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Corrective measures for portraits

Remedies that work

A portrait should generally show the subject favorably. But not everyone is as beautiful as a model, so they rely on the photographer to downplay their flaws and emphasize their more attractive features.

PORTRAITS SHOULD SHOW SUBJECTS AT THEIR BEST

Since the objective in portrait photography is usually to show the subject favorably, in a flattering manner, it is important to know how to correct for facial flaws and adjust for individual characteristics so the person will look his or her best. Choice of camera angle and camera height can result in major improvements for certain facial types and can help to conceal unattractive physical characteristics.

For corrective pointers that apply to the body, see our section entitled "Posing to enhance the figure." It contains valuable pointers for showing the female body at its best. Many of the tips apply equally to the male body as well.

CORRECTIVE TECHNIQUES

Corrective portrait techniques that you can employ with all persons - male and female, adults or children - are listed below.

Some of these are already included in our section entitled "Overcoming imperfections," which provides tips on corrections specifically applicable to the female subject.

Note: The following corrective measures are based on posing techniques, changes in camera angle, lighting, apparel changes and other circumstances and actions at the time of photography. Techniques that involve digital editing, darkroom work and photo manipulation on a computer are not included here. These techniques also do not include make-up as a means of concealing flaws, however make-up can be very effective in improving someone's appearance for a portrait. See our section entitled "Make-up for photography."

THE HEAD

Large head - A low camera angle will make the head seem proportionately smaller.
Small head - Use a high camera angle and a normal lens to correct for better proportion.
Baldness - De-emphasize by using a low camera angle. Select a background of similar tones and lighting that shows little separation, but instead "blends" with the head. In the studio, do not use a hair light. Outdoors, avoid highlights that shine off the head. Use shadow to darken the area above the brow. Consider having your subject wear a hat, particularly if they are known to frequently wear one. (Note that some men consider being bald to be attractive and to define their look, so they may not wish you to de-emphasize it.)
Broad forehead - Use a low camera angle or have the subject lift the chin to make the forehead appear narrower. Sometimes a hairdresser can employ a style that covers a broad forehead.
Narrow forehead - A high camera angle will make the forehead appear wider.
High forehead - A low camera angle will make the high forehead less noticeable.
Bulging forehead - Avoid three-quarter poses. Shoot the face straight on with frontal illumination that casts no shadow from the area that bulges.
Ears that stick out - Shoot a three-quarter view so that only one ear is seen. Illumination should be brighter on the far side of the face (known as "short lighting") so that the visible ear is in some shadow. Use a background that matches the brightness of the light falling on the ear so that it is less prominent.
Large ears - Same as ears that stick out (above).
Small ears - Shoot a three-quarter view so that only one ear is seen. Illumination should be brighter on the far side of the face so that the visible ear is in some shadow.

When the subject's cheeks are puffy, shoot her straight on. She could otherwise appear to be overweight, which is often not the case.

A fairly-thin face with high cheeks benefits from side lighting. A long, slim neck is emphasized by a low camera angle.

FACE

Plump, round face - Have the subject turn away from the camera for a three-quarter view. Lighting should be brighter on the far side of the face.
Thin face - Have the subject directly face the camera with the main illumination coming from the side or a three-quarter angle. Low positioning of the light source can also be helpful. You can also have the subject turn slightly away from the camera so that the side of the face appears to de-emphasize its thinness.
Square face - Employ a high camera angle. Have your subject turn his or her head for a three-quarter view. Or, use strong side-lighting to increase the effect of three-dimensionality.
Oval face - A moderately oval shape is generally not considered a facial flaw, but is usually attractive. However if the forehead and chin are particularly narrow, have the subject directly face the camera with low illumination that comes from the side or a three-quarter angle. If only the chin is proportionately too narrow, use a low camera angle.
High cheeks - Employ low front or side lighting.
Wide cheeks - Use a three-quarter pose.
Puffy cheeks - The degree of puffiness will determine the proper corrective measure. For prominent cheeks that puff out considerably, avoid the three-quarter pose. Shoot the face straight on from the front. However, use the three-quarter pose for slightly puffy cheeks that are mainly apparent in a full frontal view.
Blemishes and scars - Illuminate the face so that blemishes are in shadow. Have the subject turn a bad side away from the lens in a three-quarter pose. Pock marks should have flat frontal lighting to avoid the crater look caused by shadows from side-lighting. Some scars are reflective and look shiny unless the light is diffused or angled to avoid reflection. Scars on an upper lip or the top of the brow or the nose can be de-emphasized by a low camera angle, while scars on the undersides of the face can be concealed by a high camera angle, and sometimes by having the subject rest his or her chin on a hand or on intertwined fingers to cover the scar or create a shadow that conceals it. Bear in mind that some scars, especially prominent ones, may define a person's look, and measures should not be taken to conceal them. However, your subject may appreciate having a choice if you shoot both kinds of portraits, with the scar de-emphasized and with the scar appearing as a normal facial feature.

EYES

Close together - Pose the subject in a three-quarter position.
Too far apart - Use a three-quarter pose, or have the subject tilt his or her head at an angle.
Small eyes - Use a three-quarter pose. Select a high camera angle that causes the subject's eyes to appear more widely open. Use lighting that places the eyes in bright shadow. As an alternative to shooting from a high camera angle, ask the subject to lower his or her chin slightly, and to look straight at the lens or just above it.
Eyes that protrude - Have the subject partially close his or her eyelids - only slightly, though, so a natural look is maintained. Use a three-quarter pose.
Deep-set - Light deep-set eyes so there is no shadow on them. Use a low camera angle.
Eyes not level - Tilt the subject's head to one side so the unevenness of the eyes is less apparent. Alternately, have the subject slightly raise the eyebrow above the higher eye.
Bags beneath the eyes - Use front-lighting. Avoid side-lighting or lighting that is angled to the face and will cause shadows that emphasize the bags.
Defects - For cross-eyes or a defect in an eye, use a three-quarter pose, with the problem eye turned away from the lens and shadowed. Main illumination should be on the side of the better eye.
Eyeglasses - Reflection from the lenses can be a problem with eyeglass wearers.

