The person in front of the camera deserves to recognize themselves in the result.

A photograph is made by one person and lived with by another. It is easy to shoot for the version you find striking and to forget that the subject will carry that image as a claim about how they look. Recognition matters more than flattery here, since an unfamiliar face, however handsome, leaves someone feeling described by a stranger.

Show people the picture before you share it and watch their face rather than only their words. Ask which one feels like them instead of which is best. When they hesitate, believe the hesitation and choose another frame.