The Before and After of a Portrait
- Taru Chhaya
- Sep 10
- 2 min read
I've been a portrait photographer for over 10 years, but recently I turned the lens on myself.
The goal? To show the “before and after” of a portrait — without using a client’s sacred story.
The Before of a Portrait
No makeup. No hair styling. No edits. Just me.
The photo you see here is:
→ Straight out of camera
→ No filters or edits
→ No makeup or hair styling
→ Just my everyday clothes
My first thought was to list everything “wrong” with it.
Then my family saw it. They loved it.
They saw me.
It reminded me how differently we see ourselves compared to the people who love us.
We notice flaws; they see essence.
This experience reinforced something I’ve always believed:
You don’t need to be “perfect” to be powerful. You just need to be you.
Showing up as you are? That’s more than enough. 🧡
The After of a Portrait
Not to change. But to see more clearly.
This is the edited/retouched version of my portrait.
No big changes — just small, thoughtful ones:
✔ Cleaned up the background
✔ Smoothed a few fabric wrinkles
✔ Balanced contrast and skin tone
Same clothes. Same face. Same moment.
And yet… it feels different.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
Editing isn’t about erasing reality.
It’s about quieting the noise so you can see someone more clearly.
Sometimes a crease, a shadow, or a color cast pulls focus away from what really matters:
their strength, their presence, their story.
A little care in post-processing doesn’t distort who you are.
It brings you into sharper view.
Not to PERFECT. But to HONOR.
This is what I aim for in every portrait session:
Not to change YOU.
But to remind You of YOU — gently, clearly, artfully.
Both images are me.
One raw. One refined.
Neither is “better.”
They simply tell the story from different angles.
What About You?
Have you ever looked at a photo of yourself and only seen what’s “wrong”?
What helped you shift that perspective?
I’d truly love to hear.
- Taru Chhaya
Twin Cities Portrait Photographer
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