It's not like I have been asked to exchange a girl's face all that often in my eight-year career. And it's not like it is technically impossible or even all that hard. However this particular question reflects the dilemmas clients have to face when the folks upstairs refuse to drop cash for art directors and let the sometimes less focused employees take over that role. While photographers have to make this happen. Misunderstandings, unfair deals on either side and disputes can potentially erupt.
Luckily I've been blessed for the vast majority with people who are friendly, competent, knowledgeable or at the very least communicate well about what they need, when they need it and how they need it. But about when they don't? Or what if your shutterbug is new to his own industry and lacks experience as to how to deal with such a situation?
That sort of situation can start with something as mundane as vocabulary. I can't tell you how many times I've been left with an utter look of confusion on my face when a client uses the word "edit" instead of "retouching". Even an early 21st century newbie like "photoshopping" does the trick. To explain to the debutantes here: "Edit" to your average photographer means to eliminate images within a larger batch of photos. "Retouching" is the task of making the shot look better or different than physically possible at the time of the shoot. This can mean add reflections to the sunglasses you're shooting, removing the scratches from the gold cuff, slimming the model down or making her float in space in a bikini.
Language. It is important that both parties involved speak a language you both understand. I'm not being sarcastic here; I mean you both really need to be speaking a language you both speak. The hardest job I've ever had to execute involved a Brazilian art director (AD) who spoke Portuguese as well as Italian beautifully. Unfortunately my fluent German, French and English were not helping me here. Nor did the few tidbits of Russian that I acquired to direct the occasional fourteen-year-old Russian waif from Vladivostok. The art director's left hand, also the voice of reason, acted as translator whenever the client who brought the AD on board in the first place wasn't available. Mind you that, despite his lack of knowledge of the English language the AD was and still is New York City based. Ironically the client's company name was "Language", which was at the time a successful high-end fashion retailer with a Soho flagship store and their own award winning women's wear line. Nevertheless they were a much missed, great client.
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Sometimes there are situations where words can't express what you see. I don't mean mystical experiences of any sort. Instead you might be staring at your computer screen at your office and look at the results your photographer has submitted. You may find that the coral color on your screen doesn't match the coral of your actual product. And the "plum" looks too brown. You're on the phone with him or her in a heartbeat. The big quest for color starts: "Is it the way my photographer color corrected the image files in post production? Is it my LCD screen? Is it his camera? The light? Or a little bit of everything? "tory burch kateson brigitte cosmetic case gold
I'm afraid to say that in most cases it is the cheap LCD screens most clients have in their offices. Photographers spend considerable amounts of money on sophisticated screens, color calibration units and software to provide accurate color. Don't be fooled, some don't and ignore any responsibility to color match. In fashion, the task is a bit easier: The client can hand over a sheet of fabric swatches for the photographer to compare on her color correct screen. Although if we're talking photos for online retail it might a bit of a lost cause either way as your consumers might have screens even less accurate than yours.