With the digital age of photography, post-production is arguably as significant as capturing the photo itself. And with remarkable advances in post-processing software, like Photoshop, a picture can be changed to astounding levels – even to a point of being unrecognizable from the starting point.

Unlimited options is where some wedding photographers, mostly amateurs but also some experienced photographers, go dreadfully wrong. Of course, it’s creative to utilize some different effects to a few pictures here and there. But, good wedding photography features post-production like a good wedding make-up practice their craft (ie) even when a significant amount of make-up, it’s subtle and in good taste.

Without question, subtlety and taste are usually debateable. So, when it comes to finding the best wedding photography one should examine the photographer’s work to assess their use of effects after the fact.

For example, most wedding photographers will do some skin smoothening, in particular for the couple shots. Here we have one of those tools that if misused looks dreadful – like the front of magazines that have gone so far that the celebrity looks like anime. Conversely, just the right use of this tool will nicely bolster the shot. After all, the objective is for the subject to look like the finest version of themselves, not like a mannequin.

Meanwhile, a whole host of other effects can be used with disastrous results – like bad fashion from decades past. The distinction is that bad fashion sometimes makes a reappearance, which is rarely the case with misguided post-production.

You don't want to look back at your wedding pictures twenty years later and wonder what possessed you to hire your photographer.  The most creative wedding photographers use post-production software to deliver images which deliver in all the right ways. In other words, see to it that the post-production on your wedding photographs is on the right side of that fine line.  You'll thank yourself later.