Lets get back on topic – my "job" as a photographer, is to make the "subject" (be it a pro model, a newbie model, a bride, a new mum, a exec for an annual report, an actress in a Bollywood movie, an author for a book-cover, whatever - and yes, I've done all that!) look as good as possible. I see that as part of my brief. If I can't do that, then why use me – just go and get your camera phone out and take the pics yourself. A part – a big part – of that job, is 'shoppin' skin.
I take pride in making my subjects (gads, how impersonal!), look as good as I know how. They must love themselves in that picture. But its all about balance. Don't make people look too fake or too plastic – I made a major advancement in my photography once I've learned to make skin look natural while getting rid of the crow's feet, smoker's pleats, dark circles and the zit that insisted on creeping up the night before the shoot.
Its about how well your model feels about herself (and occasionally himself) on that photo – if the model goes "wow, I like that" you get return jobs. If your photo is "au natural" and someone else makes her look good, you are going to wonder why you don't get any repeat business. |
