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Question - what to do about posting "before"s?
((edit: Solved, I think?! But feel free to weigh in if you still want to, anyone  )) OK, so I'm a photographer who does her own retouching (...or a retoucher who does her own photography, lol, since I've been retouching for much longer than I've been photographing). I've done portraits/glamour shots but so far only of "regular" people, not models. Some are friends who've just participated for fun, some are paying ("make me thinner/younger," they say, and I do). My friends know I'm going to retouch the pictures, and I want them to have nice shots of themselves. I do want to be able to post my before/afters to show my skills, I guess?, but at the same time, sometimes (often/usually) there are unflattering elements in the befores that make me uncomfortable with the idea of showing them. I'm struggling because I don't want to put up anything the subjects wouldn't want public, and at the same time while I am capable of drastically changing an image, I don't necessarily even want them to know HOW drastically I change things sometimes, if that makes any sense? I know that I would personally never want anyone seeing my befores. I'd rather just see a smokin' "after" and be able to go "dang, I look good" and have my confidence boosted and go on about my life never seeing the before. ALL of my "before"s from even the best photographer in the world would probably make me go "oh god, delete that, DELETE THAT, ew look at my stomach" or something, immediately. I definitely wouldn't want them posted anywhere. What do you guys do? Argh. I know I could ask if they mind if I post the before/afters....... but I don't even want to show them the befores to ask, lol  Because like I said, I wouldn't want to even see mine, it'd hurt my confidence a lot probably. The last thing I want to see in a photo of myself is my bad skin and spare tire.  Feb 13 14 02:50 am Link EK Walker wrote: Create a separate retoucher's profile Feb 13 14 03:06 am Link mikell wrote: Oh man, we can have 2 profiles? I'm a n00b haha, wasn't aware that was allowed. Thanks for the reply. Feb 13 14 03:20 am Link If you feel uncomfortable showing your originals or asking others photographers for them, don't do that. In my opinion, 'before-afters' are not necessary. Professionals can see how good or bad your work is without seeing originals. Great retouch is not when difference between 'before' and 'after' is very significant. The thing is a completed image as a result of work of great crew. Hair stylists or make up artists seldom show their works before (at least industry professionals), they prefer to show final image. Think about that  Also you can provide before-afters for request for those clients who want to see it. Feb 13 14 05:06 am Link As mentioned, just keep the "befores" on hand if a client ask, otherwise you don't really need to post them. It's not necessary. Only the end result, the final image is important, where you started doesn't matter in the end. Feb 13 14 05:33 am Link Oh, good!! That's what I've had on my profile - contact me to see befores if you want something retouched - but it seems like EVERY retoucher has mostly before/afters on theirs. If you guys really don't think it's necessary then that makes me feel a lot better x.x Thank you guys. Whew. Feb 13 14 06:13 am Link mikell wrote: EK Walker wrote: You will need to use a different email address for the second account. Feb 13 14 06:17 am Link Also, which hasn't been added, you can always make your 'before' image pre-touched. Then, unsightly things in the before compared to the after wouldn't change. Feb 14 14 07:45 am Link Marin Photography NYC wrote: +1 Feb 14 14 07:58 am Link |
