Is the Background Used in Your Corporate Portrait Perfect White?

Difference between a off white and a perfect white background

It is often hard to tell if the background of a photo is entirely white. It only becomes apparent when using the image alongside something else that is whiter, for example, in a predominantly white brochure highlighting presenters for an event or using a headshot in a website.

Example of an image with a perfect white background

You cannot achieve an entirely white background by merely standing in front of a white wall or paper during a photo session. The photographer will need to use multiple studio lights to light the subject and the background separately. The lights' intensity can be adjusted independently, allowing the photographer to achieve an entirely white background. Alternatively, the person involved could be clipped from the image in post and place into a wholly white background digitally.

Image with a perfect white background

A perfect white background isn't required all the time, however. There are times when you want the image background to be off white instead.

Example of an image with the background adjusted to be off white delibrately

In the photo above, we had edited the photo's background to be off white to stand out from the whiter book cover.

Massive Corporate Group Photo Enhanced with Retouching

Massive Corporate Group Photo taken for UBS at The Promontory at Marina Bay, Singapore to celebrate it's 50th anniversary in Asia

Creating great landscape photos require patience as photographers may have to return to the same spot over extended periods waiting for the right moment. They pay close attention to the cloud formation, weather, contrast, direction of shadow and many other things. It is not practical to take the same approach when doing massive corporate group photos since there are many people involved and it's unlikely that you can get everyone to agree to take a photo at the same spot till you get the perfect shot. In such a situation, the retoucher can use retouching to enhance the image.

We took the following image from an aerial work platform for UBS at The Promontory at Marina Bay, Singapore to celebrate its 50th anniversary in Asia:

Original image taken with gloomy sky and patchy grass

As you can see, several issues needed rectifying. Some of which include the lighting, sky, patchy grass, random people in the background and dustbins. These are mostly out of the photographer's control. Nevertheless, the photographer/retoucher can correct it with retouching. Do note that this is a time-intensive task. Every effort should be made by all involved to make adjustments at the scene to reduce the amount of work in post.

Retouching to Compliment Makeup for Business Portraits and Marketing Material

Retouched image to show case makeup

A makeup artist can use makeup to cover skin imperfections before photoshoots. When that isn't enough, the photographer can consider retouching to improve the images further.

An image that shows the before after of a model with both make up and retouching work done

For photography involving people (e.g. business portraits), basic retouching would usually include removing blemishes, lightening eye bags, and whitening teeth. Extensive retouching may reduce double chin, body slimming, eliminating stray hairs, adjusting clothes, and even cleaning up the surrounding area.