From RAW to Refined: My Post-Editing Process with an English Rose
Every photograph tells a story — but the story doesn’t end when you click the shutter. For me, the real artistry begins in post-production, where vision meets craft. In this post, I’ll take you behind the scenes of my editing workflow using one of my favourite images: a close-up of an English Rose captured in RAW format and later transformed into an expressive black and white composition.
Why I Always Shoot in RAW
Shooting in RAW gives me complete control over the final image. Unlike JPEG, which compresses and processes data in-camera, a RAW file preserves every bit of detail, tone, and texture. That flexibility allows me to experiment with adjusting exposure, contrast, and colour balance with the overall aim to not lose quality. For this rose, that extra data made all the difference, especially when I decided to convert the image into monochrome.
The Vision Behind the Edit
The original shot of the English Rose was rich with delicate tones and soft pink hues. Beautiful…However, I felt the colour distracted from the textures and shape of the petals. My goal was to emphasise the form and contrast instead of colour, creating a more timeless, emotive image.
Sometimes the choice to go black and white isn’t about removing colour, but about revealing structure and feeling.
Step-by-Step: My Post-Processing Workflow
1. Initial Adjustments
I begin in Adobe Lightroom (or your chosen RAW editor) and follow these steps:
Correct exposure and recover highlights.
Bring out shadow detail to enhance petal depth.
Adjust white balance for a neutral tone before conversion.
These first adjustments are all about building a balanced base image.
2. Cropping for Composition
Next, I re-evaluate the framing. Cropping isn’t just about trimming the edges — it’s about refining the visual narrative. For this photo, I tightened the composition to draw the eye directly into the centre of the bloom, removing any distractions from the background.
3. Converting to Black and White
This is where the magic happens. Rather than simply desaturating, I use Lightroom’s Black & White Mix to control the luminance of each colour channel. By adjusting the reds and yellows, I can make certain petals pop while keeping others soft and subdued. This gives a painterly sense of depth and tone.
4. Fine-Tuning Contrast and Texture
A black and white image lives and dies by its tonal contrast. I use Curves to shape highlights and shadows, then add subtle clarity to define textures. The goal isn’t to make the image harsh, but to make it tactile, as if you could almost feel the petals.
5. Finishing Touches
Finally, I remove any blemishes or dust spots, apply a light vignette to guide the eye inward, and export the image in high resolution for web display.
Before and After: The Transformation
The difference between the original colour photo and the final black and white version (for me at least!) is striking.
What began as a soft, romantic capture of a pink English Rose became something entirely different….A study in light, shape, and tone. This is what I love about photography: the ability to reinterpret reality through post-production.
My Editing Philosophy
Post-processing isn’t about “fixing” an image; it’s about realising the vision that inspired the shot in the first place. I see editing as an extension of the creative process — where technical precision meets emotional expression. Every adjustment is intentional and serves the story I want the image to tell.
Final Thoughts
Photography doesn’t stop at the moment of capture as it continues to evolve in the digital darkroom. Whether I’m working on portraits, landscapes, or a simple rose, the process is always about balance: between detail and mood, between realism and artistry.
If you’d like to see more before-and-after edits like this, stay tuned as I will be sharing a few more transformations in upcoming posts.