What is Photography Post-Production and Why Your Business Needs it?

Photography post-production is the process of editing and enhancing your photos to create a professional, polished final product. It can help you turn a good photo into a great one, and it’s an essential part of any professional photographer’s workflow. Post-processing can make a big difference, whether you’re shooting products, people, or landscapes.

For businesses, professional photos are a must. They are often used in print and digital marketing materials, company websites, and social media to boost your brand’s visibility. And if the photos aren’t of high quality, they can actually hurt your business reputation over time.

Photography post-production involves retouching, adjusting color, cropping images, removing unwanted objects, and adding special effects. It’s a time-consuming process, but it’s worth it to have stunning photos that represent your business in the best light possible.

In this guide, we will cover the basics of photography post-production and show you why your business needs it.

In this guide:

• What is Post-production in Photography?
• Why is Photography Post Production Important?
• Important Photography Post Processing Techniques
• What are Photography Post Production Services?
• Why do Businesses Need Photo Post Processing Services?
• Where to start post-production in photography?
• How long does photography post-production take?

What is Post-production in Photography?

Post-production in photography refers to editing and enhancing photos to create a polished, professional final product. This can involve retouching, adjusting colors and lighting, cropping images, removing unwanted objects, and adding special effects. It is an essential part of any professional photographer’s workflow.

The history of post-production in photography dates back to the early days of photography when photos were primarily used for scientific and artistic purposes. In those early days, photographers would often have to manually edit their photos using darkroom techniques like toning, bleaching, dodging, and burning.

Nowadays, with the advent of digital photography and editing software like Adobe Photoshop, post-production has become much easier and more accessible. However, it is still a time-consuming process that requires skill and attention to detail.

Why is Photography Post Production Important?

Photography post-production is important because it can help you turn a good photo into a great one. It’s an essential part of any professional photographer’s workflow and can make a big difference in the quality of your photos.

Post-processing can also be used to correct errors, such as underexposed or overexposed photos, blurry images, and poor lighting. It can also be used to enhance the colors, contrast, and overall look of a photo.

In addition, post-production can be used to create special effects, such as HDR (high dynamic range) images, panoramas, and composites.

Fixing Flaws

Post-production helps fix flaws, especially in product images. You can use post-production services to fix issues like poor lighting, blurriness, shadows, and reflections on the product.

Enhancing Colors and Contrast

Adjusting colors and contrast in product photos help make them look more polished. Post-production techniques such as color grading and enhancing contrast can help improve image quality by increasing the image’s overall contrast and making the colors pop.

Add Creative Effects

Post-production techniques can also be used to create special effects. For example, you can use HDR to create images with extreme differences between dark and light tones, or compositing to combine two or more photos into one image. Special effects are often used in advertising images to make the final product more appealing.

Breathes Life into Photos

Post-production can also breathe life into images. The right color grading, contrast enhancement, and other techniques can help make your photos look more realistic – which is especially important when you’re shooting something with a lot of detail and texture.

This not only makes the final product more appealing to customers but it also helps set your brand apart from the competition.

Makes Good Product Photos, Better

Good product photos are an essential part of any business that sells products online. These images are a crucial part of the customer journey, as they provide viewers with their first impression of the product and help customers make purchasing decisions.

When you invest in post-production services, you will be able to create high-quality product photos that accurately represent your products, improve your website’s conversion rate, and increase your sales.

Important Photography Post Processing Techniques

There are many different photo post-processing techniques used by professionals. Some of the most important and commonly used methods include color grading, retouching, special effects, HDR imaging, and compositing.

As a business, it is important to know at least the basics of these techniques so you are able to make the best decision when hiring photography post-production services.

Applying Curves

A curves adjustment is a powerful tool that can enhance the contrast of an image. Curves can be used to lighten or darken specific areas of an image or to increase or decrease the overall contrast.

This technique is often used in product photography to make the colors pop and create a more polished look.

Cropping and Leveling

Cropping and leveling can be used to improve the overall composition of an image. Cropping involves cutting out parts of the photo that are not needed, while leveling involves adjusting a photo’s alignment or perspective.

This technique is important when it comes to product photography, as it can help you make the most of a particular space or capture the best angle for the product.

Image Sharpening

Image sharpening is a technique used to improve the image’s overall clarity and sharpness. This helps make the image look more realistic, especially when it is viewed in smaller sizes.

This can be achieved manually or with the use of a special software like Photoshop. It is often used in product photography to enhance the detail of an object or scene.

Adjust the Colors and Contrast

Color grading and contrast enhancement can help improve image quality by increasing the image’s overall contrast and making the colors pop.

This technique is especially important in product photography, as it can help make your products look more appealing to customers.

There are many different ways to adjust the colors and contrast of an image, so it is important to work with a professional post-production team that has experience with these techniques.

Dodge and Burn

Dodge and burn is used to darken or lighten specific areas of an image. This technique is often used in product photography to brighten up lights or shadows, create new textures and details, and add contrast to the scene. By effectively dodging and burning, you can create images with more depth and dimension.

