Post-processing photography is a subset of post-production photography that covers a broader range of photo transformation works—editing, retouching, background removal, photo resizing, and eliminating imperfections performed through a photo editing software.
Often interchangeably used with photo editing or post-production photography, photo post-processing enhances the visual appeal and professionalism of an image.
Five processes are crucial for achieving success in post-processing photography: photo culling, basic editing, advanced editing, creative editing, and photo exporting. If not maintained well, chances of low-resolution photos increase, which hampers the brand’s reputation as well as conversions.
Professional photographers, solopreneurs, and brands of all sizes assign professional photo editing companies to acquire precise and skillful work within the required time and avoid any photo editing mistakes.
What is Post Processing in Photography?
Post-processing in photography refers to image-enhancing techniques such as retouching, adjustment, color correction, color grading, and shadow creation applied to the raw photos. Post-processing photography is crucial for photographers and ecommerce brands as it allows photographers to refine their images to match their artistic vision and correct any technical issues that may have occurred during shooting and ecommerce brands to drive more sales.
Post-processing and photo editing are frequently used interchangeably, even by photographers, photo editors, professional retouchers, and ecommerce photography studio professionals. Image post-processing covers a vast area of improvements for images, for example, background removal, image editing, color correction, shadow creation, contrast, sharpness, and so forth, whereas photo editing is limited to a few aspects of clarity, sharpness, and quality.
Post-processing is not just about correcting mistakes, it also allows photographers to express their creativity. By manipulating elements within an image, photographers can create unique styles and deliver impactful visual narratives. While post-processing can significantly enhance an image, it is essential to start with a well-captured photo, as severe flaws may be difficult to rectify even with advanced editing techniques.
Professional photographers are skilled in post-processing their photos, but they often turn to specialized clipping path or photo editing service providers for two key reasons: they understand the intricacy of photo post-processing, and outsourcing these tasks allows them to focus on photography sessions and client meetings while ensuring bulk editing is completed on time.
Why is Post-processing Important in Photography?
Post-processing is important in photography for enhancing image quality, attracting the target audience, and boosting ROI. During image processing, a photo retoucher polishes the raw image files, adjusts color, contrast, and shadow exposure, sharpens the image, reduces noise, and removes distractions. Once finished, the final files are naturally attractive, high-end, and fulfill brand goals. Other importance of photography post-processing includes as follows.
1. Upgrades Image Appearance
Post-processing photography upgrades image appearance by removing flaws, distractions, inconsistent lighting, and shadow conditions. As a result, image quality, sharpness, and appeal to viewers increase.
2. Spruce up the Subject
Post-processing prioritizes making the subject stand out. It clears out the unnecessary distractions, making the subject look neat and clean, similar to a real pristine object. A 2021 blog published by Splento on The importance of quality photography for your ecommerce showed that 90% of online buyers prioritize the quality of photos as the crucial factor for purchasing online.
3. Maintain Personal Workflow
Professional photographers have hectic schedules. They need to free up backlogs to complete projects and continue the flow of the income stream. Working with a professional photo editing company allows them extra working flexibility to organize workflow. Additionally, getting post-processed photos at hand allows ecommerce business owners to eliminate bottlenecks during their digital asset distribution.
4. Ensure Client Satisfaction
High-quality photos psychologically impact buyers, it assures them ‘Quality product/ service has quality photo’. Thus, stunning visuals spark viewers’ curiosity, increase online sales, and impact customer loyalty, leaving a client satisfied.
5. Ready-to-use Anytime
Professionally processed photos are flawless, high-resolution, and come in marketing channel-supported photo file formats such as .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .tiff, .webp, and so on. You prepare your photos to be usable anytime for any platform by editing them.
How Important is Post-processing an Image to Professional Photographers?
Post-processing an image is important to professional photographers for creating high-quality images and highlighting their portfolios. As a result, the use of photo editing tools among photographers and photo editors has increased exponentially. A 2023 report by Business Research Insights on Photo Editing Software Market Report Overview shows that the global photo editing software market size will be $108 billion in 2024. Each update of software brings the newest technology and solutions. Professional photographers, therefore, collaborate with image enhancers for bulk editing to satisfy clients and enrich their portfolios. Here are some more reasons why professional photographers emphasize image post-processing.
- Post-processing works such as color correction and grading, composition technique, filter, and graphics convey photographers’ creativity and unique style, deliver goal-oriented messages, and distinguish them from their peers.
