I recently had some professional shots done of myself and my family for mum for christmas and when the shots came back all of my sunspots and the like had been smoothed right out. Now it looks great and all but I have alot of spots and I love them because they define me and so I asked for the photo of myself to be redone (which I am pleased to hear will get done) with all my hidious spots and all because they are me and they are my personality!
But it struck me as odd because I was told that most people like to have all their blemishes smoothed out but I like my imperfections and everyone elses imperfections because it makes us all individual. And so I was thinking has society taken us to a point now where we are expected to be perfect and imperfections are just removed at a click of a button. I for one can’t look at magazines without wondering what that person looks like when they wake up in bed! Its all too fake for me.
The reason Im writing this though is because I was wondering if any portrait photographers out there could share some insight into what the standard procedures are and what is the norm these days. I’d be interested to know?
Cheers
Brett
Warren. A. Wil...
Hi Brett,
You opening a great subject,and I am looking forward to all the comments. I am not a portait photograher but would like to start, I have done a few and find that retouching or smoothing takes away the real person. just IMO.
Brett Still:
Hi Warren. I agree. There are lots of comments on this in the forum where I posted the same message.
Here
Rosalie Dale
I did a shoot with Rose Moxon of about 40 little kids recently – I certainly cloned out food on face and clothes, blemishes on clothing, scratches and scabs, bandaids, dark under eyes etc but I did leave identifying moles and things which I felt were part of the child’s image, and which the parents would feel strange about if they were removed!! I think adults are more ‘precious’ about their appearance … !!!
Brett Still:
I like your comments. I too would clone out dust and things which generally don’t belong. (I do that for my landscapes anyway) but I feel I would want to keep a persons personality and when I do portraits of friends and family after christmas (with my new flash which santa is bringing!) I will most likely talk with them first about how they want the images edited. Because at the end of the day if someone is having a portrait taken of themselves they have to be happy with it…
David Iori
Nothing is what it seems any more Brett in this age of Digital Photography.