In the world of photography and digital imagery, retouching plays a pivotal role in enhancing the final output. It is the process of refining and perfecting an image in photoshop or similar programs. Retouching is the unsung hero of a final image and when done well, it blends into the original photo seamlessly. However, not all retouching is created equal. Let’s explore the differences between basic and high-end retouching techniques and the nuances that set them apart.
Basic Retouching
Basic retouching involves essential adjustments to improve the overall appearance of an image. It is often a simple, one-step process. For example:
Color Correction: Adjusting color balance, contrast, vibrance or saturation.
Exposure adjustments: This is the overall brightness of your image including shadows, highlights, black and whites. If you shot an image that was accidentally overexposed, or too bright, you would make these kinds of adjustments to even the lighting for a more pleasing final product.
Cleaning: Photoshop tools like, spot heal, remove, content-aware fill and similar approaches are common when cleaning an image. This is the most common basic retouching technique.
Say you shot a product and were unable to clean debris or dust off the surface or perhaps you didn’t even realize it. A retoucher could quickly clean up dust and debris the naked eye misses. Retouchers also use this technique for minor skin clean up, hair fly aways or lint removal from clothing.
Composition: Adjusting the crop of an image or creating multiple crops from one image. This also includes expanding an image slightly when needed. Perhaps you shot the product centered on a white table but you realize later you, or your client needs a wide-horizontal shot with a lot of white space. A basic retouching technique allows you to get another version of the same image expanded with the same content recreated. Note this is only simple if you are not trying to re-create a complex scene that requires compositing elements that don’t exist in the image.
When in doubt, you probably only require basic retouching if your image is 80-90% complete. This means all the elements you want in the final image are already present and in the correct location. If you have a model, they do not require major facial or body adjustments, only natural, surface-level tweaking. Nothing new needs to be created from nothing.
High-End Retouching
High-end retouching goes beyond simple adjustments – it encompasses meticulous, advanced techniques and an unwavering focus on intricate details. It has the power to transform your image into a clean, polished final product. Check out our brief case study to visually see the difference. Here are a few techniques to help you determine if high-end retouching is needed.
Color changing: This is exactly as it sounds. Not all colors are created equal. Some colors like teal can be especially tricky to capture accurately no matter how well the image has been color-balanced and you require some extra localized treatment to a teal or other product. Additionally, you may have multiple colorways of the same product. Instead of shooting them all you can use one or 2 images already shot and hire a retoucher to create them in all of your colorways.
Background removal: This includes various selection techniques depending on the product, like pen tool, quick select, magic wand, object select and so on.
Frequency separation: This technique separates the image into two layers – one for texture and the other for color. It allows retouchers to work on fine details without affecting the overall tone and vice versa. Phlearn has many excellent tutorials on how to use frequency separation.
Advanced Skin Retouching: In high-end retouching, skin is not just smoothed but meticulously retouched to maintain texture and realism. This includes addressing pores, fine lines, and other details while preserving the natural appearance. Dodge and burn techniques lighten or darken areas to sculpt or enhance specific facial features.
Advanced Hair Retouching: Filling in hair gaps seamlessly, adding more hair, or excessive fly-away removal
Background replacement: This is a multi-step process which is why we categorize this as high-end retouching. After the basic background removal step is completed the retoucher then employs a multitude of detail-specific techniques to put that product in a scene seamlessly which requires advanced color casting, exposure matching, shadow creation and possibly warping the product to match perspective.
Compositing: Compositing is the technique of combining visual elements from separate sources into single images creating the illusion that all elements are part of the same scene. This is a process that can incorporate all advanced techniques listed above and much more. Compositing is often used for clients who have a creative idea in mind but don’t have the budget or ability to capture it in the real world.
There is so much more that retouching can do to elevate your imagery which hasn’t been touched on here. We highly recommend you check out our free 5 day course in improving your imagery. Tailored to unlock your creativity, this course introduces a plethora of techniques and artistic styles aimed at elevating your brand and ensuring your product stands out in a competitive market.
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