- By retouching, a retoucher polishes raw photos. He skillfully solves technical issues like exposure, grain/noise, contrast, and color imbalance and embellishes the image, assisting photographers build their brands.
- Photo post-processing assists photographers in maintaining their busy schedule during peak seasons and times such as autumn, winter, christmas, weddings, etc. While their image editors batch process images to buy some time, photographers ensure uniform quality work and on-time delivery.
- Photographers ensure high-end photos with resolution and quality, which pique viewers’ interest. Post-processing immensely helps e-commerce photographers in driving traffic.
How Much Do Professional Photographers Rely on Post-processing?
Professional photographers enormously rely on post-processing to create visually striking photos that drive attention and conversion for a business. A slight retouching to each published online photo technically upgrades overall image resolution and appearance. Good photos bring quality traffic and increase viewers’ perception and confidence, driving them to interact with brands. Therefore, professional photographers depend on post processing after the photoshoot.
During shooting, photographers ensure optimal accuracy. They fine-tune the frame, camera angle, settings, subject placements, background, and props. Still, the images may receive lighting conditions or reflections or some sort of imperfections. So, photographers implement photo enhancement techniques for the following reasons.
- To readjust the incorrect photo size
- To remove errors and distractions
- For altering of mismatching background
- In sharpening the blurry, and grainy images
- Make corrections on low or high lighting condition
Why is Post-processing Important in E-commerce Business?
Post-processing is important in ecommerce business for 3 main reasons—it improves image quality, creates a positive perception of the product, and contributes to conversion.
Processed photos show products online in pristine & refined condition. Reflection of the product in real-world appearance boosts buyers’ engagement rate and session duration.
When an ecommerce website publishes high-quality edited photos, satisfying the rest of the ranking factors, it experiences a boost in the number of visitors, interactions, and conversions. Google positively takes these changes in metrics and rewards the brand with a higher ranking. As a result, that e-commerce business drives a more niche-specific audience.
Why Do E-commerce Business Owners Need Professional Photo Editing for Their Product Images?
E-commerce business owners need photo editing for 3 main reasons—to enhance product image, represent the product’s quality, and boost web-store sales. A 2024 blog published in BusinessDhasher displays that 95% of product pages with photos receive more organic traffic than those without.
To stand out with unique products, personalized shopping experience, and minimized costs, online stores depend on professional photo editing companies which benefit them in the following ways.
- Professional image editing aligns with the best practices of e-commerce product image guidelines.
- It retains a brand’s professionalism and consistency with high-end edited photos.
- Photo editing influences a buyer’s perception of a brand’s professionalism, reputation, and consistency.
- It persuades prospective buyers & increases repeat clients.
- Post-processing navigates interacting buyers to click add to cart.
- It reduces product return rates for ecommerce businesses.
What is the Difference Between Post-production and Post-processing in Photography?
The main difference between post-production and post-processing is the process, where post-production encompasses all activities that take place after the initial shooting phase—Image editing, Sound editing, Special effects, Color correction, Final output preparation, whereas post-processing includes changes made to photos (Color correction, Exposure adjustment, Cropping and straightening, Retouching, Applying effects)
and saved in exported file format. Other differences between post-processing and post-production are as follows.
| Topic | Photography post-production | Image post-processing |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Photography post-production is the complete process, starting from photo culling to photo distribution. | Post-processing encompasses the tasks that a photo editor does by using photo editing software such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, and so forth. |
| Included tasks | Image sorting out, cropping, photo editing, retouching, sound editing, special effects, color correction, file format exporting, delivery, distribution, and archiving. | Image processing software-based work, basic photo editing to advanced level: color correction, sharpening, background removal, noise reduction, etc. |
| Process | The post-production process extends to photo management and requires the collaboration of different skills, media, and tools to support the workflow. | Post-processing is a straightforward process. An expert can manage the whole workflow by using software. |
| Purpose | Post-production prepares images in various file formats ready to publish. | Post-processing enhances overall image resolution and quality. |
| Project completion Time | Depending on the project volume, the post-production photography time frame varies between a few hours to around 3 (or more) days. | Image processing may vary between a few minutes to a few hours based on project volume, level of detail, and client requirements. |
What is the Difference Between Photo-processing and Photo Editing?
The key difference between photo processing and photo editing is the depth of adjustments. Photo-processing is to implement different types of photo editing techniques to improve the quality and resolution of the photos. In simple terms, image post-processing is mandatory and image editing is optional for every image.
