Proofed Photos vs. Final Edited Photos

When you book a portrait session, the first step is the actual photography session. The next part in the process is your ordering appointment – when you see your photos! About 7-10 business days after your session, you will receive an email from me letting you know that your proofed images are ready and it’s time to schedule your online ordering appointment. You choose a day that works best for you.

So what exactly are proofed photos? How are they different from the final edited images you receive in the end?

As a professional photographer, I use a process called soft proofing to make your ordering experience faster and easier. I want to break down exactly what proofed images are, what final edited images are, and why soft proofing benefits you.

What is a Proofed Photo?

A proofed photo is a preview version of your photo, meant to help you choose your favorites before the final editing happens.

• Minor edits, like basic exposure adjustments, are made
• Proofed images include a watermark
• These images are not fully retouched
• You may still see small imperfections, such as baby acne or glasses glare

Think of proofed images as a rough draft. They let you see the composition and emotion of each image before you invest in final polishing. These images are for choosing, not for sharing yet. After you make your selections, your final images will be polished and perfected for print and social media.

Why I Use Soft Proofing

Soft proofing gives you control over which images are fully retouched. Here’s why I use it:

• Faster turnaround, so you see your gallery sooner
• Personalized editing because I only retouch your chosen images
• Budget-friendly since you invest in editing only for the photos you truly love

It is an efficient, flexible way to keep your session experience simple while still delivering beautiful results.

Because these do have a watermark on them, I always encourage you to view proofed photos on a desktop or laptop. You want to see these big!

What Final Editing Includes

Once you’ve made your selections, I give each chosen photo a final edit. My retouching process typically includes image brightening, background fixes, skin retouching, and glare removal from glasses, among other adjustments.

If you have any custom retouching requests, this is the stage that I can try to accommodate those.

Once I’m done, I will upload your finished photos to a new online gallery, and the watermark will be removed. I’ll email the gallery to you, and at this point, they are ready to print, download, and share!

Frequently Asked Questions About Soft Proofing

What are proofed images?
Proofed images are preview photos with basic adjustments for exposure and color. They still have my watermark and have not been fully retouched. Their purpose is to help you choose your favorite images before I do the final edits.

Why don’t you retouch every photo before I see them?
Fully retouching every photo would take a lot of extra time and increase your costs. Soft proofing lets you view and choose images quickly, and then I can spend time polishing only your selected favorites.

Can I share the proofed images on social media?
Proofed images are not meant for sharing or printing because they still have a watermark and have not been retouched. Once you have chosen your images, I will deliver beautifully finished, share-ready photos.

Why do proofed images look unfinished?
Proofed images are only lightly edited, so you can focus on picking the best expressions, poses, and moments. When you choose your photos, I’ll do a final round of editing to remove any blemishes, correct skin tones, and create a polished, professional result.

Final Thoughts: Proofed Photos vs. Final Edited Photo

Proofed images are a faster way for me to get your photos in front of you to preview your session. Final edited photos are retouched, finished pieces of artwork that you will hold and cherish forever.

If you have any questions about how soft proofing works or what goes into your final edited photos, I’m always happy to chat!

👉 Ready to book your portrait session? Contact me to learn more about working together!