All the photos in this post are view-from-my-office photos.
(This long post is for photo retouchers and portrait photographers.)
What causes someone to cancel their retouching order even though the retouching is exactly what they asked for?
Over many years of editing and retouching photos, I’ve found that over 90% of customers are happy with the finished photos delivered to them. But the remaining ~10% of customers are never happy with the retouching results. To be clear, this happens only when I’m retouching a portrait of the customer themselves.
When an unhappy portrait-retouch customer asks for revision after revision, despite always getting what they asked for each time, it’s not about the photo or the retouching. It’s really about how they feel about themselves.
Let’s get into some psychology.
Self-image vs. Actual Appearance
People don’t see themselves objectively. Their internal mental image is shaped by years of beliefs, insecurities, and habits. When they look at a photo of themselves, they’re not just seeing the picture, they’re comparing it to that internal image.
This ties into things studied in body image psychology.
Some people fixate on perceived flaws that others barely notice. Even after you retouch something, their brain just finds the next flaw that needs more retouching. The problem persists because the root issue isn’t visual, it’s internal.
Exposure and Unfamiliarity
Most people are used to seeing themselves in mirrors, not photos.
This relates to the Mere Exposure Effect, where familiarity shapes our preferences.
People prefer what they’re used to seeing. They think their mirror image is the “right” version of themselves, and so a photo portrait can feel wrong. Accurate retouching can feel off to them.
Perfectionism and Control
Some customers fall into a loop where they zoom excessively into a photo of themselves to find faults. These are tiny details that no one else would ever notice. The customer then asks for more retouching. But this brings only temporary relief because the anxiety returns as the customer zooms in to find another flaw.
This behaviour is similar with traits studied in Body Dysmorphic Disorder.
Some people are preoccupied with perceived flaws and it’s difficult for them to be satisfied with their appearance. They continually seek reassurance, and more retouching.
Emotional Displacement
Sometimes the dissatisfaction with a portrait isn’t even about appearance. It might be displaced emotion.
The person might have confidence issues. They could be stressed about aging (aren’t we all?). The customer may be going through some type of life issue. In any case, the photo becomes a container for those emotions and no amount of retouching can solve the emotional issue.
The Moving Target
In all of the above cases, the retoucher ends up chasing a target that the customer keeps moving. A customer might say, “Make my face a little thinner.” The retoucher does that but the customer complains about it.
The customer wasn’t really asking for their face to be thinner. They were actually asking to look younger, more attractive, or more like that magazine model they saw.
Since the customer’s goal is emotional, each round of retouching can only partially satisfy the customer, if at all. So the customer will ask for more retouching.
Portraits Only
All of this happens only when people are looking at portraits of themselves. This is because identity and vulnerability are involved with a portrait of yourself. People have an emotional investment in the outcome of their own portrait, so the stakes feel personal, not just aesthetic.
When people review photos of someone else or of objects, that emotional layer disappears and they’re satisfied quickly.
What To Do
To avoid having a customer ask for endless revisions or a customer cancel their retouching order because they’ve given up on getting the perfect photo, there are a few things you can do.
Realize that it’s about psychology not retouching.
Customers who ask for endless revisions aren’t trying to be difficult. They’re asking for a feeling of confidence, recognition, attractiveness, or validation.
Your job isn’t to chase that feeling endlessly. You have to interpret that feeling, guide it and contain it professionally.
Expectations
Set a limit for revisions right upfront. If they want more, it will cost them more. The customer should know that there are boundaries.
For example: “I include up to two rounds of revisions. In the first round, I’ll complete your requests. In the second, we’ll refine and finalize. If you need more than that, there will be an additional cost of $XX per round of revision. But too many revisions may cause the photo to look over-retouched.”
Outcome-based Direction
A customer may not know what they want, so they will keep asking for revisions and they’ll never be happy. If you don’t know where you’re going, you won’t know when you get there.
Instead of asking “what changes do you want”, ask goal-based questions.
Instead of asking, “what do you want retouched”, try something like, “what are you trying to say with this image”, or “what are you trying to accomplish with this portrait.”
You might also ask, “what do you like about the (unretouched) photo”, “what seems off to you”, and “how do you want the final photo to feel (e.g. natural and casual, polished and professional, slick and glamorous, etc.).”
The customer’s answers can help you understand their needs more accurately than if they say, “make the picture brighter and fix my hair.”
You want the customer to express intent because that can be accomplished. You can’t always satisfy a customer’s emotional needs.
Controlled Choices
When you send a proof to the customer, don’t ask, “what do you think” or “what else do you want done.”
Don’t offer open-ended edits. Give the customer guided choices.
When you send a proof, try something like, “is this too light, too dark or just right”, “is the colour too warm, too cold or just right”, “is your skin too smooth, not smooth enough or just right.”
Controlled choices give the customer specific options and it still gives the them a sense of control. By limiting their choices, it reduces decision fatigue and keeps them on track.
When All Else Fails
Even if you’ve done the retouching perfectly, a customer might still be unhappy and want even more changes made. The customer is clearly in an emotional loop, as mentioned earlier.
You might try something like:
“Sometimes a retouched photo can feel unfamiliar at first, but that usually settles after a bit of distance. Take a little time with it and let me know how it feels afterward.
“Only look at the retouched photo and don’t compare it to the original. When you compare portraits side-by-side, you will get distracted by the changes because your brain is designed to see differences. Look only at the finished photo and ask yourself if it meets your goal of ‘looking like a business professional’ (or whatever their goal was).”
