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Why Face By Face
The Client Has to Recognise Themselves
Portrait retouching has one hard constraint that product work does not: the subject knows what they look like, and so does everyone who will see the picture. Go too far and the compliment you get is that it does not really look like them, which is not a compliment.
So the line we work to is temporary versus permanent. A spot that will be gone in a week comes out. A scar, a freckle pattern, a line someone has earned — those stay unless you tell us otherwise. It is a straightforward rule and it settles most of the decisions before they come up.
The other rule is texture. Almost every portrait that looks obviously retouched has had its skin smoothed until the pores went, and the eye reads that instantly even when it cannot name it. Evening out tone while keeping texture is slower than running a blur, which is why this is priced per image and worked per face rather than batched through a preset.
Shooting children, newborns or maternity? Those have their own pages and their own rates — school and kindergarten, newborn and maternity.
What Is Included
Better, Still Themselves
Skin Smoothing and Blemishes
Spots, acne and temporary marks removed, tone evened out, and the skin left with its own texture. Pores are not a flaw — losing them is what makes a portrait look plastic.
Stray Hair Removal
The flyaways that catch a rim light and read as scratches on screen, cleaned off the face and the background without carving into the hairline itself.
Teeth Whitening
Brightened to a believable shade rather than a pure white. Teeth lit to the same value as the whites of the eyes is the point where a smile stops looking real.
Eye Enhancement
Catchlights cleaned, the iris given back its definition, and red or tired whites calmed — without the oversized-pupil look that dates a portrait instantly.
Under-Eye Reduction
Shadows and bags lightened rather than erased. Removing them completely flattens the face, because the shadow under an eye is also what gives it depth.
Glare and Shine Correction
Hot spots on foreheads, noses and cheekbones brought back down, so a face lit hard in a studio does not read as sweating under the lights.
When To Use It
Worth It On These
Studio portrait sessions
Corporate headshots and team pages
Actor and model headshots
Personal branding and LinkedIn shoots
Family and generational portraits
Graduation and milestone portraits
Editorial and magazine portraits
Dating and profile photography
How It Runs
Session to Gallery in 24 Hours
1
Send the selects
RAW or JPEG. Send your picks rather than the full take — portrait retouching is per image, so culling first is money saved. We also cull if you would rather.
2
Tell us how far to go
Light, natural, or a fuller editorial finish. Send a reference from your own portfolio if you have a house look — matching it is easier than describing it.
3
We retouch each face
Skin, hair, eyes, teeth and shine worked per image rather than by a batch preset, because no two faces need the same amount of anything.
4
Review and revise
Back in 24 to 48 hours. View at 100% and at thumbnail size — retouching that looks right at one and wrong at the other is not finished. Revisions included.
Most sessions delivered in 24 to 48 hours. Rush available on request.
Common Questions
Studio retouching questions
How much does studio portrait retouching cost per image?
Studio retouching is $1.50 per image. That covers skin, stray hair, eyes, teeth, under-eye and shine on a standard portrait. Heavier editorial or compositing work is quoted separately as custom retouching.
Will the retouching look obvious?
Not if texture is kept. The tell in almost every over-retouched portrait is skin smoothed until the pores went. We even out tone while keeping the surface, which takes longer than a blur but survives being viewed at full size.
What gets removed and what stays?
The working rule is temporary versus permanent. Spots, blemishes and stray hairs come out. Scars, freckles and lines someone has earned stay, unless you tell us otherwise for a particular client.
Can you make it lighter or heavier than standard?
Yes. Tell us light, natural or full editorial, and send a reference from your own portfolio if you have a house look. Matching an example is far more reliable than either of us describing it in words.
Do you retouch corporate headshots in bulk?
Yes, and consistency across a team page is the main thing that matters there. Send the whole set together so everyone gets the same treatment rather than the first ten looking different from the last ten.
Do you do body reshaping?
Light contouring is available on request, and it falls under custom retouching rather than the standard $1.50 tier. We do not apply it unless you ask — it is not part of the default treatment.
What about children, newborns or maternity portraits?
Those are separate services at separate rates, because each needs a different approach. School and kindergarten retouching is from $0.90, newborn from $1.00, and maternity from $1.50.
Should I cull before sending?
Yes, if you can — retouching is priced per image, so sending only your selects is the simplest way to keep the bill down. If you would rather not, our culling service handles it from $0.03 an image.
Can I see it on my own photo first?
Yes. Send one portrait and we will retouch it free, with no card required. Check it at 100% and at thumbnail size before you send a session.
Other Retouching Services
Studio portraits are one tier of several. These are the rest.
Get Started
Send Us a Session
Tell us how many portraits and how far you want us to take them, and we'll quote within 24 hours.
Studio Portrait Retouching
Project Details
Tell us how many portraits, and whether you want a light, natural or full editorial finish.