Shadows and Highlights

Shadows and highlights are another important tool that can be used to create more depth and dimension in an image. This technique is often used to make product photos look more realistic.

Creating Special Effects

Special effects can be used to create unique visuals and add interest to a photo. There are several types of creative special effects that can be applied to your product images depending on your requirements. Some of the techniques used to creating special effects include blurring, sharpening, color adjustment, haze reduction, and more. 

This technique is often used in product photography to make the images look more eye-catching and engaging. 

HDR Imaging

HDR imaging is a technique used to create images with more depth and detail. This is done by taking multiple photos at different exposures and then combining them into one image.

This technique is often used in product photography to create a more realistic look for the product, especially for items that are photographed against a busy or complex background.

Adjusting Brightness and Saturation

Adjusting the brightness and saturation of an image is another effective way to create more dynamic photos. These techniques are often used in post-production to improve color accuracy, adjust brightness levels, and add visual interest to a photo.

Compositing

Compositing is a technique used to combine multiple images together into one final photo. This can be done manually or with specialized software like Photoshop.

This technique is typically used in product photography to create unique visuals for a product and showcase it in the best light possible.

Flatten your Image

Once all the necessary edits are made to your photo, it is important to flatten the image so that all the changes are permanent. This can be done by using the “Flatten Image” tool in Photoshop.

This will help ensure that your edited photo looks its best when customers view it.

Given all these benefits, it is clear why many businesses are choosing to invest in photography post-production services. Whether the plan is to enhance your existing product photos or create eye-catching images for advertising campaigns, professional photo editing services can help you achieve your goals.

What are Photography Post Production Services?

Photography post-production services are a team of creatives that help businesses with editing and enhancing digital images for marketing use.

The term “post-production” can refer to tasks performed after the initial photo shoot. These services typically include color grading, cropping and levelling, image sharpening, adjusting brightness and saturation levels, dodging and burning, shadows and highlights, and many other techniques.

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Why do Businesses Need Photo Post Processing Services?

As we’ve always established, humans are pretty visual beings. Images can have a tremendous impact on how we interact with products.

With product photography post-production services, you can create compelling and appealing product images that will ultimately lead to increased sales. For one, these services can help you get the most out of your existing product photos. By editing and enhancing these images, you can make them more eye-catching and realistic, ultimately leading to more sales.

Whether you need photos for a new website, social media campaign, or print ad, a professional post-production team can help you achieve your goals.

Post-Production for E-Commerce Sites

For e-commerce sites, photo post-production is important as it can help improve product images and increase your conversion rate.

Remember the old saying “A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words”. That holds true, especially for e-commerce sites. Research reveals that 87.6% of respondents thought the product photo was the most important purchase element.

The key benefits of post-production for e-commerce sites include better color accuracy, increased contrast and sharpness, optimized background textures, and improved usability. Product images that have been edited and enhanced using photography post-production services tend to be more visually appealing and realistic. Thus, customers are more convinced to purchase these products.

For example, by color grading your product photos, you can ensure that the colors are accurate and consistent across all platforms. This is important as it can help create a more professional and polished look for your site.

In addition, increasing the contrast and sharpness of your images can also be beneficial. By making these adjustments, you can make your products look more realistic and eye-catching, which can ultimately lead to more sales.

Post-Production for Car Sellers

Post-production helps improve the visual quality of your cars’ photos, whether you’ll use it for online promotion or print advertising. The right post-production can make a big difference in how your car images look.

Some common post-production techniques for car sellers include color grading to balance out colors and increase saturation, image sharpening to enhance detail and clarity, adding a vignette effect to draw attention to the subject, and removing unwanted light and shadows.

In addition, other post-production techniques, such as image-stitching, can be used to create a panorama of the car from multiple angles for use in online listings or ads. This can help give potential buyers a better sense of the overall look and feel of the vehicle.

Using post-production services, you can ensure that your car photos are clear and vibrant, helping them out do the competition and increase your sales. Whether you’re selling cars online or in print, professional photo editing services can help you achieve great results.

Post-Production for Jewellers

Post-production for jewelers is a key part of creating high-quality product photos that help showcase your products and entice buyers. After post-production, jewelry images look more vibrant and realistic, drawing in more potential buyers. They are also sharper and better-balanced, with enhanced detail and clarity that helps showcase the beauty and elegance of the jewelry pieces.

Some standard post-production techniques for jewelry photography include color grading to improve the overall look and feel of the image, image sharpening to enhance detail and clarity, cropping to remove unwanted background elements, and adding a vignette effect to focus attention on the subject.

Other techniques such as image-stitching can create a 360-degree view of the jewelry piece from multiple angles. This can be helpful in online listings or ads, giving potential buyers a better idea of the piece’s overall look.

Ultimately, using professional photo post-production services can help jewelers create stunning product photos that capture the beauty and elegance of their jewelry pieces. Whether you’re selling online or in print, such services can help ensure that your images pop out and drive more sales.

