Enclosed is an un-retouched photo I took this past weekend. I read this forum often and we have discussed many degrees of retouching depending on the application. My approach would be to make the Bride look good...remove any blimish, slightly whiten the teeth, brighten the eyes, remove any lines and darkness under the eyes. For the father, however, I don't know how far to go. Would you leave or remove the wrinkles? How far would you go with a man? If it were the mother would you remove the wrinkles or let them be? I'm leaning toward making the women look great and leave the men looking old, tired, and stressed.

did the same steps as I did here.
http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/photo-retouching/17587-photo-retouch-daughter.html
I started by toning down the highlights and then my edits added some back.

PS Studio Lighting Tut
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1006&message=23345725

Selective Color gives you the dark/light selections and Gaussian blur blends them.
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1006&message=23354105

the thing about wedding retouching is to set all colours perfect...the agelines should be kept or some slighley retouching...don't make the face too smooth...and the trap also is to retouch more on the women since they have makeup on and then the difference bewteen male and female get's to noticeable...

I don't shoot weddings. I wasn't the hired photographer for this one. I just shot as a family member. Any other guidelines with regards to weddings vs other types of shooting?

never remove wrinkles unless asked to do so, some people wear them as a badge of honour. That goes for both men and women. Although some of the wrinkles on this photo are due to squinting, so that may be a justification for their softening. Just remember for a wedding the bride might want her father to look as he really did and not retouched.

Well, I did not remove the wrinkles, but I softened them. It seems that because they were squinting the wrinkles were more obvious than they normally would be. Also lightened the veil shirt and teeth.

I agree, never remove wrinkles unless asked.

the thing about wedding retouching is to set all colours perfect...the agelines should be kept or some slighley retouching...don't make the face too smooth...and the trap also is to retouch more on the women since they have makeup on and then the difference bewteen male and female get's to noticeable...


I had a photo of a male and female couple and I retouch them both the same way. Thanks for the pointer I will redo it again to fix it.

I still need some general guidelines when it comes to the retouching of men...take the three in this picture..would you remove the shadows under the eyes? Lighten the eyes? Soften the wrinkles or let them be?

Skydog
In my opion this a candid shoot and I wouldn't change too much, maybe the one mans cheek.

Quite often, men prefer not to be retouched. I think it is kind of like wearing makeup. Women use make up to enhance the best features, and reduce signs of aging, whereas men often are considered to be more distinguished as they age. Most men would not even consider wearing make up, and also prefer not to be retouched. I wouldn't retouch them unless they are ok with it, and even then, keep it very subtle.

I also thinks that Sanda's comments were right on the mark.

How about something subtle?

I thought we were retouching in such a way that it isn't noticable, unless comparing side by side. However, the retouching for a wedding could be decribed as a fresher looks, such as removing tired eyes, or rather the bags and dark area under the eyes, for men. Wrinkles, I would agree to just soften, but try to make the sitter/subject look like the have just come back from a week holiday (no not from a Rave Party Island trip!! :-) ) but from a relaxed trip.
I think men, in particular 30-40 years old, are more into their looks today then they were 10-20 years ago, ohh that would make it almost a generation ago. Obviously nationality and socialeco dependent as well. So in those cases I would give them a bit extra, but still following the above - fresh look.

Women, you can do a little more, still keep it real for the age. Don't make nanna look like her greatgrand daughter.

so to sum it up - keep people looking fresh and relaxed

Henrik

On the occasion that I am retouching a man - I whiten the teeth a little, brighten the eye color if applicable, and just even the skin tone a touch (get rid of some splotches or pimples). It depends on the situation and what is appropriate. In general, I think most men are okay with not being retouched, but if it is only done minimally, they are generally happy with the results. Overall, I think if the photo is for a woman, she will be more likely to want the man retouched than he would be. I don't mean to sound sexist, it's just what I have found personally.

what about hairy arms and legs? sometimes, when you have to retouch a photo for a magazine you're given a photo of a man and you're told to make him look perfect. i am really puzzled looking at his stubble and hairy arms and legs. i need to retouch the skin underneath but i don't know what to do with the hair. removing it would make him look like a woman, though...

any opinions?