photo retouching: how much is too much?
TRANSCRIPT
Photo Retouching: How Much is Too Much?
When you run a wedding photography business, one question your clients will probably askfrom offset is if you offer any kind of photo retouching services. While brides and grooms striveto look their best when the big day comes, many of them want to look even better when thephotos come out, particularly in posed headshots or other closeup photos. Removing red eyeand sharpening photos is a common practice for wedding photographers, but when it comes totrying to make your clients happy, how much is too much? There is a fine line between guidingthem to making the best possible choice and insulting their decisions, which is something nophotographer wants to do, so knowing how to walk that line is important for the success ofyour business.
Flaws vs. Nature
When it comes to photo retouching, many people want their photographers to retouch photos inorder to fix flaws. Some of these flaws may include cosmetic flaws such as a bit of smearedlipstick or mascara, or if a section of their hair became windblown and some strands are out ofplace in the photo. These are usually issues that can be fixed with photo retouching, and sincethe bride and groom want to look their best, you should oblige them. However, someindividuals may want you to retouch photos and remove things that are a basic part of theirphysical appearance, such as freckles. In this case, you may want to explain that retouchingphotos to the extent where it changes their physical appearance, this may become too noticeable
and create a photo that's not an accurate representation. Remind them that these photos weretaken on the happiest day of their life and that too much retouching could affect the naturalemotional reactions that were captured.
Body Retouching
Body retouching in photos is a hot topic today, as magazines have heightened it to the pointwhere the models look more flawless than ever. This might create a problem for you as awedding photographer because your clients might expect you to be able to perform the samekind of edits. When you first meet with your clients, explain about the retouching process,what's possible, what isn't, and how any kind of body retouching might affect the finalproduct. For example, if a bride wants you to retouch her bare arms because she thinks theylook too flabby, explain that you may have to retouch all of the photos that feature her armsand that it will affect the price of her photo package. Explain that while minor body retouchesare possible, such as softening dry patches of skin or removing a noticeable blemish, sculptingthe body with your editing software will radically alter the photos, which they may regret aftersome time has passed. While not every client will agree with these points, it's always a goodidea to point them out.
When it comes to photo retouching, you should remind your clients from the very beginningthat altering their wedding photos to an extreme degree will not only be expensive, but that itwill take something away from the natural beauty and emotion that was so obvious on theirfaces when you took the photos. Impress upon them that while you understand that they wantto look their best, that should not mean you creating edits that make them look like someoneelse. This will help you communicate to your clients about how much retouching is too muchwhen it comes to their wedding photos without insulting or refusing their requests and losingpotential jobs.
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