Why You Shouldn’t do DIY

While it can be tempting to do your own post-production, there are a number of reasons why you should hire professionals do it for you.

One common mistake that people make during post-production is failing to properly balance colors and enhance the overall visual quality of the images. Other errors may include not sharpening images sufficiently, adding the wrong types of filters or effects, and not removing noise from low-quality photos.

Another critical mistake is not paying close attention to detail when cropping and retouching images. This can result in photos that are poorly framed, have distracting or unwanted background elements, or are otherwise not aesthetically pleasing when viewed by potential buyers.

There are several no-no’s when it comes to what kind of images will send customers running. Product photos that are too bright, too dark or have a color cast will likely turn potential buyers away. 

A photo that does not show important details will not give customers the confidence they need to purchase a product. This is crucial especially for jewelers or car salesmen as potential buyers need to see what they are buying.

An image that is too small or has a low resolution will also not give customers the best impression of your product.

Another thing, poorly composed photos with bad cropping can make products look smaller or less attractive than they really are. People also don’t want to see photos with noticeable flaws like smudges, fingerprints, or dust spots.

Given the many challenges involved in effective post-production, it is best to leave this task to the professionals. Professional photo editors have the knowledge and skills needed to produce high-quality results that will help increase your sales.

In addition, professional post-production services can save you time and money in the long run. By outsourcing your post-production, you can focus on other aspects of your business, such as marketing and customer service.

There are many benefits to using professional post-production services. For one thing, professional photo editing services have access to a wide range of tools and techniques that can help improve your images in many different ways. This includes everything from color grading and image sharpening to shadow and reflection removal, which can be difficult to do by yourself.

Hiring a professional photo editor can also ensure that your pictures are as good as they can be. It’s critical for all sorts of digital marketing, including online listings and advertisements and print-based advertising materials like catalogs and brochures.

Key benefits of a professional post-production service include:

• Professional editors have access to a wide range of photo editing tools and have the experience required to improve your photos with top quality results.
• Professionally edited photos can help increase sales.
• Achieve great results with less effort than DIY post-production.

Investing in expert post-production services like Pixel By Hand will help you save time and effort, resulting in better outcomes.

Where to Start Post-Production for Your Product Photos?

So when should you send your images to a post-production service? The answer to this question depends on many factors, such as the type of product you’re selling, your budget, and your goals for the final images.

If you’re selling products online, it’s generally best to send your images to a post-production service before uploading them to your website or online store. This way, you can ensure that your photos are optimized for web use and that they look their best on all platforms.

However, if you’re selling products in print, you may want to consult with a post-production service like us at Pixel By Hand to seek advice on the best format, resolution, and other key image requirements.

First, you need to identify your current images’ key issues or challenges. Once you know what needs to be improved, you can start researching post-production services that offer the specific type of editing you need.

When evaluating post-production services, it’s essential to consider their quality, turnaround time, pricing, and customer service. You’ll also want to read online reviews to get an idea of other customers’ experiences.

Once you’ve found a service that you’re happy with, you can start sending them your images for editing. At Pixel By Hand, you’ll simply need to upload your photos to our website and provide us with the instructions on the changes you’d like to be made.

The post-production process can vary depending on the service you use, but in general, you can expect to receive high-quality images that are optimized for your specific needs.

Ultimately, the goal of using post-production services is to create high-quality product photos that sell. By working with a professional team, you can ensure that your images look their best and help increase sales for your business.

How Long Does Photography Post-Production Take?

The time it will take to finish post-production on your product photos will depend on the type and number of edits you need. 

For example, if you’re simply looking for color correction and basic adjustments, the process may only take a few minutes per image. However, if you’re requesting more complex edits, such as adding shadows, blurring the background, or enhancing details, the process could take several hours per image.

In general, you should expect your post-production service to complete your images within a few days of receiving them. However, turnaround times can vary depending on their current workload and other factors.

If you have a deadline or need your images back quickly, it’s best to discuss this with the post-production service ahead of time to ensure that they can meet your needs.

Overall, using photography post-production services can have a huge impact on the success of your product photos. Whether you’re looking for minor adjustments or complete transformations, working with experienced professionals can make all the difference in helping you sell more products online and offline.

How Pixel By Hand Photography Post Product Services Can Help

In a nutshell, post-production services can help you create high-quality product photos that boost sales. When it comes to this type of editing, your best bet is to work with a professional team that specializes in photography post-production.

At Pixel By Hand, we offer a range of services designed to optimize your images for online and print use. From basic color correction to complex edits and retouching, we can help you create stunning photos that boost conversions.

Our team of experienced editors can provide color correction, photo retouching, background removal, and other types of edits to help improve the quality of your images. We also offer web optimization services to ensure that your photos look their best on all platforms.

Plus, we offer fast turnaround times and affordable pricing, making it easy for you to get the high-quality product photos you need to drive sales for your business.

To learn more about our post-production services or to get a quote on your project, contact us today or use the chatbox below.