In the spirit of teaching and educating, as I plan to do more of in 2013, here’s an image from my 3rd wedding I ever shot back in August 2010….WHAT.A.DIFFERENCE. 2+ years has made! I thought I was a BOSS too! For my 3rd wedding sure I might’ve been…but WHOA!
Not too bad for my 3rd Wedding and $400 (I think that’s all I charged), BUT look how much older these young beauties look from my over clarifying, over-sharpening, too much contrast, edit! 
It is what it is though. That’s who I was not who I am now, and there’s nowhere to go but up, thankfully! One thing is for sure this is only just the beginning. The moment I am satisfied with my work, the moment I think “this is perfect”, is the moment I shall hang up my camera. There is ALWAYS going to be room for improvement, room to evolve, and grow.
So, here’s what I’ve learned and taught myself over these past couple of years, mainly because I’m never happy withmy own work….1)SKIN SOFTENING….there’s a FINE line…I didn’t know what it was back then…CLEARRRRLY, but it’s now done on just about every close up I take. Careful though…too much and they can look dull, greasy, or just plain fake!
2)Evening out skin tone…didn’t know what that was either..OY!
3)Teeth Whitening..DIDN’T DO IT! But I now know it is a REQUIREMENT when you “warm” up the tone of the image (i.e. messing with the White Balance to make the image look sunny)…it automatically yellows teeth…no matter how white they are! Whoops!
4) Blemish removal is a NECESSITY (thankfully neither of these precious ladies had that problem)
5) Softening under eye bags, or “laugh bags” as I call em, can mean the difference between a “THESE ARE AMAZING! I look so good!” and “These are good! But I wish I’d have gotten more sleep :(”
6) Eye brightening…another VERY fine line, but it really brings the eyes to “life” when done correctly
7) Some images scream for more editing. From sharper colors or super contrast, to adding a texture, but for some less is more. I now let the image “speak” to me..not pigeon holing them all in to one type of “blanket” edit.
2)Evening out skin tone…didn’t know what that was either..OY!
3)Teeth Whitening..DIDN’T DO IT! But I now know it is a REQUIREMENT when you “warm” up the tone of the image (i.e. messing with the White Balance to make the image look sunny)…it automatically yellows teeth…no matter how white they are! Whoops!
4) Blemish removal is a NECESSITY (thankfully neither of these precious ladies had that problem)
5) Softening under eye bags, or “laugh bags” as I call em, can mean the difference between a “THESE ARE AMAZING! I look so good!” and “These are good! But I wish I’d have gotten more sleep :(”
6) Eye brightening…another VERY fine line, but it really brings the eyes to “life” when done correctly
7) Some images scream for more editing. From sharper colors or super contrast, to adding a texture, but for some less is more. I now let the image “speak” to me..not pigeon holing them all in to one type of “blanket” edit.
There’s more, but I’ll save that for another time! For now though…enjoy my candid honesty! 🙂
Here’s my original edit on the left, and the editing I do now.
BraskaJennea Photography | Destination Wedding & Curvy Boudoir Photographer 