How much do you correct?

[ababysean]

I'm wondering how much photoshop you use to correct blemish and other imperfections?
Today I took some shots of the cutest 2 YO girl, but she had bad teeth, brown spots and chips.
I corrected them in the pictures I posted here, but do I do it for the ones I'm giving the mom?
I think I'd want it fixed if it was my child and it looks natural, but to the mom, it is going to be obvious, hey my kid has a brown front tooth in real life, but in the picture, she doesnt?
And what about pimples on teens? and wrinkles on adults? Do you just ask, how much do you want fixed, is that weird? and uncomfortable?
How do you handle it?

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Have you consulted Ralph Lauren?


I dunno. I would clean up minor things that aren't say, a permanent feature. I guess.

 

[ababysean]

who is Ralph Lauren? haha

You can see my thread earlier, and to me it doesnt look like I did anything to the teeth, it looks natural, they are not super glowing white, but I just took off some brown spots.

 

[JasonLambert]

I would have to say ask the client. You can't be shy about that sort of thing. Heck... Make it an up charge. Just say that you offer photo retouching for an extra fee. When they ask what that is say "oh, you know, making your ugly kid look a little less repulsive" ummm... No... Don't say that! But DO be up front with them... Let them decide if they want the kid to look good or look real. (don't forget to give them a tooth brush as they are leaving).

 

[McMommy]

A TWO-year old with bad teeth? I can see in the case where the kid has to be on medicine that ruins the enamel, but those cases are few and far between. I'd see what you can do to make it natural, save a version of both and let the mom choose which she prefers!

 

[magkelly]

I'd diplomatically ask the parents, but usually if there's a discolored tooth I fix that. I don't always fix a chipped tooth though. That can be cute done right. But always with kids shots I ask the parents. Most of them will want you to fix that, but you never know. Some parents don't want you to touch so much as a freckle.

 

[Live_free]

Depends on what the photo is for. If it is a portrait for a client I'd imagine the photographer would make it look as clean as possible, but for landscapes etc just blurry stuff etc.

 

[Crashbox]

Hmmm, you'll need diplomacy to spare on this, because the parent is the official word on it. Some will be furious if you so much as contemplate adjusting it.

I've got a lot of chicken in my lineage. I might just assume the parent knows what the kid looks like, do "blanket adjustments" that impact the whole image like white balance, exposure, etc. and then send it. If they want the photo adjusted, it'd be on them to ask me because I would not bring it up. If they want the kid in pearly whites, they were mature enough to have you do the shoot, they'll need to be mature enough to ask about that. In the same vein, I don't feel it would look bad on you to let the pictures go with only generic fixes. You were asked to make the shots, if they wanted the shots to have a prettier kid, they should've brought one!

Modern era, and photog who can use a digital camera is probably conversant in photo-editing, so it's not like they could be too timid to ask about whether it's within your scope. I'd leave it laying and let them make the jump if they're going to. If you subtly offer to make their kid... not so ugly, you run the risk of being the first person to even broach the idea that their little angel looks like death warmed over. Bad place to be, IMO.

 

[snowbear]

 

[Crashbox]

I'm learning that the "popular threads" box on the front page is actually posts that were popular a couple of presidents ago. I'll be leaving now before I accidentally try to join in here.

 

[snowbear]

I'm learning that the "popular threads" box on the front page is actually posts that were popular a couple of presidents ago. I'll be leaving now before I accidentally try to join in here.

It's cool. After a while you learn to look at the dates. I think we've all done it at one time or another.

I tend to use the "New Posts" unless I'm searching for something specific.

 

[john.margetts]

I'm learning that the "popular threads" box on the front page is actually posts that were popular a couple of presidents ago. I'll be leaving now before I accidentally try to join in here.

The issue discussed is still a live issue. If you have something to add to it, add it. Most people here are too new to remember it first time round.