In my opinion, there are few things more beautiful than a brand new baby or a momma-to-be. Infant photography and pregnancy photography are great ways to document the small details that years, maybe even months, 
down the road, you would otherwise start to forget. The sweet swirls of hair on baby’s head or the roundness of your belly will be preserved in beautiful, keepsake portraits.
But, when they hire a professional for infant photography or pregnancy photography so that they can document those special little details, sometimes there are other things clients would rather not capture in their portraits, and this is where image retouching comes in.
While some might say it’s ‘wrong’ to retouch an image of a newborn because any flaw, no matter how big or small, is just how they looked at that particular moment, I’m more of the opinion that the choice is entirely your own. With the help of some special tools, I’m able to smooth away imperfections and can even highlight or enhance the appearance of other aspects of the images, such as colours and lighting, if my clients wish that I do so.
Depending on what it is that’s being retouched, this process takes several hours and a great deal of Photoshop skill and experience.
Retouching Infant Photography
While every parent thinks their children are beautiful just as they are, babies are sometimes born with temporary conditions or small ‘imperfections’ that some feel distract from the rest of the child’s appearance. The yellow hue that jaundice casts on babies’ skin, for instance, may not be something a parent wishes to preserve with their infant photography. This, along with red and/or flaky skin, diaper rash and scratches can be removed, upon the parents’ request.
Many of my clients choose to leave the lanugo, or the soft baby fuzz that can cover large portions of a newborn baby’s body, because it’s one of those little details that reminds them of just how ‘new’ their baby was at the time of their infant photography. With that being said, lanugo is another thing I’m happy to retouch when parents prefer that it not be visible in their babies’ portraits.
When babies are born with stork bites and Mongolian spots, both conditions involving skin pigment, parents often ask that I retouch the images to even out the skin tone. Because these marks typically fade on their own, within a few years, and can mask some of baby’s other features, some parents rather they not be present in the portraits.
Sometimes, with infant photography, parents ask that I retouch some aspect of their children’s images that are a little more challenging, such as when I rebuilt a baby’s leg in Photoshop to remove a surgical sac that the parents didn’t want in the images. Whatever the concern or request when it comes to retouching, I’m happy to accommodate my clients as best as I can.
Retouching Pregnancy Photography
Like portraits of infants, pregnancy photography can also be retouched or enhanced in ways that will ensure you’re totally satisfied with your portraits. I often get requests for skin softening, removing or softening wrinkles, retouching make-up and brightening the skin under the eyes–yes, dark circles from a lack of sleep are pretty common before baby is born, too! While some women consider their stretch marks and linea nigra as proof of their journey into motherhood, others are less enthused by their appearance and ask that they be removed from their photos.
Years from now, I want my clients to look at their pregnancy photography and to be amazed by just how beautiful they looked during that time in their lives. I don’t want their images to make them feel self-conscious because they looked tired or their make-up had unknowingly smudged, and so I welcome my clients to ask questions and voice their concerns with regards to this aspect of pregnancy photography.
Once we’ve discussed what it is that you would like to mask or highlight, I’m happy to provide before and after shots so that you can see what it is that I’ve done in the way of retouching. With a good understanding of the ins and outs of Photoshop, it really is amazing what one can do to enhance photographs.
If you have a question about retouching or would like to book a photography session at my studio, please call me at 905.449.2200.
