What is post-production? What to know about photo retouching

After shooting, photographers need to run post-production to turn ordinary shots into polished works. In this article, MONA Media we explain the concept of post-production and some key points for editing, so you can produce your best images.

What is post-production? What is photo post-production?

Post-production in English Post-production is a stage in photography, filmmaking and TVC production, among other things. In this stage, technicians edit, adjust and finish the photo or video. Post-production plays an important role in turning raw photos and footage into complete, striking works.

And what does photo post-production mean? Photo post-production is the important stage of processing and finishing a picture after it is shot. It covers editing and correcting problems that came up during the shoot, such as scenery, lighting, blur and loss of sharpness. So what steps does post-production include? Editing usually covers white balance, brightness adjustment, removing blemishes, adding effects, cropping and compositing, noise reduction and countless other steps, so that the picture meets the brief and carries the message it is meant to.

What does video post-production involve? Video post-production is the process after filming is finished, in which the video is edited, adjusted and finalized into its final version. It is key to producing a quality video that meets the original goals and requirements. It also includes color balancing, sound adjustment, special effects, audio recording and pre-processing before the video can be published.

Why post-production matters in TV commercial production, filming and photography

In photography, understanding what post-production is and how it works is essential, because it determines the sharpness, scenery and basic lighting of each shot and sets the overall mood of a collection.

Just as women put on makeup to bring out their beauty, or a house needs a coat of paint to shine, photos need editing to look their best and catch the viewer's eye. It is an indispensable process for reaching the photographer's final goal.

That is why, besides product photography taking good photos, portrait retouching and film post-production always play an essential part.

What does the post-production process involve? How to do it professionally

So what does the photo post-production process involve? Post-production is a set of different processes grouped under one name. It usually includes:

• Photo editing, video and TVC footage according to the original requirements and editing plan.
• Composing, recording and editing the music in the video.
• Adding special visual effects, mainly computer-generated imagery (CGI), and creating digital replicas from it for use in post-production (although this may be outdated given the growth of digital cinema technology).
• Sound design, sound effects, ADR (re-recording dialogue after filming), foley (recording small everyday sounds) and music, ending in a recording or mixing session with professional audio equipment.
• Converting film to a video color format or DPX (a still image format) using telecine, and adjusting color in the color grading process.

You can learn more about photo retouching services, and professional photo editing and restoration at MONA. Contact us on HOTLINE 1900 636 648 for detailed advice.

You can also see how MONA's CEO & Founder walks through a simple studio setup and how MONA produced thousands of videos in 2024.

What you must know for professional photo post-production

Key points to master when doing photo post-production? Check the notes below.

Shoot in RAW format

For an experienced photographer, shooting in RAW format always comes first. However impressive a shot looks straight out of the camera, do not hesitate to do the post-production step.

With RAW, the photographer works with the camera's raw “ingredients”, and post-production turns them into a polished, distinctive “dish”. Most professional photographers prefer RAW for the image quality and resolution it delivers.

With JPEG, on the other hand, they are bound by the settings the camera has already applied and have no options left to change after the shot. That means if they have to edit heavily, the JPEG loses quality and is no longer sharp.

White balance is essential in photo and video post-production

What key points should you watch when doing post-production? Most cameras today have a decent automatic white balance. But in special cases the camera may misread the surrounding light. So you should set white balance correctly before shooting. A useful tip is to use a grey card so the camera can balance white as accurately as possible.

Calibrate your monitor for post-production

One thing you should not skip in photo post-production is making sure your color-accurate monitor shows image colors as accurately as possible. Monitors designed for color work, such as Dell Ultrasharp, EIZO or Apple Cinema, usually ship with settings close to standard. To be sure, switch to Standard mode or do a factory reset so your monitor settings are right.

Cheap monitors, by contrast, are often tuned to make images look eye-catching by raising contrast, brightening colors and shifting tones. So you can follow these steps:

• Pick the mode least affected by image-enhancing extras, such as ASUS's sRGB mode. If there is none, use Custom/User mode.
• Set Contrast and Brightness to the same level, usually 70 or 80 depending on how bright you want it. Also set RGB to 50-50-50, color temperature to 6500K, Gamma to 1.8 and Sharpness to 50.
• Turn off all features such as power saving, Dynamic Contrast, Black Equalizer and similar.

Set a camera profile when using Lightroom

Ever wondered why the same photo looks better on the camera screen than on your computer? You may have skipped the camera's color-processing profile when working with RAW files.

Photo post-production software Adobe Lightroom uses one default color profile for all RAW files. The default is usually Adobe Standard, which renders color fairly flat and dull, with the focus on detail. The camera's own profile reproduces that camera's characteristic colors and gives a picture with more depth, like what you see on the camera screen.

During post-production you can apply the camera's profile to a RAW file by going to Develop < Camera Calibration < switch from Adobe Standard to a custom profile. Note that these profiles work like adjusting Picture Control on your camera.

So, MONA Media this article has taken you through what post-production is,, what photo post-production is, and key notes for photo processing. We hope you now have what you need to produce your best images. For details, please contact us at HOTLINE 1900 636 648 for more specific advice on our filming and photography services at MONA Studio today.

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