Motive Retouching: Professional Headshot Retouching, Actor and Model Photo Retouch and Picture Touch Up Services in Los Angeles that Beat Photographers

[Posted by the Motive Retouching Team] As you know, we at Motive Retouching are professional headshot retouchers (online!). When it comes to your headshots, it’s our job to correct the little mistakes and inconsistencies while maintaining your natural look, all of which adds up to a huge improvement.

But remember, retouching means we bring out the best in the source material. And our job comes at the end of the headshot process. Actors who love their headshots know that everything leading up to the retouching must be done with care in order to ensure the best pictures possible. The better the original, the better the retouched version.

We want you to end up with the best headshots you can, so we’ve compiled a list of tips, tricks, and pointers to make sure you love your pictures (from the perspective of actors, clients, industry workers AND our retouchers):

BEFORE THE SHOOT:

** Rest up. Get sleep! Not just the day before the shoot, but rather, the week before the shoot. The dark circles under your eyes won’t go away in one night. But a few days in a row of solid sleep (target 7-9 hours) can make a difference.

Of course, we’re happy to retouch bags under your eyes, but you’d prefer they didn’t exist at all.

** Calm down. We don’t judge your “recreational habits,” but in the interest of your pictures, it’s best to refrain from drinking, smoking cigarettes (or anything else), or using any kind of substances before your shoot. As retouchers, we promise you that we can tell, so other people can as well.

** Know your type(s). Unknown actors benefit from headshots that put them in easily recognizable stereotypes. Are you trying to portray a high school slacker? A lawyer or business professional? A blue collar worker? An emo kid? How would someone in this group dress? What visuals communicate that these people are who they are? And how can you mimic them?

Keep in mind that you should NOT go overboard. We do not advise you to wear a lab coat because you want to play a doctor. But do know that a doctor is more likely to wear a tie than an “I’m With Stupid” t-shirt.

And having multiple “types” in one shoot can help you fit multiple roles.

** Prepare your outfits. Decide the “looks” you want well in advance. Choose the outfits, including any accessories. Know the makeup you’ll be using. And be sure to dress up in full, including outfits and selected makeup, PRIOR TO YOUR SHOOT.

You want to know how your choices look, what’s great, what’s too much, what’s too little, etc. Do this until you have all your outfits and makeup perfected. This will make you far more comfortable in your outfits, which translates into confidence, which translates into better headshots.

** Focus on the eyes. The eyes may be the most important feature of any person’s face. Make sure the colors of the clothes you choose, and even the backgrounds you choose, all bring out your eyes.

** Create chemistry with your photographer. If you can, have a friend take some pics of you in your outfits and makeup, and send them to your photographer before the shoot to get quick feedback. Same with any ideas and suggestions. But do NOT bombard the photog, and keep all communications brief. The real point here is that the more together you two are, the better the shoot (and headshots) will turn out.

** Call for backup. Hiring a makeup artist and hair stylist could go a long way towards achieving outstanding headshots. As much as we know about our own styles, they know more, especially as it relates to what looks good to a camera (which is usually different than what looks good to the naked eye).

Of course, we know that not all of our starving actor friends can afford luxuries like this, so at least do a little research on makeup before the shoot. Reading this blog is a good start, by the way.

When in doubt, it’s by far better to go with minimal makeup (or none at all) rather than having a non-professional handle it. As retouchers, we can tell you it’s way easier to fix blemishes than it is to fix bad makeup.

** Spare yourself the sun. We can’t tell you how many bad sunburns we’ve had to retouch. Clearly, some color in your complexion is good. But so is moderation. Sun yourself as little as necessary, and use sunscreen liberally even a couple weeks before your shoot.

