Every now and then I hear someone say “digital photography is so easy. You only have to press the shutter, download the images and print them in an album.” But how far from the truth that statement is!! In fact as soon as the shutter is pressed that when the real work starts as each image will have it’s exposure checked and corrected if necessary, colour balanced, cropped, sharpened, minor blemishes/distracting elements air-brushed and the final image perhaps vignetted. By the time the final print is done it can sometimes look nothing like the original. All of this takes time and can’t be automated.
Takes these simple corrections for example:
Before:
After: (airbrushed out distracting dark background elements/slight softening of image)
Before:
After: (air-brushed out mic stand/add vignette/added warmer tone)
Before:
After: (don’t think any explanation is needed here!!)
As said these are just a few of the many very basic corrections/enhancements that go in to each image. That’s why my print prices start from £15 for an 8×6. Yes you can probably get an 8×6 digital print made from your local photo store for 50 pence, but not only do I never use such consumer labs (I use professional labs to print my work as they have printers who will print the best image rather than let an automated machine produce an average image), the work that goes into an image means that your £15 will be well spent.