Professional when you can't see them
Our many years of experience as a photographer and our professional eye allow us to photograph our pictures in an optimal detail. However, small inconsistencies such as a hair sticking out or skin blemishes can negatively affect the mood of an image. Here's a picture straight out of the camera for us is far from a finished product, after a photo shoot we retouch every single photo professionally, individually and with an eye for naturalness.
But what is image retouching, what do we retouch and what is the difference to image editing? You will find out this and much more in the next few lines.
The little history of retouching
When Joseph Nicéphore Niépce created his first permanent image in 1826 and thus set the milestone of photography, the invention of retouching was not as far off as one might think. The two inventions are separated by 29 years alone. This shows how much we humans long for supposed perfection. The first known retouched photographs come from the Baiernrain painter and photographer Franz Hanfstaengl and earned him a gold medal at the Paris World Exhibition. So the first retouching came from the Tölzer area.
In later analog photography, negatives were processed with a very soft pencil, in which wrinkles and shadows were lightened by hatching. This type of retouching could only be carried out with a great deal of experience, since the right pressure was crucial for success and the negative was very fragile. Cotton balls, brushes and graphite powder were used for larger areas. The finished photo could also be edited with brushes, different shades of gray (to darken) or scrapers (to lighten), although post-coloring with the appropriate color palette was also common at certain times (e.g. rosy cheeks in children).
Retouching is done digitally these days
This brings us to today's retouching, which still uses brushes, but digitally. We use for this professional image editing programs and retouch manually. Of course, there are now countless automatic image processing programs in which a kind of soft focus is calculated over the entire skin with one click. Unfortunately, any structure of the skin and the authenticity of the face are lost. For this reason, and also because we want to take into account all of our customers' individual wishes, we always retouch without automated programs. Individually and tailor-made for each of our customers, like a perfectly fitting piece of clothing.
First the image processing, then the retouching
On the way from our camera to your hands, our retouching is already preceded by the development of the images, the image processing, in which we first of all carefully sort out all your images. All test shots, double motifs or small unwanted winks are selected and removed from your pictures, because only the best make it into our final selection.
Your new favorite pictures will then be individually adjusted by us in terms of brightness, color and contrast, so that your personality comes into its own. The coloring contributes to a large extent to the mood of a picture and underlines, for example, the summery, cool or natural impression of a picture.
As soon as your pictures shine in the best light and in the right color, we start retouching them. Your naturalness is particularly important to us, because we are convinced: A good retouch can not be seen on the finished picture. We usually remove small temporary bumps such as pimples, protruding hairs or redness; we also reduce dark circles or remove an annoying object in the background, such as light shapers or sockets. Of course, we always have an open ear for your individual wishes and retouch scars or moles if you wish.
The final touch with individual color filters
As soon as the complex retouching of your pictures is complete, we would like to give your pictures even more individuality with different color filters. It is well known that tastes differ and this also applies to the color mood of your pictures. This is exactly why we want to give you the opportunity to decide for yourself which shade suits you best. Cool, black and white, all natural or warm? You will receive each of your selected images from us in four different filters/color schemes.
From the photo shoot to retouching and your new favorite picture on photo paper
As you can see, after our joint photo shoot, your pictures are not yet finished and ready for photo paper. Normally we invest twice the time of your shooting in the post-processing of your new favorite pictures, because our quality standards are high.
In the final step, we hand over your pictures to our photo lab, which prints your new favorite pictures in a very special and high-quality photo paper exposed. We are so convinced of our specialist laboratory that we also believe in ours high quality murals, our unique Wood Collage and our individually designed photo albums work with this one.
Quality is extremely important to us and is deeply rooted in our consciousness, so it is very important to us that your pictures are prepared carefully, individually and professionally. This is exactly why we calculate up to four weeks for all the steps that your picture goes through from our camera to your hands.
So we take enough time for your pictures and can offer you the picture quality you deserve. Good things take time!
