6 Factors to Consider When Retouching Your Actor Headshots
You just had a great headshot session and now you want to retouch your final images. Retouching can polish a strong headshot. It can also turn one into a caricature.
Your headshot shouldn't portray your wishful thinking. It can show you on a great day, but it has to authentically represent you. The person in the finished image should still look like the person who walks into the room.
Anyone who has used a dating app knows the letdown of meeting someone whose photo looked nothing like them in person. A headshot that oversells you creates the same problem.
1. The Character Type You're Targeting
The level of retouching you want often depends on the type of role you're going for. If you're aiming for characters who read as worn-down or rough around the edges, you might want to keep some of the texture that supports that character read. You still want the image to feel polished, but the retouching shouldn't remove texture that supports the look you're building. If you're going for a polished, upscale business look, you may want the shot cleaned up a bit more.
2. Blemish Removal
Temporary conditions like a pimple, a shaving nick, a bruise, or unusually tired eyes from a bad night's sleep are reasonable candidates for removal. Permanent or characteristic features call for more caution, especially ones that can't be covered easily with makeup. What looks like a flaw to you might be exactly what makes you memorable to someone else.
3. Wrinkles
Wrinkles get their own category because they're what people tend to over-retouch the most. Skin has texture, even the smoothest skin, and it gets more texture as we age. When I see a headshot with plastic-looking, over-retouched skin, I immediately start wondering what the skin actually looks like. In an overly retouched photo, your actual appearance becomes less clear. A character's age range is a basic part of casting, so work with your retoucher to make sure your skin looks realistic to your actual age range.
4. Removing Distractions
When you look at a headshot, what catches your eye first? Is it the person's expression, or is it a wrinkled shirt collar or a stray shiny button in the frame? Elements that unnecessarily pull focus from the face can usually be removed or toned down.
5. Get a Second Opinion
Once you have your retouched images back, get a read from someone who knows how you're being submitted: an agent, manager, acting teacher, or consultant. Friends may respond to whether they like the photograph, but someone familiar with your submissions can evaluate whether it accurately represents the look you're marketing. It helps to remember that your headshot isn't a fashion photo; it needs to be an accurate depiction of your look and your type, not an idealized version of you.
6. Communicate Clearly With Your Retoucher
Before you start, make a list of your specific concerns and walk through them together. Stay open to suggestions on things you hadn't thought about. Unclear expectations upfront can lead to unnecessary revisions, added cost, or both. If you're not sure what to flag, it can help to revisit what your team is looking for from this round of headshots before the retouching conversation even starts.
The finished headshot should still accurately represent the person who walks into the room. Retouching should refine your best qualities, not manufacture a different actor.
More Actor Headshot Advice
As a contributing writer for Backstage, I write about actor headshots and headshot photography. You can learn more about my background and approach, or browse the Actor Headshot Advice Library for more guides on preparing, planning, and choosing actor headshots.
Ready for a Headshot That Actually Looks Like You?
I build every session around the roles you're pursuing and what you want each look to communicate. Retouching should refine the final image, not invent something that wasn't there. Explore my actor headshot portfolio or contact me to book a session in Los Angeles.