The most effective and preferred method to avoid this unwanted glare is to have the subject obtain eyeglass frames that have no lenses in them. Usually the subject's eye doctor or optometrist will happily loan empty frames for a portrait session.

If you must photograph someone wearing normal eyeglasses, make sure the lenses (and frames) are spotlessly clean. Lighting should be high and angled. Diffuse the lighting to avoid glare. The stems of the glasses can be raised slightly from their normal position above the ears to angle the lenses downward.

If you have taken all the measures you can to reduce glare but you still see reflections in the eyeglasses, look behind you. There may be lights on back there that you can shut off, or an area of brightness that you can eliminate, so that incidental illumination that's not needed for the portrait doesn't become an unwanted reflection. You should also check whether your own clothing may be causing unwanted reflections. If you are wearing a white shirt or blouse, that can be the problem. Replace it with a darker clothing item or drape a black cloth around you.

Another eyeglasses problem that may occur when the outer side of one lens either lines up with the cheekline or extends beyond it can be avoided by not using a three-quarter pose. You will have to judge whether this is in fact a problem when it occurs. Often, it can look quite normal.

When you have tried everything and can't seem to get the portrait you want because of an eyeglasses problem, ask your subject to remove them and hold them so they appear in the picture. But, be prepared for an objection. Some people feel their eyeglasses are as much a part of their appearance as their nose is, and want to be shown wearing them.

A final note about eyeglasses - watch for unsightly shadows on the subject's face from the frames, and be ready to reposition your lighting to eliminate facial shadows.

Sleepy look - Eyelids that tend to droop over part of the eye can be made to appear more open by choosing a high camera angle or by having the subject slightly lower his or her chin. This "forces" the subject to raise them.
Bloodshot eyes - Use a three-quarter pose. Use lighting that places the eyes in shadow.
Contact lenses - Use frontal lighting. Avoid angled lighting that can catch the edges of contact lenses, making them visible or reflecting light back into the eye.

Unwanted reflections from eyeglasses can be easily eliminated by removing the lenses from the eyeglasses.

Avoid broad smiles if your subject's teeth will detract from the portrait.

NOSE

Wide nose - Pose in a three-quarter view. Split lighting is very useful in making a wide nose look narrower.
Long nose - Use a low camera angle with side or three-quarter lighting. Have the subject tilt up his or her chin.
Short nose - Front light the face and shoot from a high camera angle.
Turned-up - When the nostrils are too prominent, shoot from a high camera angle or have the subject tilt the head slightly forward.
Flaring nostrils - Use a high camera angle. Illuminate from a high light source.
Hooked - Avoid the three-quarter pose or profile. Shoot a full frontal view of the face using a low camera angle and front lighting.
Curved - Have the subject slowly turn his or head to the side to which the nose is curved. Watch for the moment when the ridge of the nose looks straight, and ask the subject to hold that pose.
Bent or crooked - Shoot a three-quarter pose with frontal lighting to avoid a crooked shadow.
Bump on the nose - Straight-on camera angle with frontal lighting from a high angle.

MOUTH

Narrow - Sidelight from above so a shadow will be created on the side of the mouth. Use a low camera angle.
Wide - Use a three-quarter pose.
Crooked - Use a three-quarter pose
Lower lip that sticks out - Illuminate from below to minimize shadow beneath the lips. Shoot the front of the face, avoiding three-quarter poses.
Thin lips - Light from above to create a shadow beneath the lower lip.
Bad teeth - Avoid broad smiles. If you wish to have the subject smile, have him or her do so without opening the mouth.
Buck teeth - Avoid three-quarter poses. Shoot from the front. Subject's mouth should be kept closed or only slightly opened.
Braces - Teenagers may be particularly sensitive about their smile if their braces can be seen. Treat them in the same manner as for bad teeth, above. However, braces that are clearly shown can also signify a stage in a person's life that they may wish to remember through a portrait. One or two exposures with a lovely smile that reveals the braces will give your subject a choice. You may be surprised when they choose the image showing their braces.

CHIN

Long - Use a high camera angle. Avoid three-quarter poses.
Small - Use a low camera angle and shoot from the front.
Wide chin - Use a three-quarter pose.
Receding chin - Use a low camera angle.
Double chin - Ask the subject to look straight at the lens and to either lean forward or to stick out his or her jaw. Light to place the chin in shadow. Viewer Robert Rawson recommends a slightly-higher camera angle while asking the model to look up, stretching the neck slightly, "thus erradicating the double chin." You can also ask the subject to place his or her hands together in front of the chin (For an example, see the first picture at the top of this page, by the headline.).

NECK

Short neck - Shoot from a low camera angle.
Long neck - A long neck is often quite attractive, particularly in women. However, an overly long neck can be concealed by shooting from a high camera angle and placing the neck in shadow.
Prominent Adam's apple - Full frontal shot with lighting from the front to avoid casting a shadow. Or, shoot from a high angle so that the subject's neck is blocked by his chin. Or, simply wear a turtleneck or some other article of clothing that covers it.

WHAT ABOUT POSTURE?

Check out Portraits & posture for some great hints on further improving your subject's appearance in your portraits.

A quick-fix for a prominent adam's apple is to have your subject put on a turtle neck sweater.