When you see a finished newborn portrait, it’s easy to think the magic happened entirely during the photo session. While beautiful lighting, posing, and a sleepy baby certainly help, there’s another important step that brings each image to life: professionally editing a newborn session.

Not every newborn photographer is skilled in Photoshop, but they should be. These skills are essential to achieve the perfect newborn images.

In the videos below, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at how I edit a newborn mini session using Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop. Don’t worry if you’ve never used these programs before—I’ll keep things simple!

What Is Adobe Camera Raw?

Think of Adobe Camera Raw as the first stop in the editing process. This is where I make the overall adjustments to an image before moving into more detailed editing.

Some of the things I adjust include:

• Brightness and exposure
• White balance (making sure skin tones look natural)
• Shadows and highlights
• Overall colour tones

These adjustments help create the soft, timeless look that parents love in newborn photography.

What Happens in Photoshop?

Once the basic edits are complete, I move the image into Photoshop for the finer details.

This is where I can:

• Gently reduce baby acne or flaky skin
• Remove temporary scratches or redness
• Smooth blankets and backgrounds
• Fix small distractions in the image
• Blend multiple images together when needed for safety

The goal is never to make your baby look different. Newborns are perfect just as they are! Editing a newborn session simply helps remove temporary distractions so the focus stays on your baby’s beautiful features.

Why Professional Editing Matters

Newborn photography requires a unique editing approach. Babies often have blotchy skin, peeling skin, redness, jaundice tones, or little scratches from their tiny fingernails.

These are completely normal and usually disappear within a few weeks. Professional editing helps create portraits that look polished while still preserving the natural details that make your baby unique.

Watch the Editing Process

The videos below show part of my editing workflow from start to finish.

You’ll see how small adjustments can transform a beautiful image straight out of the camera into the final portrait that families receive in their gallery.

Whether you’re simply curious about the process or considering booking a newborn session, I hope these behind-the-scenes videos give you a better understanding of the care and attention that goes into every image.

Looking for a Lloydminster Newborn Photographer?

Newborn mini sessions are designed for families who want beautiful professional portraits of their new baby in a shorter session format.

Every image is carefully edited by hand to ensure you receive timeless portraits that you’ll treasure for years to come.

If you’re expecting or have recently welcomed a new baby, I’d love to help you capture these fleeting first days.

Contact me today to learn more about newborn mini sessions and availability in Lloydminster, Alberta and Lloydminster, Saskatchewan.