Continuing on these thoughts, it’s important to note what is the age and sex of the subject, the purpose of the headshot so you know what’s at stake.
Chat to know their sensitivities. For example, to birthmarks, lines and wrinkles. Some are offended if a birthmark is removed, while others may expect it, but for an industry headshot to get selected for a production, birthmarks can’t be hidden.
Work in layers. That allows you to come back and ease the contribution each correction layer has to the final result.
I tend to decrease lines and wrinkles by having a close giant diameter light and by “frequency separation” in post processing.
With the latter, I need to return to the work the next day and decrease the “correction” by as much as possible. Sometimes 15% of the original correction is sufficient. The person gets a subtle flattering benefit, but you haven’t departed from “the truth” that the casting director will see it for a dating service a potential partner might be disappointed by.
For most folk, a light to the left or right of the camera, above and to one side of the subject angled down so that it seems like sunshine provides “Rembrandt Shadows” at an angle below the nose and on the opposite side of the face and below the chin.
Look up “Rembrandt lighting” to see that.
I also recommend “Portrait Professional”, either to use as a standalone program or as a filter plugin when using photoshop
Or Lightroom or I believe other programs like ON1.
That allows for relighting the face so even if you took the picture in suboptimal light, you can greatly improve by putting light so the cheek bones and jar etc fit what you would like.
Celebrate the truth in each face and actual post by lighting. A hair light above and behind at an upwards or down oblique angle will add dimension. A backlight from below and behind the subject lighting the subjects very edges, will define him or her beautifully against your background.
Try not to go overboard with actual structural changes as to shape of features otherwise there will become complaints by the-end recipient as too much foolishness will be a major source of your client’s immediate ridicule and rejection.
Backfire the shoot ask to get a series of snaps shots from different angles by the mirror. Study the features and look out for what you need to emphasize and what you need to suppress. What angle should the chin be. Is there wrinkled sagging neck skin or is the jaw bone seemingly split at the chin. Don’t over emphasize such potential “ridges or hills” with side or oblique lighting!
Asher
