It’s interesting, and even a little perplexing, that some people refuse to have their business headshot retouched. People have told me that it’s wrong to make changes to a photo after it’s been taken. Some even believe that you’re obligated to use the image exactly as the photographer delivered it. It’s as if any further editing would somehow cross an ethical line.
But here’s the irony: chances are, the photographer already made a number of edits before delivering the final photo. Were those edits wrong or unethical? Of course not.
Even if the photo came straight from the camera, the question remains: don’t you want to look your best in your professional portrait? Why let a temporary blemish, flyaway hair, wrinkled clothing, or harsh shadows be a part of your public image? They’re distractions that have nothing to do with your professionalism or personality.
Think of retouching like grooming before an important event. You wouldn’t go to a business function or job interview with unkempt hair or wrinkled clothes, would you? You’d take the time to polish your appearance because you want to make a positive, confident impression. Retouching your headshot follows the same logic. It’s not about altering who you are, it’s about presenting the best version of yourself.
Refusing To Look Good
Many people have difficulty looking objectively at photos of themselves. They don’t see themselves as others see them. Instead they see what they feel.
I recently retouched a young woman’s business portrait. She requested that her amateur headshot be “turned into a polished professional headshot.” The original photo had a number of technical flaws: stray hairs across her neck and forehead, very uneven skin tones, an orange colour from tungsten lighting, a wrinkled background, and dark, lifeless eyes.
Retouching fixed all the issues without altering any of her features. The goal wasn’t to make her look better than she is, it was to correct issues that shouldn’t have been there in the first place.
But when she saw the retouched version, she wrote that she shouldn’t look that good. It wasn’t right. In the end, she agreed to fix only the orange colour cast, leaving the other problems untouched. Sadly, the final image was still underwhelming, not because of how she looked, but because of the low technical quality of the photo. Why refuse to look your best?
Thinking that retouching is somehow dishonest misses the point. Thoughtful, professional retouching isn’t about creating a false version of you. It’s about removing distractions so the real you can shine through.
Your business portrait is often the first impression someone has of you. Why not make it a strong one?
More information on my photo retouching services.
