What Happens After a Photoshoot? Behind the Scenes of Post-Production

Step 1: Ingest and Backup

Within hours of a session finishing, I import all images from camera cards to my editing computer and simultaneously back up the raw files to an external drive. This dual-copy process ensures that no images are vulnerable to a single point of failure — a corrupted card, a hard drive fault — from the moment the session ends. I keep raw files backed up for at least 12 months after delivery.

A full portrait session typically produces 200–400 raw image files (per camera card, where applicable). The Lightroom import process takes 15–30 minutes for this volume. Once imported, the files are immediately visible in editing software and the culling process can begin.

Step 2: Culling

Culling is the selection process — reviewing every image from the session and flagging the best for editing, while rejecting duplicates, blinks, out-of-focus frames, and technically weak shots. From a 300-image portrait session, culling typically produces 60–100 selected images that go forward to editing.

Culling is time-consuming and requires complete attention: each image needs to be evaluated at full size for focus sharpness (critical — an image that looks sharp at thumbnail size may be soft when examined closely), expression quality, and composition. I cull before I edit rather than including culling in the editing workflow, as they require different mental modes to do well.

Step 3: Editing

Each selected image goes through an individual editing pass: exposure and contrast adjustment, colour correction and grading, skin tone refinement, targeted adjustments for specific areas of the image. I work in Adobe Lightroom for the global editing pass and occasionally use Photoshop for specific retouching on individual images.

My editing approach is to produce images that look like excellent, flattering versions of real life rather than heavily processed or dramatically stylised results. I avoid excessive skin smoothing that removes texture altogether and dramatic colour treatments that make images look dated quickly.

Step 4: Gallery Preparation and Delivery

Completed images are exported at full resolution as JPEG files and uploaded to your private online gallery. You receive the gallery link by email with download instructions. The gallery remains active for a minimum of 6 months; I recommend downloading immediately and backing up locally.