Removing dental braces from teeth is a common retouching request. As long as the braces don’t fully cover each tooth, the retouching results should be pretty good.
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Retouching a business headshot or other type of portrait is often about enhancing a person’s appearance—making the eyes stand out, brightening the teeth, evening out skin tones, and cleaning up stray hairs.

But in most of my work, I’m fixing the photographer’s mistakes. When a photographer makes an error or omission, it’s usually the customer who pays the price—either by shelling out more money for retouching or settling for a subpar photo of themselves.

Ignoring Small Details

Photographing someone straight on is rarely a good idea. It tends to make the subject look wide and boxy. Retouching can’t fix a poor pose. In the above photo, a simple turn of the body toward the light source would’ve created a more flattering pose. It would also have softened the shadows on the right side of the face and jacket, and brightened both eyes.
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In most cases, you want to avoid reflections in eyeglasses when taking photos. The only time reflections are acceptable—or even desirable—is when they contribute to the story or mood you’re trying to convey.
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Fixing messy hair is one of the most common photo retouching requests. When only a few stray hairs need cleaning up, the process is quick and easy.
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