Recently, the New York Times re-shot its columnist portraits. It needed to be done. David Brooks can't be an easy guy to photograph (apologies, I love his column). His old portrait seemed to have been shot in a Windows 95 color scheme. I'm pretty sure I recognized him from my 5th grade algebra textbook. Like his cohorts, David has visibly aged, but he's done it well, minus the creepy new stare:

I can't say his colleagues fared as well. It seems the new photographer almost went out of his or her way to bring the titans of the Opinion Page down to a mortal level—you might say imminently mortal. Look at Frank Rich, who seems to have gone from eager uncle to stroke victim:

Bob Herbert and Nicolas Kristof have both been "lumpified." Hey, nothing spoils the serious journalist look like digital retouching and makeup. But closeups aren't for everyone, and there is such a thing as flattering lighting:

Admittedly, a few have changed little. Ross Douthat may well have been photographed on the same day, before and after having the chance to put his "supervillain face" on:

And of course, Paul Krugman hasn't changed his expression since leaving Yale:

Images courtesy of the New York Times, with apologies if you can't take constructive criticism.