A Behind-the-Scenes Look at My Process

One of the most common questions I get from clients is: "Do the final images need a lot of Photoshop before they are ready?"

It's a fair question. Many people have heard horror stories about photographers who deliver heavily retouched, unusable images without heavy retouching, or worse—images that look nothing like the person once editing is complete.

This is usually due to a “spray and pray” attitude by the photographer (where the photographer fires off a TON of photos without thinking), an untuned lighting setup and the attitude that they will just “fix it in post.” Photographers like this only ever take good photos by accident, so they have a hard time doing it consistently.

Here's the truth about my approach, and the best way to get amazing images every time: make sure the photos are exceptional right out of the camera. Relying on magic tricks in post-production is a recipe for bad photos. It takes more work to get everything right during the actual photoshoot—lighting, lens choice, angles, and exposure, but its always worth it.

Let me show you exactly what I mean.

My Raw Images

The examples below (and the image at the top of this article) show photos that are exported straight from the raw files without—color-correcting or retouching.

Notice:

Skin looks natural and dimensional, not flat
Eyes are bright and engaging without enhancement
Lighting is already flattering and professional
Exposure is spot-on—no blown highlights or crushed shadows
The image looks polished and complete

This is what proper lighting and technical execution create. The photo doesn't need retouching to look professional—it already does. No skin smoothing, no blemish removal, no digital alterations—yet the image looks basically finished:

Why My Unretouched Images Look This Good

The secret isn't post-production wizardry—it's fanatical attention to getting things right in-camera.

Tailored Lighting

When lighting is specifically adjusted for your facial structure, skin tone, and features, your skin looks naturally smooth and dimensional. Shadows fall flatteringly. Texture is visible but not emphasized. You don't need heavy retouching because the lighting already optimized how you look.

Standard lighting setups, by contrast, create issues that require post-processing to fix: harsh shadows, unflattering highlights, uneven skin rendering.

Proper Exposure

When exposure is correct during shooting, skin tones are accurate, details are preserved, and images have a finished quality immediately. Over or underexposure creates problems that need correction later—and can never be fully fixed.

Thoughtful Lens Choice

The right focal length for your features means facial proportions look natural and flattering straight from the camera. No digital reshaping needed.

Precise Color Balance

Getting white balance and color accurate during shooting means minimal color correction needed afterward—just fine-tuning to match what was actually there.

When everything is done correctly during the photoshoot, the images are already 90% finished.

What Retouching I Do Provide

My final delivered images include professional retouching, but it's remarkably minimal because there's so little that needs correcting.

Standard retouching includes:

✓ Temporary blemishes removed - Active breakouts, scratches, bruises
✓ Wardrobe issues fixed - Tags showing, lint, minor wrinkles
✓ Minor distractions eliminated - Stray hairs across face, background elements
✓ Subtle skin smoothing - Minimizing rougness while keeping the natural texture
✓ Eye enhancement - Slight brightening and sharpening for clarity

What I don't do (unless specifically requested):

❌ Major facial restructuring
❌ Excessive skin smoothing that looks plastic
❌ Body reshaping
❌ Removing permanent features (moles, scars, etc.)

The goal is simple: you, but on your best day. Not a digitally created version of you.

The "Show You As We Go" Advantage

Because my images look professional straight from the camera, I can confidently show you what we're capturing during the session.

What you see on the back of my camera is genuinely what you're getting—no crossing fingers hoping editing will save it later. The professional quality is already there because:

Lighting is already flattering
Angles are already working
Exposure is already correct
Composition is already strong

This means you leave the session confident about your images, not anxious about whether anything will work once editing happens.

Why Many Photographers Won't Show You Unretouched Images

Some photographers won't show you images during sessions or won't provide "unretouched" examples because their shooting approach requires extensive post-processing to create acceptable images.

Common issues that require heavy editing to fix:

Poor lighting that creates unflattering shadows and highlights
Incorrect exposure that needs major correction
Wrong lens choice that requires digital facial adjustments
Inconsistent color balance requiring extensive color work
Technical mistakes that need digital problem-solving

When you get things right during shooting, you don't need to rely on Photoshop to rescue the images.

Before & After: What Changes?

Let me show you a typical before/after comparison:

Left: unretouched Right:final retouched version:

Unretouched version:

Already looks professional
Already flattering
Already usable

Final retouched version:

Slight exposure adjustment
Background smoothing
Subtle eye brightening
Subtle skin smoothing

Total difference: subtle refinement, not transformation.

This is what retouching should be—polish, not reconstruction. Basically, if you can tell an image has been post-processed its had too much post processing

What This Means for You

Confidence During the Session

You can see strong results immediately, no hoping or guessing

Natural-Looking Results

Your final images look authentically like you, just optimally presented

Faster Turnaround

Less retouching work needed means quicker delivery

Timeless Images

Natural processing means photos won't look dated as editing trends change

True Representation

What I show you during shooting is what you'll receive—no surprises

The Technical Approach That Makes This Possible

Getting professional-quality images straight from camera requires:

Deep lighting knowledge - Understanding exactly how to sculpt each face optimally

Technical precision - Nailing exposure, color balance, and focus consistently

Quality equipment - Professional tools that capture clean, detailed data

Experience - Thousands of sessions developing the skills to execute reliably

Attention to detail - Caring enough to get it right rather than "fixing it in post"

This isn't about showing off technical prowess—it's about delivering you the best possible images with authentic, natural processing that serves the photograph and represents you truthfully.

Questions This Approach Answers

"Will I look like myself?"
Yes—because we're capturing you authentically, not creating a digital fantasy

"Can I see what we're getting during the session?"
Absolutely—the images already look professional straight from camera

"How much retouching will you do?"
Minimal and natural—removing temporary imperfections while preserving authenticity

"Will my images look dated in a few years?"
No—natural processing and minimal manipulation create timeless results

"What if I have a breakout the day of my session?"
No problem—temporary blemishes are easily and naturally removed in retouching

The Bottom Line

Exceptional unretouched photos don't happen by accident. They're the result of getting lighting, exposure, lens choice, and composition right during the actual photoshoot—not relying on Photoshop to fix problems later.

When you work with a photographer who's fanatical about in-camera excellence, your images are already professional-quality before any retouching happens. Final retouching simply refines and polishes rather than rescues or reconstructs.

You deserve portraits that look authentically like you—just optimally presented. Not digital fantasies requiring hours of manipulation, but genuine photographs captured with the technical skill to make you look your best from the moment the shutter clicks.

Ready to See the Difference?

If you're looking for Los Angeles portrait photography where the results are exceptional straight from camera—not dependent on editing magic—I'd love to work with you.

Whether you need professional headshots, family portraits, or commercial photography, my approach ensures your images are technically excellent from capture through minimal, natural retouching.

Contact me to schedule your session and experience photography where getting it right in-camera is the foundation, not an afterthought.

Professional portrait, headshot, and commercial photography in Los Angeles—where technical precision creates naturally exceptional results.

What Do The "Unretouched" Photos Really Look Like?