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Tips for Entry
to find out how to apply.
1. Get an internship in the photography department of a
museum, university, or corporation. Learn the basics
of photographic administration from the ground up.
154 CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN PHOTOGRAPHY
PHOTOGRAPHIC RETOUCHER
CAREER PROFILE CAREER LADDER
Duties: Retouches photographic images by computer and
by hand to improve color and lighting and moves, Senior Retoucher
resizes, or crops images, for magazine, newspaper, and
book publishers, photography studios and photographers,
advertising agencies, production houses, Web sites, and
others; may manage film development and oversee print-
Photographic Retoucher
ing processes; maintains image databases
Alternate Title(s): Imaging Specialist
Salary Range: $30 to $100 per hour
Assistant or Junior Retoucher
Employment Prospects: Good
Advancement Prospects: Fair
Best Geographical Location(s): Atlanta, Boston, Chicago,
Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New
York, Philadelphia, Portland, Seattle, and Washington,
D.C.
Prerequisites:
Education or Training Two- or four-year degree in art,
with coursework in photography, graphic design, paint-
ing, drawing, and printing processes; training in design
software such as Adobe Photoshop and QuarkXPress
required
Experience Several years of experience as an intern in
photography studio, production house, or advertising
agency beneficial
Special Skills and Personality Traits Excellent eye-
hand coordination; knowledgeable about color, lighting,
and composition; fluent in photographic design software
programs; strong verbal and written communication
skills; able to follow directions and make suggestions for
changes; professional; diplomatic; deadline-oriented;
organized
Position Description
all composition of the image. Some independent clients may
Photographic Retouchers improve and enhance photo- even hire Photographic Retouchers to scan damaged photo-
graphic images by hand or with design software such as graphs, fix the problem areas, and create new and improved
Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and QuarkXPress. Publishers, shots for their personal archives.
advertising agencies, photography studios, and others com- Before starting work, Photographic retouchers meet with
mission retouchers to correct color and lighting, crop out clients to discuss how the images will be used, the reasons
shadows and objects, and resize shapes to improve the over- for retouching, and the specific changes that must be made.
PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS AND RELATED JOBS 155
They review the images and discuss all aspects, from color tinue to grow due to intense international and domestic com-
and composition to objects that may need to be deleted, and petition in consumer products and services. More advertise-
what the end results should look like. Photographic Retouch- ments will be needed to meet this increasing demand and
ers scan the images and save the original, untouched versions thus more images will need to be improved and enhanced by
as digital files in their computers. If the clients have only a skilled technicians.
vague idea of the changes they want, Photographic Retouch-
ers offer suggestions and recommendations based on their
Advancement Prospects
experience in the field.
Retouchers who are employed full time can advance to
Many people now have digital cameras and are able to
become senior or lead retouchers within the retouching
retouch images themselves using photographic design soft-
department. They may hire and manage other image spe-
ware on their home computers. There are still many others,
cialists and oversee their work. After years of honing their
however, who prefer to have professional retouchers handle
skills and establishing a reputation in the business for qual-
their personal photographs, particularly those that are extraor-
ity, professional work, Photographic Retouchers can also
dinarily old and require extensive restoration. Depending
advance by starting their own postproduction agencies.
upon the age and condition of the photograph, and the client s
They can write educational articles for trade association and
specifications, Photographic Retouchers may work directly
educational publications, and they can teach at vocational
on the original photograph, using special brushes and paints
institutions and art schools.
to restore tones and colors faded due to years in direct sun-
light or repair cracks, chips, and other damage caused by
decades spent crumpled in an attic. They may also scan the
Education and Training
image to retouch colors, contrasts, and light digitally and cre-
A two-year degree from a technical or vocational school
ate new and improved photographs.
may be sufficient in this field. Some companies may prefer
a bachelor s degree in art, with training in graphic design,
painting and drawing, and photographic design software
Salaries
such as Adobe Photoshop. Retouchers must be fluent in
Freelance Photographic Retouchers usually charge $30 to
color-correction techniques and be able to look at images
$100 per hour, depending upon their years of experience in
and see what can be improved, so courses in color are also
the field and the budgets of their clientele. For complicated
critical.
work or rush jobs requiring evening and weekend hours,
retouchers charge higher hourly rates, as is industry stan-
Experience, Skills, and Personality Traits
dard. Freelance wages will also depend upon the intended
usage of the image. For example, if a top advertising agency Most Photographic Retouchers have prior experience
plans to use the image in multiple ways (i.e., in print publi- either as assistants or apprentices in photography studios
cations, on billboards, on the Internet, in mass direct-mail or postproduction houses. Photographic Retouchers must
campaigns), Photographic Retouchers usually charge more. have an excellent eye for details and be extremely knowl-
The 11th edition of the Graphic Artists Guild s Handbook of edgeable about color and all of the techniques involved in
Pricing & Ethical Guidelines, which provides examples of correcting color. While they may not be directly involved
Photographic Retoucher rates, cites that the national/general in the printing process, they need to have a good idea of
consumer market and Web companies pay more at $65 to how the images and colors will look in print in order to go
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