Should you have your portrait retouched?

Of course, YES! Having your photos, especially a professional headshot professionally retouched is not only an acceptable practice but you as the consumer should require it.

It’s not taboo, it’s ensuring that your first impression to onlookers is the best it can be.

So, what should you be looking for in a retouch effort?

1) Conceal imperfections in the skin. Some things like moles, freckles, or birth marks that are unique to you should be left untouched or possibly minimized but not removed all together. After all, you still need to represent yourself in a true light. But nicks, small acne scars, acne, and the like should be removed.

2) Smooth skin. Skin should be smoothed to create a consistent color tone removing blotchy areas and reducing wrinkles and creases like crows feet around the eyes and wisdom lines in the forehead. However, depending on your age don’t allow over editing. A 20 year old should look much “smoother” than a 90 year old. Don’t be afraid to let the wisdom that comes with age show.

3) Brighten eyes. The eyes are the window to the soul. They should attract the viewer and draw them in. A professional photographer will make the eyes the sharpest focal point of a head shot so in turn the eyes need to look their best! Pupils should be reduced during the session allowing more of the eye color to show through. This area of the eye should be brightened, sharpened, and really brought to life. Lighting should be used during the shoot to add a “twinkle” to the eye, known as “catch lights”. The amount of editing to the eyes will depend on the final product too, for example, a beauty fashion shot for a magazine will have much cleaner eyes than a corporate headshot.

4) Whiten teeth. Not everyone needs this but if you are a typical adult likely you will need it. Don’t be ashamed, it’s life! Be sure teeth are whitened only slightly, over whitened teeth look fake and fake is not the perception you want to reveal.

5) Minimize eye bags. Those puffy, droopy, wrinkly, dark areas under the eye are normal but horrid. They range from mild to “I’m old, hung over, tired, and sick”. Professional retouching should even color tones and reduce the bags. Again, depending on your age let your wisdom shine, but a reduction is a good thing. Touching up this area helps us to look alive, inviting, alert, approachable, and happy.

SQ Portraits – Photography has mastered the technique of portrait retouching. A recent client did not need any, and likely would have been ecstatic with the straight out of camera portrait. But you can see the before and after what a bit of retouching does to bring the image to life!

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Lavender Fields Forever…

Our newest design…Lavender Fields Forever is being added as a selection to our Easter 2018 Mini Sessions! Don’t miss this beautiful design. This fine art print can be purchased in Classic Canvas, Modern Metal, Mounted Lustre, or Framed up to 30×40 inches in size!

Imagine a wall cluster of Classic Canvas showcasing your child in their precious years.

Visit our main website at SQPortraits.com and read about our 2018 Easter Photo Mini Session!

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Easter Mini Season in Simi Valley!

It’s that time of year to capture adorable faces and memories that will last generations. SQ Portraits – Photography is offering Easter 2018 Mini Photo Sessions for only $249 and giving you back $100 print credit to enjoy our heirloom quality print products in Canvas, Modern Metal, Mounted Prints, and Framed options that will become keepsakes for years to come.

This photography mini-session includes three designs to choose from; 1) Easter Peeps: An adorable scene with Easter eggs and a cute Easter basket, 2) Bunny Love: A beautiful capture with a bunny and little birdie, 3) Spring Easter; A colorful scene with flowers.

We our a fully mobile studio and come to you for these sessions. We will provide you an option to select from all three scenes where your son or daughter becomes a part of the scene, not just propped in front of a backdrop.

Contact us today to book! Enjoy this Easter 2018 Mini Photography Session in Simi Valley and surrounding areas.

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First Impressions…important?

Are first impressions important? We think so! Everyday someone is looking at your social media picture, on your business website “about us” or “staff” page, or pulling your business card from their wallet to potentially give you a call. That first impression can make or break you.

It is proven that images are processed 60,000 time faster than text alone, so for one, we hope all your marketing includes imagery. But what about your online profiles? Of course you have a picture of yourself there and we hope for your sake that it is a good one. Because the human brain processes images so quickly, human nature makes us judge a book by its cover even if we do not intend to. We base certain ideas on the picture of the person we see based on prior interactions with similar people of the past or even based on what we’ve seen of people on the news.

You may not like it, but it’s true, first impressions ARE important.

Don’t let your headshot be your demise, contact us today to get a fresh look for you, your social profile, business cards, and even for the magnet on your car. We provide photography in and around Simi Valley and most of Ventura County. All of our photo headshots are professionally retouched to make you look your best!

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Portraits can have many styles…

When you think of having a portrait done, what do you think of? Corporate Headshot, Model Tear Sheet, Engagement Photos, or something else? Well, portraits don’t have to be boring!

Portraits can be many things, including edgy, hard hitting portraits of athletes, body builders, fitness fanatics, and a lot more.

Check out this recent portrait of a young baseball catcher we captured in an edgy tough style. As a parent, who wouldn’t want to remember their young athlete like this?

What do you think?

When it’s time for school portraits, sports league photos, or other special milestones in your life, think of SQ Portraits – Photography in Simi Valley to capture your special moment to remember for life.

Our heirloom prints will last generations and we specialize in providing large wall decor art! Contact us today to get started for you, your family, or your sports team! If you’re looking for sports action, check our our action division at www.G2PhotoImages.com.

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