Don't Make My Headshot Look Plastic!

When I’m asked to retouch headshots, clients or photographers first mention, “Please don’t go too far; I don’t want the image to look plastic or overly retouched.” My unique selling point (USP) is to make the subject look like how they believe they already look.

Subtle, small adjustments can lead to significant improvements in the final result. For instance, in this image, I slightly lifted the jawline, opened the eyes a bit, whitened the teeth, and subtly softened the skin and under-eye bags. I also enhanced the eyebrows and lightened and darkened the area under the chin. With a few additional tweaks, I aim to ensure the final image doesn’t appear ‘plastic.’ See if you can spot the extra changes!

I understand that even this level of editing can be controversial, as some may argue, “Why not leave it completely natural?” However, I have yet to meet anyone—man or woman—who doesn’t want to look great in their headshot, reflecting their self-image.

It’s important to note that this technique is most effective when the original photograph is taken by a professional photographer; a photo from a group shot taken on someone’s phone will never suffice, as the saying goes, “you can’t make a silk purse from a sow’s ear”!

Finally, I happen to know that the sitter in this example was thrilled with the finished result, “That’s captured me so well,” I said … sorry … SHE said.