What a Photographer Means When They Say You Get Edited Photos

I saw an advertisement recently for a photographer that promised a 30-minute cake smash session for a baby's first birthday.  For $175, the photographer promised "all edited images (usually 45+)."  Let's talk about that . . .

Edited vs. Retouched Photos: What You’re Really Paying For

When you hire a photographer, you’re not just paying for someone to take pictures—you’re investing in what happens after the shutter clicks. Post-processing turns a raw photo into something special, but there’s a big difference between “editing” and “retouching.” If you’re thinking about spending money on a photographer, understanding this can help you spot value and avoid disappointment.

Editing is the basic cleanup every photo needs. It’s like tidying up a room: quick adjustments to make things look better. A photographer might brighten a dim shot, fix colors that seem off, or sharpen the focus a bit. This doesn’t take too long so it’s standard for most pros. If someone offers you a deal like “20+ photos for a low price,” this is likely what you’re getting: edited images that look nice but aren’t deeply polished. It’s fast work, and while it improves the photo, it’s not a major transformation.  Time is money, after all.

Retouching, though, is a whole different level. It’s like remodeling that room instead of just tidying it—detailed, careful, and time-consuming. Retouching means fixing tiny flaws or enhancing specific parts of the picture. For a portrait, that could be smoothing skin, brightening eyes, or removing drool or snot that babies . . . well, babies and toddlers sometime ooze. This isn’t a quick tweak.  It can take hours per photo. Because of that, retouched images are rarer and cost more. A photographer promising dozens of shots for cheap probably isn’t retouching—they simply don’t have the time.  Or they are selling basic editing as "retouching."