Bride with a scar?

philwillmedia wrote in post #12478257
Nup...I'd leave it.
I've got burn scars on my face, neck and hands and they are part of who I am.
There is nothing I can do to change that. I don't necessarily like them, but after 28 have learnt to live with them.
If anyone even attempted to edit them out or try to cover them up with any form of pp, they would be told in no uncertain terms that I was not happy about it.
Remove a zit, sure no probs, but if it's a permanent mark like a scar, just removing it out of the photo isn't going change it on the person.

That scar is part of who she is. Process the photo and if she asks you to remove it, then do so. Otherwise you could be in for a conversation you do not want to have. If someone took it upon them self to edit part of who I am I would be offended. It is like you are saying that part of her is unacceptable. Don't touch it unless she asks you to.

bnlearle wrote in post #12479174
Keep in mind that the OP never asked if he should remove it without her permission. Just if he should ASK her about it or deliver the photos as is

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If you keep reading the OP clearly states that he is going to soften it without talking to her about it.

TGrundvig wrote in post #12479332
If you keep reading the OP clearly states that he is going to soften it without talking to her about it.

Softening is not removing and I don't think it would be objectionable.

bnlearle wrote in post #12480255
There's a strong argument that freezing motion causes imperfections to look more apparent than they do in reality where there's fluid movement.

The goal is to make people look like what they look like in real life -- where people aren't frozen. Moles, wrinkles, bags under eyes, or scars can all look much more apparent in stopped motion than in reality. Softening can actually bring back reality.

this

Wow, really a great shot. The scar is not even a feature i would notice unless you pointed it out.

And if she was also in the service, then that scar may represent her Alive Day.

I asked one bride who had a scar on her chin if she wanted me to edit it out. I think I hurt her feelings so I'll never do that again unless she brings it up.

Follow up:

Files were sent to bride with the scar untouched. I received a nice thank you card explaining how happy they are with the photos. So I guess I worried for nothing,

Thanks for all of your input.

Good call, Green Man.

One bride had a scar from a breathing tube. She asked me to remove it. If she hadn't asked, I wouldn't have touched it unless it looked more prominent in the photo than in reality.

My philosophy is that a photo should idealize a person, but it shouldn't change them.

I did my first wedding recently. The bride has great skin and two scars. She mentioned them to me before the wedding. So I asked, "do you want me to make them go away?" She said yes. I don't know what I would have done if she didn't bring it up. I probably would have made them go away.

dcsmith40D wrote in post #12650128
I did my first wedding recently. The bride has great skin and two scars. She mentioned them to me before the wedding. So I asked, "do you want me to make them go away?" She said yes. I don't know what I would have done if she didn't bring it up. I probably would have made them go away.

I always ask, at the engagement session. In fact i make sure to ask if there is anything they want retouched. The girls are not offended at all. My standard line is " im going to be smoothing your skin and enhancing some of your features for the final prints on your album. Is there anything about your appearance that you would like me to take care of. I also assure the girls to not sweat the pimple that might be there on the wedding day as they are always removed for final prints." This breaks the ice in a non judgemental way.

IMHO, this conversation is a must have. Everybride out there knows that what they see in the bridal magazines are retouched shots. None of my clients are offended at all and you would be surprised at how grooms many want little things like this removed as well. If you approach this in the right manner, your client has more trust in what you are going to do for her. Its a conversation i have with all my clients. I usually dont run into these situations at all.

Green Man wrote in post #12478160
Positive, my wife who knows her said it's from a car crash when she was a teen and I have other pics where it's more prominent.

I'll just soften it a hair and call it a day. She'll have the digital files and if she wants me to re-edit I will.

^ this
In closeups where you are doing skin work anyway why not...or as you said, where it is prominent. I wouldn't remove it entirely unless she requested it.

For my own work I do it just like Umphotography described above. I establish at the shoot if they want any obvious skin issues cleared up or not....I pull them aside and ask the question privately.