** Tweeze it, tweak it, etc. You have more hair than what’s on your head.
- Facial hair. Do you want it there or not? Because the lens will pick it up. This goes for both guys AND girls. Be warned that bleaching doesn’t hide things well from the camera, especially when light’s shining on your face.
- Eyebrows. Keep them in check (unless bushy is your look), and remember (especially men): two is better than one.
- Nose hair. The camera sees this, even though regular people likely don’t. We advise trimming it. Just be careful. Also applies to guys AND girls.
- Body hair. If you don’t want it to show, make sure it’s gone. As above, know that bleaching doesn’t hide things well from the camera, especially when light’s shining. Arm hair, leg hair, chest hair, back hair, bikini line: it all counts.

DAY OF THE SHOOT:

** Get a head start. Wake up a few hours before your shoot and get in some light physical activity. A jog, some yoga, anything to clear the cobwebs, get the blood flowing, bring some color to your complexion, and shake off the bags under your eyes that are most apparent right when you wake up.

** Decide on glasses or contacts. If you wear glasses, you know that they leave indents on the sides of your nose. These will show up in your headshots. If you are doing images with and without glasses, try not wearing them until it’s time for your “glasses looks,” and save those looks for last. If you can’t see without glasses, try to have someone give you a ride, use contacts, or wear them sparingly. Some people prefer frames without lenses, which might be a solution for some of you.

Note that contacts do show up in some headshots. While it’s better to use them than it is to squint (we retouch contacts out easily), if you know you don’t need them, leave them out.

** Clear the red eyes. If you have red eyes, or if your eyes are dry, consider using some eye drops meant to remove redness. While it’s an easy fix for us, you always want to look your best.

** Moisturize. Keep your face, lips, and hands moisturized. This makes you look younger and healthier on camera. If you’re afraid of shine, you can blot your skin prior to shooting (and we can retouch shine in an instant). If you have chronic dryness, make sure you’ve been drinking enough water for a few hours, if not a few days.

** Easy on the makeup. It’s worth repeating: it is by far better to go with minimal makeup (or none at all) rather than having too much or having a non-professional handle it. As retouchers, we can tell you it’s way easier to retouch blemishes than it is to retouch bad makeup.

** Keep it neat. Iron or steam your clothes (unless they’re supposed to look wrinkled) and make sure they are presentable and in good condition. No matter how pretty or handsome you are, a stained shirt looks unprofessional in any picture. And even though we’ll retouch it out for you, the photographer may treat you as though you’re less than professional.

** Keep it clean. Go in showered and clean, teeth brushed and flossed, but without excessive perfume or cologne. You and your photographer will be working together for a few hours, and strong smells can become offensive. And on that note, be sure to wear deodorant.

** Pretend you’re taking a long trip Part 1. Be smart about helping yourself out. Bring your own makeup, blotting paper, tissues, lip balm, shaving cream, razor, brush, comb, mirror (very important), water, etc. As mentioned, if you can, bring your own makeup artist and hair stylist.

Sure, most photographers will have some of the basic amenities, but you’d feel smarter bringing your own stuff and being in control of your situation than being the actor who complains about his headshots, the photographer, and everything else because he didn’t handle his business.

** Pretend you’re taking a long trip Part 2. Bring some alternate outfits, accessories, etc. You only can plan so much beforehand, and you never know when a location, background, or mood will strike you and change the game plan.

** Review your outfits. One more look in the morning will give you perspective and confidence in your choices. Also be sure to look at your accessories. Do you really want that earring/charm/bracelet/necklace to show? Remember, it’s a lot easier to take it off before the shoot than it is to have it retouched out (but we can do it fast).

** Show up early. Nothing says “unprofessional” like a late and hurried actor on one of the most important days of his career, the photo shoot. Show up early, and bring a book if need be. As you’re more than likely in LA, leave extra early in case there’s traffic. If you have to wait, you’ll be far less anxious than if you show up late. Photographers don’t have to give you extra time, so showing up late just costs YOU.

AT THE SHOOT:

** Control the background. While you are the focal point of your images, keep in mind that the “busier” the background is, the harder it is to retouch out mistakes, especially on the “outline” or “edge” of your skin and body.

