What Actually Goes Into Your Images

You probably think the hard part ends when I put my camera away. Nope 😂 That’s actually when a whole other part of the process starts.

After your session, I cull through everything and narrow it down to the images that are sharp, meaningful, and worth delivering. I’d love to give you every photo I take, but sometimes I miss focus, move at exactly the wrong second and chop off an arm, or capture something that simply isn’t worth saving. I’m a photographer, not a surgeon. 😂

Once your proofing gallery is ready, every image receives a basic edit before you see it. Once you choose your favourites, the detailed editing begins. And this is where the hours disappear.

I don’t use presets, filters, or batch editing. Every photograph is edited individually. I work through each image on its own, deciding what it needs rather than applying the same formula to an entire gallery. Depending on the photograph, I might be adjusting light and colour, removing people, horses, fences or tack, cleaning up stray hairs and distractions, fixing backgrounds, replacing skies, adding creative elements, or refining tiny details most people would never notice.

Some images take around 20 minutes. Others can take several hours. I’ve definitely spent way too much time zoomed in at 300% fixing something that nobody else would probably ever see.  For more involved edits, I build the image up layer by layer - carefully masking, cloning, patching, compositing, and blending different elements until everything looks natural. Every decision is made for that specific photograph. There is no “one click” button that creates the final image.

That’s also why my turnaround times and pricing are what they are. When you receive a gallery of 50 images, even 30 minutes per image is already more than 25 hours of editing — and some images take considerably longer. Every photograph gets my individual attention from start to finish. That’s the part of photography you don’t always see - but honestly, it’s one of my favourite parts.

See the Difference

Below are some real before-and-after examples from my sessions. Some changes are obvious. Others are tiny details you might never notice. The goal isn't for you to see the editing. The goal is for the finished image to simply feel right.