above. (Disclaimer – if you are looking on a smart phone it will be hard to see the differences)
So hopefully this helps clarify what is meant when discussing an edited image versus a retouched photo. I know the terms can be confusing. If you have any questions (hopefully we didn’t confuse you more) leave a comment or you can email us at info@kandsphoto.net
StephanieYou are so talented! I am so excited to have you take our wedding photos in July! I will take some rough pictures of our venue and hotel when we go visit around Christmas so that you can get a better idea of some of the layout 🙂 Let me know if anything else would help! Miss you guys!
adminAww Thanks Stephanie. I miss you guys too!!! Christmas in Colorado sounds awesome. Yes that would be great to send me some pictures. I hope the wedding planning is going well 🙂 Did you decide on colors?
LaceyOh! I had no idea that edited and retouched didn’t mean the same thing. Thank you for spreading the knowledge.
milsztof fotograf olsztynGreat post. Being upfront excludes bride’s dissapointment.
adminThis information is shared with the couple from the get go but I also like to illustrate points.
I like to be very upfront and what you see on my site is what you get. I don’t believe in retouching images just for the blog so they appear better. My clients get what they see.
WilsonThank you for sharing this information
Tanvir Hassan FuadThis is such a helpful explanation for brides! It’s so important to understand the difference between edited and retouched photos, especially when you’re expecting to look your best on such a special day. I really appreciate how upfront you are about what clients will receive, and the transparency makes the process feel more personalized. The side-by-side examples are great for showing the subtle yet meaningful differences. Thank you for shedding light on this topic and helping brides make more informed decisions about their wedding photography!