Don't fix it in post
“Oh, no biggie - we can fix it in Photoshop.”
Please strike this thought from your mind forever.
Is there a word or phrase that you hear a client say to you when working together that triggers your inner annoyance?
Oh, I’ve got one that drives me batshit crazy.
After I shoot a round of photos with a client, I will spot check those frames with them and the makeup artist and stylist from the back of the camera to see how everything is coming out.
Every now and then, they’ll notice that something is off and note it to me and the client.
Which is exactly why we spot check photos in the first place, and that’s a good thing, no doubt.
What’s not a good thing is when they follow up that feedback with, “It’s fine, John can just Photoshop it and it’ll be fine.”
And that’s when my blood runs hot and starts to boil.
Thanks for suggesting much more work for me on the back end while we’re still in the thick of the creative process :).
Rather than say something biting and sarcastic, which would certainly roll easily off my tongue, my standard response to this statement is, “OR, we can fix the issue, delete those shots and get it right in the camera NOW.”
Even in my days as a television producer, I never understood the reliance on fixing things in post-production when you have a clear and present opportunity to get it right in the moment.
The same thing applies to lifestyle portrait sessions.
In many cases, a 2 minute stop-down of the session to fix hair, makeup, outfits, adjust location and/or lighting will save HOURS of post-editing work trying to rub out the problem.
Or, you simply can’t fix the problem and you’re screwed. There’s that, too.
When you do lean heavily on fixing things in post-production, that becomes an extremely poor use of your team’s time and effort.
Rather than the team spending time thinking creatively about how to optimize the image with text and graphics, they’re still wondering if the photo can be saved.
Ugh - I’m getting aggravated simply thinking about it!
When you get it right in the camera, the post-process becomes a smooth - and quick - experience that ultimately gets these assets into the hands of your marketing team to enhance and implement immediately into your marketing strategy, whether it’s for your website, online content, presentation slide, or any of the other image asset needs you have.
Now, I will admit that there are occasions where certain images will have to be worked on in Photoshop because of variables that cannot be adjusted in the moment - space limitations, timing issues, lighting problems, etc.
But, this needs to be the rare exception, not the rule.
The next time you invest in a lifestyle portrait session, take the time with your photographer and support staff on location to sort out the details and get it right in the camera as best you can.
Put in the effort in the moment to save your design team the hours of added work of fixing small problems after the fact.
Our most valuable commodity is our time - don’t waste any of it on issues that could have easily been fixed on the spot.
It slows down your team’s ability to deliver quality visual assets, which is exactly what you don’t want to have happen.
Ever.
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