Image post-processing is a comprehensive workflow. It includes software-made manipulation techniques and technical adjustments, for example, photo editing, retouching, background removal, shadow creation, color correction, and a bunch of others. Each type of work has different working patterns. Based on the image requirement, a photo enhancer ensures that the finally processed version aligns with the commercial intentions of ecommerce, advertising, photography portfolio, etc.
What is the Difference Between Pre-processing and Post-processing in Photography?
The primary difference between pre-processing and post-processing is the nature of work: pre-processing focuses on preparing the images for processing and post-processing focuses on image enhancement to attract viewers.
In photography, pre-processing is a foundational step for image processing. It mostly deals with raw photos, whereas post-processing is the process of applying different editing techniques on photos so that the quality and resolution of images improve. Once the photos are well-edited, they are ready to export and distribute.
What are the Post-processing Steps?
Post-processing steps include 5 steps—photo culling, basic editing, advanced editing, creative editing, and photo exporting, depending on the requirements. Once the photography session ends, the images go to the photography post-processing section, which mostly a photo editor does. S/he filters the picture-perfect images and starts retouching the best ones. The purpose of following the post-processing stage is to ensure optimal workflow for the users, who can be a photographer, an ecommerce business owner, a studio owner, or a fashion product marketer.
Step 1: Photo Culling
Photo culling or photo sorting is the initial step for a photography post-processing workflow. Either the client or the photographer does this part.
Step 2: Basic Editing
Basic photo editing consists of photo resizing, cropping, noise reduction, exposure and white balance adjustments, fine-tuning, and color correction. In this stage, the photos receive an enhanced look than the original one.
Step 3: Advanced and Creative Editing
Creative and advanced editing includes image retouching, background removal, shadow/reflection creation, color grading, and blurry image sharpening, for instance. This professional-grade editing is effective for ecommerce products. Such images are glamorous, highly-vibrant yet naturally appealing to look at.
Step 4: File Exporting and Delivery
Edited images are saved in widely accepted or client-required file format. Then, these are sent to the clients with image-sharing platforms like Dropbox, and Google Drive. The client may send for another revision or if everything is okay, s/he will send the images to distribution channels.
What are the Effects of Post-processing?
The effects of post-processing photography are as follows.
- Enhances image quality
- Develops visual storytelling
- Builds a brand
- Enhances customer satisfaction
Since consumer behavior has changed after the COVID-19 pandemic, customers’ dependency on images has increased significantly. A blog published in 2022 by Tim Jefferson at Retail Technology Review says that 75% of online shoppers rely on product photos to decide to purchase. Effects of post-processing have connected other factors as follows.
- Post-processing maintains image quality, cleanliness, and connection which consumers prefer to interact with.
- Professionally edited photos divert customer interaction and trust to augment brand awareness and online visibility.
- Visually compelling images increase engagement rate.
- In a survey conducted over 5000 email campaigns, Vero reported in 2023 that campaigns with images had a 42% higher click-through rate than campaigns without images.
What are the Effects of Post-processing in the Ecommerce Industry?
The effects of post-processing in the ecommerce industry include augmenting traffic, clicks, engagement, and conversion rates. The e-commerce industry, namely people from studio managers, studio coordinators, image asset managers, content producers, ecommerce managers to all the way to creative head tremendously benefit from high-quality images, hence they assign professional clipping paths, photo retouching, or photo editing companies to achieve these following goals.
- Increase brand awareness and create a positive perception.
- Drive higher engagement and satisfaction among clients.
- Present products in the best light during online listings.
- Adjust flat-looking images to create the desired mood.
- Assist in developing visual stories, for example, the video game industry uses anti-aliasing techniques.
- Highlight product features by eliminating flaws.
- Create a vibrant unique perspective and surreal visualization to stand out in the competition.
What Post-processing Software Do Professional Photographers Use?
Professional photographers use Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, DxO PhotoLab, Capture One Pro, and Skylum Luminar Neo as their primary photo post-processing software. This software incorporates highly functional latest features and technologies such as editing and retouching tools, layers and masking, selection, and cropping tools, AI-powered solutions, creative features (text overlays, graphics, collage making, etc), photo restoration, export, and sharing options.
Image enhancement software is accessible to all skill users. Beginners can use the free versions, learn photo editing through tutorials, and hone their skills. Advanced-level users and photo post-processing companies use a premium version for handling high-volume complex, precise, and commercial-standard projects.
