Retouching headshots is something that I strongly stand by and consider vital in producing a professional quality headshot.  I have heard some photographers say they refuse to do retouching, for they think it is overly done and that it distorts a person's true appearance.  And while I do agree that retouching can be overdone, a certain degree of retouching is needed in most cases.  The question I ask those retouching snobs out there is:  Why not try to minimize retouching if it is overdone?

The way I work is that I keep retouching to a minimum, primarily working on areas around the face (and that pesky piece of lint or straggling hair that always seems to show up out of nowhere on the headshot you love best).   By no means do I recommend giving yourself a retouching facelift, adding hair, masking grey hairs, or removing beautiful wrinkles that help to show your unique personality.

Believe me, no casting director wants to see somebody walk in the room who looks nothing like their headshot.  This is why it is important to not only keep retouching to a minimum, but to also update your headshots (which I will most gladly help you with)

To get an idea of the extent of retouching that I do, take a look at the following headshot.  In the first picture, you will see a few spots and blemishes, as well as a little shadow under the eyes.  In the second, final headshot, you can see the spots removed and the shadow evened out: