Young people, especially in their teens, want to look older. Then as people get older, they want to look younger.
F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1922 published The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, a story about a man who ages in reverse. When he’s born, Benjamin Button looks like an old man and, as he ages, he gets younger and younger. At death, he is a baby. A 2008 movie starring Brad Pitt was loosely based on this Fitzgerald short story.
For better or worse, time only moves in one direction. As you get older, any return to youth is, at best, only temporary and superficial.
Retouching as the fountain of youth?
Good retouching can minimize wrinkles, reduce dark circles under the eyes and improve your appearance while keeping you looking your age. You can look good without looking young.
When I started in digital retouching, I used to retouch every line and wrinkle in a person’s portrait. I thought it was great that they looked much younger. But a publicist once told me that, although her client (mid-50s) wanted to look 20 years younger with perfect skin, perfect teeth and perfect eyes, (which I delivered), the retouching was far too much.
I also retouched a 50-ish Toronto luxury car sales manager’s business headshot so he looked much younger. I was proud of my retouching skills. But he told me he couldn’t afford to look that young. His customers were mostly in their 40s, 50s and 60s and he was worried that looking 20 years younger might scare them away. He said potential customers would think that a too-young salesperson wouldn’t have the necessary experience to sell expensive luxury cars.
Looking too young for your age can affect how people view your job competence. If you look too young then the perception is that you don’t have enough experience, you’re not knowledgeable and you can’t make decisions.
Youth is not an accomplishment. Experience is. We associate wisdom with age.
Since then, I’ve toned down my retouching so that faces look realistic and plausible. This means that a 50-year-old person can look good but they should still look 50-ish.
Look good not young
I’ve learned that when a person says they want to look 20 years younger in their business portrait, what they really mean is that they want to look their best. This is achieved through good photography techniques and good retouching skills.
Portrait retouching shouldn’t be about turning back the clock so that it looks like you’re getting younger as time goes on. You’re not Benjamin Button. Portrait retouching isn’t about looking young, it’s about looking good.
Many people think photo retouching is only a vain attempt to look younger. But there is a real business reason for retouching a business headshot so that you look your best. A properly produced business portrait will attract customers by creating a feeling of trust:
Look good with nice skin and eyes => you look healthy.
Nicely groomed => you appear competent.
Healthy + competent => more attractive
Attractive => approachable => friendly
Friendly => trustworthy
Good retouching will improve your portrait but it shouldn’t make you look younger. Instead it should make you look your best.
