One question I get A LOT from photographers is if they can see some before and afters of my editing. I completely understand this question, and it seems like it would make sense for an EDITOR to show their EDITS, right?! For a retoucher, it absolutely does make sense and is a great question to ask. But for a private photo editor, it’s not the same! Soon I’ll write a blog post on the differences between photo retouchers and private photo editors, but today I want to answer the question, “why don’t you show before and afters?”

Why I Don’t Show Before And Afters

Every Photographer’s “Before” Will Be Different

Every lighting situation is unique and every photographer approaches those lighting situations differently. Some images are beautiful straight out of the camera and require minor tweaks. Some images need a lot more work. Showing you a handful of “before” images from photographers that aren’t you won’t be a good indicator of whether or not I’ll match your work.

Every Photographer’s “After” Will Be Different

Each photographer has their unique style and approach to editing that I will learn and try to match. One photographer may shoot slightly overexposed and then tone down the exposure in post-processing. Another photographer may do the exact opposite. Photographers also approach white balance differently. Some like warmer, some like cooler, and some are very picky about their greens and skin tones! It all depends on the individual photographer.

My Edits Will Be Unique To Your Style

My job as a private photo editor is to match my edits to the photographer’s edits, so the way I edit differs from photographer to photographer. I don’t edit how I personally think it should look. Instead, I make my edits unique based on every photographer’s vision. If I show you a more light and airy “after” image but you shoot with a different style, that won’t be a good indicator of whether or not I will serve you well.

The Images Are Not Mine to Share

This is a big one. If you’re a photographer, you know what it feels like when a client asks to see your unedited images. As an editor, it’s the same for me except the images are not even mine to begin with! I can’t share before images without permission from my clients. While some of my clients would be happy to share their finished work, I haven’t come across any that would want to showcase their RAW images. Additionally, many photographers choose not to tell their clients that they outsource, so they may not want their images floating around on a private photo editor’s website. It’s important that I respect the privacy of my clients above all!

It Takes Time to Fully Master Someone’s Style

Unlike retouchers who have a specific job to do like removing or adding a person in a photo, taking out a distracting background element, or airbrushing skin, a private photo editor’s work is a bit more ambiguous. It takes anywhere from 2-4 catalogs for me to fully master a style. I welcome and encourage feedback along the way! My edits will only get better if my clients tell me what I did right and what could be tweaked. I like to build lasting relationships with my clients. I’ll be their biggest cheerleader and supporter while constantly improving my work to meet their specific needs.

I Don’t Want to Limit Myself to One Style

A huge part of the reason I don’t share any client work on my website is because I don’t want to limit myself to only one editing style. I want to edit for all styles whether it’s light & airy, dark & moody, true-to-life, bold color, or desaturated color. My job is to match what you’re already doing! If I shared images from a light & airy photographer, you probably wouldn’t hire me if you’re dark & moody or vice versa. At the same time, I don’t want to show all styles of editing on my website because then it would look like my work is inconsistent. The best test of consistency is not if all my edits look the same but if I’m able to match a unique photographer’s full body of work.

What You Can Ask For In Lieu of Before and Afters

So you might be wondering, how can you tell if your editor will be good or not if you can’t see before and afters??

Website Links

You can ask to see website links of photographers that the editor has done work for, or you can ask to see a full edited gallery. Keep in mind that again, many photographers do not like to share with their clients that they outsource their editing and they may not give permission to their editor to share their images, so an editor may not have very much work they can share. I always ask my clients if I can share their websites or images with new inquiries before sharing anything! I want to stress again that my job is to be a versatile editor. So if I don’t show you images of someone who has a style like yours, don’t worry! The best test will be for me to actually edit a catalog for you.

Testimonials

You can also ask to see testimonials written by clients. Many photographers may not want anyone to know they outsource their editing, but they would be happy to write a testimonial for their editor. Look for things like consistency, professionalism, ease of sharing files, and turnaround time in the testimonial.

A Client Call

If you are still on the fence about your editor, reach out and ask about a client call! You can even do a screen sharing call and have them watch you edit. At the end of the call, you could send them a smaller gallery instead of a full wedding as a test run. It’s important to find an editor you connect with since the goal is a long-term relationship. I would love to connect with you and see how I can serve you! If you want to hop on a client call to chat about your style, contact me today!

An Avenue for Feedback

At the end of every gallery delivery, I ask my clients to let me know their thoughts and if there was anything they needed to adjust or would have done differently. I have a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee that I stand by. I welcome feedback! If a client isn’t happy with some of my edits, I want to know about it so I can make it right. It helps me understand their style better!

As always, let me know if you have any questions! And happy shooting!