With the growing trend of digital retouching and the desire to appear flawless on special occasions, a question we encounter frequently is, “Can you Photoshop a wedding video?” The quest for perfection on your big day is entirely relatable. However, video editing presents a distinct set of challenges compared to photo editing. Let’s navigate this terrain together.
Photoshop vs. Video Editing: Distinct Realms
The Nature of the Mediums
At its core, a photograph captures a frozen moment, a singular instance in time. This static nature allows editors to dive deep into granular details, making pinpoint adjustments without the concern of continuity. On the other hand, a video is a flowing sequence of these moments, played rapidly—often at 24 to 60 frames per second. You can think of this as the video camera taking 24-60 pictures per second. In post processing, you can theoretically edit each of these individually.Editing every single frame with the same precision as a photo is nearly impossible.
A typical wedding video will have upwards of 15,000 frames (or pictures, for lack of a better comparison) within it. If you assume that advanced touch ups like blemish removal, fly away hairs or thinning out your face take about 2 minutes each, that’s 500 hours of editing.
The average videographer bills editing at $250-$500 per hour. On the low end, that’s a whopping $125,000.
Tools and Techniques
The divide isn’t just conceptual; it extends to practical tools. Adobe Photoshop, the gold standard for image editing, offers precision and detail. Its counterpart in the video world, Adobe Premiere Pro (or alternatives like Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve), focus more on sequence editing, colors, and audio adjustments rather than microscopic frame-by-frame alterations.
Editing a video to the detail you expect from Photoshop requires, well, Photoshop. You would need to physically pull your video, frame by frame, into photoshop where you would edit it and then place it back into premiere pro to build the video. In this way, you technically CAN photoshop a wedding video- just understand that it will come with the price tag mentioned earlier.
The Art of the Possible: Enhancements in Wedding Films
Color Grading
While “Photoshop-style” edits might be a stretch for video, there’s substantial wiggle room in color grading. Videographers can tweak colors, contrasts, and tones to create a visual ambience that aligns with the couple’s vision. This mood enhancement might not replicate the specificity of photo retouching, but it undeniably elevates the final film’s aesthetic.
Video is masterful at capturing the way shadows transition to light, or how movements are full of emotion. The purpose of the video should always be on the story, with aesthetics used to enhance it.
A Note on Authenticity: Cherishing the Genuine Moments
There’s an undeniable allure in wanting to appear perfect. However, weddings are celebrations of real emotions, candid laughter, fleeting glances, and genuine love. These unscripted, authentic moments are the essence of your special day.
Wedding films that mirror this authenticity ensure that in years to come, when you’re snuggled up revisiting your day, you’ll be enveloped by the warmth of genuine memories. It’s this realness, rather than pixel-perfect precision, that truly stands the test of time.
In wrapping up, it’s essential to discern the nuances of video editing vis-à-vis photo editing. While certain enhancements are feasible, others might be ambitious. Open dialogue with your videographer can help align expectations and craft a film that’s both beautiful and true to your memories.
Still trying to decide where to go from here? Check out these blogs to help you learn more about the wonderful world of wedding photography and videography with Rebecca Ann Aesthetic.
