Following a recent pre wedding photo shoot in the Lake District, I took to experimenting with some different finishes and effects using my preferred software, Photoshop.

My leaning has always been towards genuine ‘organic‘ and quite ‘conservative’ photography with very little photo editing. That said, there are times when additional creativity and impact can (and should) be sought, with a little more time spent in Photoshop! Here are some examples using the same portrait image…

The original image. Just a touch of warmth added.

Helen and Chris were great and enthusiastic models who were looking for a more creative finish to their photos. One of our shots was in this interesting archway, which helped frame the couple, with the hanging basket adding additional interest and a splash of colour.

Converted to black & white.

Lots of wedding and portrait photographers go big on black & white images, which can be very flattering for portraits, especially close-ups.

Add warmth and a traditional feel to a portrait shot by adding sepia tone. This used to be done primarily by screwing a filter to the end of the lens, but is now more commonly added later in editing software sat at the computer.

A popular portrait choice, Sepia.

‘Difuse Glow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If the light on the subject(s) is good, adding a ‘difuse glow‘ can soften and can add an air of romance to a portrait. Tricky to get right, you need to avoid burning out all of the highlights (which is a side-effect of using this effect). The end result is an image which is light and soft.

Watercolour effect.

For something a bit different, there is a ‘watercolour‘ filter setting. This cleverly transforms the image into a ‘painting’. Great framed or used in a wedding album design. Whatever effects (if any) I use, I always check out what the customer likes first. What one person loves, someone else doesn’t. After all, good photography is often a matter of opinion.

     More photography tips, trips and opinions coming soon!