How Much Does Appearance Really Matter in Photography?

[Photologyst]

While not a portrait photographer, I often take photos of community functions wherein the opportunity presents itself for candid portraits. I find that most people want to see photos of themselves as they imagine they look, perhaps their inner self brought out for the world to see, rather than the harsh reality of the sometimes not flattering digital camera.

Do your clients worry about how they do or will look in photos? Do you provide lighting and props as well as posing and even “costume” suggestions? What about PS processing and actual face and body sculpting; do you offer those? When you do PS process do clients compliment your photo skills and say something like, “You are the only photographer who takes good photos of me”? Does, "I want to look natural," actually mean "I want you to make me look good"?

What about those “character” photos? Do the subjects like them or do they object?

Does appearance matter in your part of the world?

How Much Does Appearance Really Matter?

I find that most people want to look how they think they look.. they want the fantasy, not the reality. Even many who say they do not want anything done to the photos will complain that photos make them look fat. (It ain't the photo that makes you look fat, lady, it is the twinkies!) Maybe not a complete work of fiction.. but most want me to take some artistic liberties. Many clients ask if I can make this or that smaller or bigger in photoshop.

Sometimes I will do it in camera with light and shadow, poses, or "props". Sometimes I will do it in post process. Depends on what needs to be done.

[RichardTaylor]

I only shoot candids of strangers and sometimes very informal portraits (grab shots) of family & friends.

Especially with family I agree with Papa Rotzzi's statement "that most people want to look how they think they look."

My wife often often has a few words to say about the pics I take of her, before I delete them, however once in a blue moon one makes to the light of day. She definately wants to look good.

Sometimes content more than makes up for any not looking great problems.

Example: My wife with her late mum.


My son likes this pic of himself.


Whereas my wife like to look like this. Her skin has been slightly softened during PPing.



This example - taken at a street festival goes the other way.

[AnonymousKiwi1]

I've been known to remove dark circles under eyes, soften wrinkles, reduce double chins and remove blemishes.
No one notices, they just think it's a 'good' photo.
Everyone carries around an image of themselves in their heads, and I doubt this matches up with reality very often.

[nickbedford]

This is something I've thought about. Sometimes I've taken photos of quite attractive people and they can't stand their photo put up on Facebook or the like, but then they'll throw up rough as guts point and shoot + flash photos that make their skin all sickly. It really doesn't make sense.

I had this thought come into my head and I've been thinking of posting it on Twitter or something.

If I publish a photo of you, it's because I think you look good.

Too many people are overly critical of how they look, even when they should know they look hawt.

[Photologyst]

I absolutely agree with everyone that most, if not all people have an inner vision of themselves as to what they look like and who they are. They want photos, portraits, etc. to reflect their “true” self as they see it. Thus, the painter’s or portraitist’s art.

OTOH—It is a fact that the digicam tends to exaggerate shadows, flaws and in general makes people look worse, harsher than they actually do if the photos are not lit and handled properly. An animated face is very different, than a static one.

Thanks for posting those nice pixs, Richard. In the spirit of experimentation, I have taken the liberty of “adjusting” (very quickly) via PS magic the photos of your wife, late mother-in-law and son. I would love for you to show these photos to them and let us know if they prefer the adjusted versions or the more “natural” ones.





BTW, has anyone ever told you that your son looks like a more “robust” version of Julian Assange? (That is a compliment.)

[RichardTaylor]

@Photologyst
Thanks for the editing.

My wife likes like what you have done, even though it may be a little too much.
However she says "while it is ok to make me to look younger, that doesn't apply to some other people!"

+ smile

[Biomech]

I think all photographers should use props and poses to help take the focus away from body parts people aren't keen on. Things like bingo-wings being partially covered, and standing the larger woman in a certain way that is more flattering. However, I would only photoshop unique points if asked (birthmarks, etc)

One side of my face is longer than the other, which gives 2 completely different headshapes from left or right. Consequently, I don't like having pictures done of the one side of my face as it makes my head look rounder and pointy :P

[Photologyst]

Originally Posted by RichardTaylor

@Photologyst
Thanks for the editing.

My wife likes like what you have done, even though it may be a little too much.
However she says "while it is ok to make me to look younger, that doesn't apply to some other people!"

+ smile

Glad that you and your wife liked the edits, Richard. They are of course only suggestions/possibilities. If they are “too much” then you can always cut back. I know that the photo of the mother is a bit over the top at the cheeks, also a bit too rosy. But, it is an experiment. I have known people who love that sort of thing because it is how they remember their loved one, rather than the very old, frail person they had become.

I would be very much interested in what your son thinks of his new and “improved” portrait.

Years ago “formal” portraits were laboriously retouched in the chemical dark-room. Old fashioned photos have plenty of people with seriously smoothed out features.

No one is perfectly symmetrical in their physical features. The issue of asymmetry of face or body tends to be exaggerated as one ages. One can see that with identical twins, who may be indistinguishable in childhood and youth, but grow to look markedly different as they age, due in part to genetics and in part to lifestyle. Making the features more symmetrical does not necessarily make one look “younger” only more balanced, if you will. A distinguishing feature such as a prodigious nose or a particular lip line should only be slightly adjusted, since those are what make the person unique. I generally will not mitigate or remove moles or birth marks unless asked to do so.

I always do at least some of what I call “feature softening” on virtually all photos. This means the harsh shadows and comedones are typically (almost) eliminated, while the character lines of age remain as do the pores. This usually ends up in a very natural look—only better. With such photos, people tend to tell me that I am the “only one” who can take good photos of them.

For others, upon request I will do a partial or “full facelift” and even body job, if that is what they desire. I have one subject, whom I have photographed repeatedly, who still believes that she should look as she did in high school, in spite of the fact that she is retired. She is never satisfied with any photo, no matter how others tell her that she looks good in it. She keeps coming back for more. . .

A sign on my desk says: ”Give people what they want!”

I suppose the bottom line is that looks do, very much matter, even to those who say they do not or should not matter. I have known people who are into “everything natural” yet, they smoke, drink and colour their hair, also get weird, “natural” looking haircuts that cost a fortune to make them look as if they just fell out of bed. Then there are the “organic, all natural,” clothes that look like a potato sack to those of us who are clothes-horses.

As the saying goes: Chacun son goût! lol But, looks do matter! Packaging and appearance are the name of the game for all creatures, particularly people.

[sk66]

I like seeing "attractive", I don't like seeing "unattractive" (but what attractive is varies...interesting can be "attractive")

As for pictures of myself, they almost never stand up to my inflated self image...