When It Comes to Headshots, Don’t Forget to Airbrush

At Sparksight, we get a lot of requests to shoot professional headshots for our clients. Whether they want to update their staff bio page, improve their social networking profile pic, or lock down another acting gig with a new look, a good-looking headshot is guaranteed to turn some heads.

You can see a sample of what I did with our staff bio page here.

What astounds me though, is how many people opt for professional photography, but pass on the post-production and airbrushing. I equate it to working out all Spring to obtain that killer six-pack only to get to the beach and never take your shirt off.

If you’re going to invest the money on great photos, be sure to budget for the whole package. The editing and airbrushing we offer is guaranteed to take your headshot to the next level. Let me prove it to you.

When a client requests to forego airbrushing, I’ll typically clean up the edges, the background, and adjust the composition before delivery. I consider this a basic touchup.

While this may look like an ok picture, we can take it to a completely different level. First, I like to adjust the contrast, saturation and then airbrush the skin to smooth out any wrinkles and soften the complexion.

Once my foundational touchups are complete, I’ll transition into the Dodge and Burn phase. This is where I choose which highlights to enhance and which shadows to embellish. I can transform and contour the skin to showcase the best qualities of the face. I’ll also finish with some last minute color adjustments to the eyes, hair and skin.

Once complete, I export the final image for the client to review. You can see the stark difference from the basic touchup to the more thorough and complete airbrushing.

It’s important to note that every client is different and while this is a stylistic interpretation, every effect can be adjusted to meet our clients’ aesthetics.

If you’re still not convinced, here you can see some more side-by-side comparisons.

You owe it yourself to look your best. When you decide to pull the trigger on some fantastic new headshots, don’t forget to airbrush.