The facts. Based on some requests for photos I've had within the last few months, I had to look into what the proper level of retouching is for an actor's headshot. Obviously you want to stay artistic and creative, but you also must stay true to life. For these type of shots that casting directors are going to be counting on, there can be no photoshoppery of eye color, permanent blemishes, etc.
The following are some notes of mine that I use as guidelines for shooting actors and actresses.
Remember, you are not shooting glamour models. You are shooting human beings that have to look like human beings. Your job is to express the deepest personality of these actors.
Specifically when dealing with teen actors and young adults, there will be blemishes to remove. Any hot spots, scabs, pimples, etc. should be removed digitally if you aren't able to cover them up with make-up during the shoot. All these blemishes are temporary and any casting director would notice in an audition that these would be disguisable during a live shoot. Anything that can be hidden with make-up, whether real or applied in Photoshop, should be removed.
However, any blemishes, such as scars or growths that can not be veiled by physical make up will have to stay on a person's face. For instance, a mole. Although you should generally try to minimize the appearance, it is your job to create a realistic impression of this person's facial features. Moles that are large enough that they cannot be covered should be left unaltered in post. The last thing a casting director wants is to see a wonderful shot of an actor or actress just to find out at their audition that this person has a large blemish in the middle of his/her face. Be nice to the casting directors.
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