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Boutique Hotel Photo Editing Overview

Jul 9, 2025

Overview

The speaker provides a time-lapse overview and commentary on the editing process for a boutique hotel photo shoot in downtown Nashville, highlighting techniques, challenges, and tools used. The commentary covers a subset of images due to incomplete time-lapse recordings and emphasizes both creative and technical aspects of the workflow.

Editing Process Overview

  • Created a time-lapse video showing ~5 hours of the 8-hour photo editing session.
  • Commentary is limited to a portion of 41 total shots due to incomplete recordings.
  • Each image is discussed for 25 seconds as a personal challenge.
  • More detailed editing videos are available through the speaker's "open book club."

Shooting Conditions & Challenges

  • Limited to 3 hours for shooting, restricting staging and use of supplemental lighting.
  • Relied solely on ambient light and rearranged furniture for improved composition.
  • Used a Sony A7R IV with a tilt-shift lens, often resulting in some image softness.
  • In certain rooms, lack of staging and time constraints presented significant editing challenges.

Editing Techniques & Tools

  • Images imported into Photoshop for hand blending, color correction, and luminosity masking.
  • Used CamRanger with an iPad Pro for real-time visibility during shooting.
  • Topaz AI Sharpen used for most images to improve sharpness, applied selectively.
  • Luminar AI occasionally used for general image finishing and enhancement.
  • Manual removal of people, cables, distractions, and street imperfections to clean up shots.
  • Applied gradient noise to TVs and performed sky replacements for Twilight effect on exteriors.
  • Exterior shots required less editing; focus was on preserving the location's unique imperfections.
  • Delivered vignette and decor-focused shots as requested by the client.

Project Reflections & Limitations

  • Some shots couldn't be included in the time-lapse due to missed recordings.
  • Time constraints led to creative solutions, such as compositing elements or cropping to address issues.
  • Acknowledges the difficulty of balancing natural imperfections and necessary clean-up.
  • Viewers are invited to join the speaker's club for more in-depth tutorials or to request specific editing breakdowns.

Questions / Follow-Ups

  • Open to receiving feedback and questions from viewers about the process or specific edits.
  • Will consider extending commentary time per image in future videos based on audience interest.