Summary: While state-of-the-art conference rooms and university lecture halls excel for meetings and projected presentations, they seldom provide ideal lighting conditions for photography. Expert-level photo retouching can transform photos marred by color-casts and poor lighting into compelling publication-ready visual assets. In this article I highlight three examples from a Brown University annual report.

Transforming Lecture Hall & Conference Room Photographs

While state-of-the-art conference rooms and university lecture halls are great for meetings and projected presentations, they seldom provide ideal lighting conditions for photography. The rooms are designed to balance the need for adequate lighting on the speaker while maintaining a dark enough environment for clear visibility of the projected presentation.

Further challenges arise from the color temperature of the available light. Inevitably, the photos exhibit an unsightly color-cast that demands correction in post-production to render the photographs suitable for publication.

These two images for the Brown University, Division of Biology and Medicine, 2024 Dean’s Report are no exception. The speakers are awash in an orange color-cast that needs to be corrected.

Two photos of lecturer standing in front of large projection screens. The photos are have severe orange color-casts that need to be corrected. — Before Retouching: Photos from the Brown University, Division of Biology and Medicine, 2024 Dean’s Report. The available lighting in many of the lecture halls at Brown University often results in varying degrees of an orange color-cast.

Lecture hall screen with woman presenting virtually. — Before Retouching

Another instance where conference room photography poses a challenge is when the speaker presents virtually. Often, the photographs appear washed out, necessitating careful adjustments to restore clarity and depth.

Retouching the 2024 Dean’s Report—Brown University

Embracing the opportunity to enhance these images, my goal was to transform them into visuals that perfectly serve the effectiveness and communication needs of the annual publication published by Brown University.

Always Prioritize Photos with People

While budget constraints for a project may prevent every image with a color-cast from be retouched, it is essential to prioritize photographs with people. Naturally, photos of conference rooms and lecturers should go to the front of the line. Photos where the speaker is unexposed, overexposed, or has a severe color cast do a disservice to the presenter and undermine the quality of the publication.

Case in point. This image, selected for its strong composition, yet where the lecturer is barely visible, was transformed into a publication-ready piece through significant corrections to the tonal values and the removal of the unsightly orange color-cast.

In this second example, the image’s color-cast is less severe but still benefits significantly from color correction. Adjustments to the color, contrast, and brightness sets the lecturer apart from the background, making him the focal point of the image.

The color-corrected photo. Photo shows a speaker giving a presentation after it has been retouched. — After/Before

Photo shows a speaker giving a presentation before it has been retouched. — After/Before

Never Accept Flat, Dull Color

In the third lecture hall photo, removing the orange color cast was important, but addressing the flat, dull colors was even more critical for revitalizing the image. By enhancing the tone and contrast, I breathed new life into the photograph, making the subject prominent and ensuring it captures the viewer’s attention.

After photo retouching. A phot that has been color-corrected, of a woman on a conference room screen zooming in to present at a conference. — After/Before

Before retouching. A photo, in need of color correction, of awoman on a conference room screen zooming in to present at a conference. — After/Before

Moving Images from Merely Functional to Truly Impactful

Photo retouching is crucial for converting problematic photos into polished, publication-ready visuals. Whether the selected the photos are marred by color-casts or overshadowed by poor lighting, they can be crafted into compelling visual assets, moving them from merely functional to truly impactful.

My overarching message to editors and designers: As you consider the visual elements of your next project, remember the critical role that skilled retouching plays in elevating the quality and communication value of your images. Photos that might otherwise to be destined for the outtake pile can be transformed into powerful storytelling tools.

The Tearsheets: Pages from the Annual Report

Two pages from the 2024 Brown University Dean's report showing the retouched photos as they appeared in print. — Two pages from the Brown University Dean’s Report, featuring the retouched photos as they appear in the publication

Project Details

Publication: 2024 Dean’s Report; Brown University, Division of Biology and Medicine
Client: Orange Square / Brown University
Art Director: Neela Samia

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