Things to keep in mind are that dark hair disappears on a dark background, light hair can disappear on similar-colored backgrounds, and your clothes can clash with a background.

And try to avoid the “brick wall” or “steel garage door” backgrounds. They’re too busy and overdone.

** Rely on teamwork. BE FLEXIBLE. We can’t stress this enough. You’re an artist. Remember that your photographer is, too. Even if you know all there is to know about photography and headshots, the fact remains that you’re not taking photos of yourself.

We suggest that you work with your photographer, not against him or her. If the photog has an interesting idea (within reason), try it out, and do it with a smile (unless you’re trying for a dour look). Remember that your pictures also affect the photographer’s reputation, so he or she wants the best outcome, just like you.

That said, as we mentioned earlier, offer your suggestions and ideas as well. Ask to take a look at the first few images so you can get a sense of the photog’s vision. Once you both feel you’re on the same page and comfortable with each other, good work is sure to follow.

** Be your own assistant. Not all actors can hire a makeup artist or hair stylist, but many still get great headshots. Check yourself out in the mirror every so often and fix minor problems (stray hairs, for example).

And you can’t go wrong if you follow these basics: you can touch up your makeup, but only slightly. More makeup is generally a bad thing. And unless it’s genuinely part of your look, KEEP HAIRS OUT OF YOUR FACE, away from your eyes, and off your neck. We know the whole “hair in my face” thing sounds cool and feels cool, but trust us: in headshots, it doesn’t look cool. Instead, it looks like you have something to hide. And it leads to regrets and loads of retouching.

** Ask yourself if you’re showing off or off but showing? Make sure the things that are showing are what you WANT showing, and change the things that you don’t want seen. Frequent mistakes we see (and fix) are women having bra straps showing by accident (try strapless bras if need be), outfits that are so tight they pinch up the skin near the armpits (making you look heavy, even though you’re not), jewelry or accessories that clients later want removed, clothes needing their colors changed, etc.

** Get personal. If you want to bring a more personal touch to your headshots, know your qualities. Who are you? How do you interact with the world? How do you get what you want? Do you flirt? Threaten? Disarm people with humor?

Multiple characteristics make up every actor, but in each person, some qualities dominate. Allowing these dominant qualities to show adds a life to the pictures that many headshots lack. Don’t be afraid to bring yourself to the images. And usually, you’ll find these qualities align with the “types” you choose.

** Minimize distractions. This usually means turning cell phones and laptops off. It also could mean not bringing distractions with you (pet, significant other, parent, etc.). The more into your shoot you are, the more confident you’ll come across. And the fewer distractions you have, the happier your photographer will be.

AFTER THE SHOOT:

** Filter your photos. Keep only the best images that show off the “you” that you want others to see. Sure, you can have multiple looks, but don’t keep a picture just for the sake of keeping it. It has to stand out and project the image you want it to project.

If possible, work with your photographer, agent, manager, or others “in the know” to filter your images (friends who say you look great in every photo are nice, but they’re not helpful for this).

** Retouch the RIGHT way. It’s unwise to let your photographer or friends retouch your images. You worked hard to be the best you could for your headshots, so why waste that work (and your money) on unprofessional retouching?

And in many cases, photogs just charge you, then give your images to overpriced photo labs. You can pay your photographer a middle man fee, or you can go to the photo labs yourself and get ripped off by slightly less.

But there’s an easy solution. Let photographers focus on photography, let friends focus on being friends, let photo labs rip off the suckers, and let retouchers handle the retouching.

Professional headshot retouchers like Motive Retouching, for example.

If you follow these steps, you’re sure to have an outstanding shoot and pictures you’ll show off with pride. Once again, the better the original image, the better the retouched version.

And when you’re ready to get retouching so your headshots look their absolute best, visit us at Motive Retouching.