Retouching

Retouching
Industry

The Ethics of Retouching: Where to Draw the Line

Every retoucher eventually faces a request that makes them uncomfortable. A client asks you to make someone look twenty pounds thinner. A brand wants a model’s skin to look literally poreless. A parent asks you to slim down their teenager in a family photo. These aren’t hypotheticals. They’ve all happened to me, and they’ll happen to you. Having a framework for thinking about these decisions before you’re in the moment is essential.

Retouching
Workflow

Before and After: Real Retouching Examples Explained

One of the best ways to learn retouching is studying real before-and-after comparisons — not just seeing the result, but understanding every decision that went into it. Let me walk you through five common retouching scenarios and explain exactly what I did and why. Example 1: Corporate Headshot The brief: Professional but approachable. The client wanted to look polished without looking “retouched.” What I did: Reduced (not removed) under-eye shadows using Curves with a painted mask Cleaned up two small blemishes with the Healing Brush — these were temporary, not permanent features Evened out a red patch on the neck using a Color blend mode layer Added a subtle dodge to the catchlights in both eyes Minor color grade to warm the overall tone What I didn’t do: I left laugh lines, forehead lines, and skin texture completely untouched.

Retouching
Techniques

5 Common Retouching Mistakes That Make Portraits Look Fake

I’ve reviewed thousands of retouched portraits over the years, and the same mistakes keep showing up. Here’s what to watch for — and how to fix each one. 1. Over-Smoothing Skin This is the #1 mistake I see. Beginners blast the entire face with blur, removing every pore and wrinkle. The result looks like a wax figure, not a person. The fix: Work at 100% zoom and use frequency separation or dodge and burn.