A client asks you to remove a noticeable feature from the model’s face
It could be a scar, a birthmark, or another permanent detail that is clearly part of their appearance. The request is direct: remove it.
Technically, it’s easy. But you don’t know whether the model approved that change, whether the feature is part of their recognizable look, or whether the client simply sees it as something that should be “cleaned up.”
What do you do?
A. Remove it exactly as requested. The client made the decision.
B. Soften it, but don’t erase it completely.
C. Ask the client to confirm that the model or agency approved the change.
D. Prepare both versions - one with the feature and one without - and let the client choose.
B. Soften it, but don’t erase it completely.
C. Ask the client to confirm that the model or agency approved the change.
D. Prepare both versions - one with the feature and one without - and let the client choose.
My take
I would choose C - ask the client to confirm that the model or agency approved the change.
For me, there is a difference between correcting something temporary and removing a permanent feature that is part of someone’s appearance.
If the request comes directly from the client, I’m not going to assume that it is wrong. But if the change is significant enough to alter how the person looks, I would want to know that it has actually been approved by the model or agency.
Once that is clear, the technical part is simple.
The important part is making sure that a retouching decision does not quietly become a decision about someone’s identity without the right people being involved.