What are Some Common Mistakes That are Made in Post-processing?
Some common mistakes that are made in post-processing photography include missing duplicate files, lack of details, improper cropping, over-editing, neglecting file requirements, and so on. Image editing solves those imperfections, and puts subjects in the best light. Some common photography mistakes are as follows.
1. Working on the original file
Working directly on the original file or raw file is a newbie mistake. If you need to revert changes, you won’t have any backup files. Moreover, an original copy is necessary to track the gravity of the edited file.
Solution: Prioritize duplicating files. First, become mindfully aware of saving a copy, and then it will become second nature to you like a professional photographer. While working on Photoshop, make a layer first.
2. Ignoring the surroundings
Emphasizing highlighting the subject/product may cause overlooking the other details. It leaves the surroundings and background distracting or the setup may include so empowering that the subjects are neglected.
Solution: Focus on mindful editing. Keep both the subject and the surroundings in mind. Declutter what drives viewers away from the subject.
3. Miscalculated cropping
Images with wide surroundings necessitate cropping, under precise calculation. Otherwise, you will see important parts get cut off, or composition rules are off-balance. These make the photo less engaging.
Solution: Leave some negative space in the picture. Pay attention to composition techniques during cropping. Refrain from cropping human models abruptly to maintain a natural appearance.
4. Issues with the human model
Aiming to make the most beautiful model, mistakes may create unrealistically flawless skin like plastic. The purpose of the human model is to create an emotion that leads to action.
Solution: Know the subject and its target audience. Make the facial and physical changes age-appropriate. For example, an aged model will have natural aging wrinkles, whereas a model for a fitness product will have muscle.
5. Image over-editing
Some common examples of over-editing are excess use of filters, imbalance sharpness, improper colors & saturation, missing shadow, overexposure, and underexposure, inconsistent white balance, and more. Such mistakes deviate images from the original intent. As a result, it hurts brand’s identity and selling targets.
Solution: Instead of editing all at once, start small. Stay close to the original and change slightly.
6. Neglecting file requirements
Commercially edited images are used in different photo-distributing channels (online marketplaces, social media, company websites, etc). Therefore, maintaining the photo standard is essential. High-resolution files include many pixels, which can take longer to load on poorly structured websites.
Solution: Professional photo editing solutions maintain all these in one go. While doing it yourself, use widely used file formats (JPG, PNG, WebP) file formats for photo distribution, implement photo compression techniques, and maintain the platform-specific aspect ratio.
What Do Professional Photographers Consider When Post-processing Their Photos?
Professional photographers consider improving images aesthetically during post-processing, which mostly depends on the types of edits and techniques. They use photo editing software to implement image enhancement techniques, including resizing, color correction, color grading, exposure adjustments, noise and grain reduction, blurred image sharpening, and shadow creation. Once the image post-processing session ends, the quality and resolution of the photos improve.
Photo post-processing work is a complicated and lengthy process. Oftentimes, professional photographers find it difficult to balance their schedules. They depend on professional post-processing or photo editing companies. Such companies have ample skills, experience, manpower, technology, and other resources to assist photographers. Also, partnering with a photo editing company allows photographers working flexibility and client satisfaction on time.
Does Post-processing Increase Performance?
Yes, post-processing increases performance for ecommerce by increasing products’ charm on digital screens. According to a 2021 study by Adobe, 63% of shoppers said that high-quality product photos are essential when deciding whether or not to buy a product online. Post-processing is the key to achieving high-quality photos. It convinces viewers about the product’s quality, authenticity, and credibility.
In the fashion industry, high-quality visual content influences consumer behavior and purchasing decisions. It displays trendy, luxurious, and classy looks of fashion items such as jewelry, apparel, shoes, and other accessories (bags, perfume). Fashionista viewers get a clear, detailed, and convincing look. High-quality photos navigate them to buy more products.
Electronics and gadgets have complicated parts that viewers must know. Otherwise, viewer discrepancies may cause product returns. A 2021 study published in Power Reviews explains that 49% of consumers returned an ecommerce purchase because the item didn’t match the description. Post-processing makes sure products are well-displayed from all angles and match the ecommerce description well. Such photos decrease product returns and increase repeated clients.
The automotive industry greatly benefits from photo editing. A study by AutoTrader found that product listings with professional photos sell 32% faster than those with amateur photos. High-quality images drive this accelerated sales velocity. By showing the automotive features, colors, and designs from different camera angles navigate buyers to proceed to the purchasing journey.
