Fashion Retouching
I’m a London-based freelance photographic retoucher with over 25 years’ experience, working across fashion, editorial, beauty and commercial photography. My background includes working in a photographic studio, where I first developed my skills retouching fashion editorials and advertising imagery. Since then, I’ve built a freelance practice working with photographers, agencies and commercial clients.
Fashion retouching calls for a different approach from polished beauty work. I don’t aim to remove every imperfection. Instead, I refine the image while keeping the character of the photograph, the model and the clothing intact. I use the brief and the intended use of the image to guide this balance. The aim is to find the right balance between a natural finish and a more considered, polished result.
A Considered Approach to Fashion Retouching
Fashion imagery often needs precise technical retouching combined with creative judgement. I can work from a marked-up image, a mood board or general creative direction. Where needed, I discuss the approach before developing the final look.
Typical fashion retouching work includes:
- Skin and complexion retouching
- Cleaning and refining clothing
- Removing creases and distractions
- Tidying hair and flyaways
- Refining edges and backgrounds
- Adjusting colour, tone and contrast
Consistency matters when several images appear together. Colour, skin tones, clothing and the retouching level should all read as one coherent set, rather than as separate images.
Editorial Fashion Retouching
I work on editorial and lookbook photography where the character and atmosphere of the original photograph are important. The retouching can range from subtle corrections to more extensive image work, depending on the brief.
The aim is to refine the image without losing the qualities that make the photograph work. This can include preserving natural skin texture, maintaining the character of clothing and keeping the overall treatment appropriate to the photographer’s original vision.
Commercial Fashion Retouching
Commercial fashion imagery may call for a more controlled and consistent finish across a larger set of images. This means paying close attention to clothing, colour, skin tones and brand requirements, while maintaining consistency throughout the final set.
I can work from detailed retouching notes, a mood board or broader creative direction. My experience across several areas of photographic retouching means I can approach each fashion project as part of the wider image-making process, rather than applying a single fixed style to every photograph.
Fashion Retouching Portfolio
A selection of images from my fashion and editorial projects
See more examples of my fashion work in my fashion retouching portfolio.
Before & After Fashion Retouching
A small selection of before and after image sliders to see the changes that have been made.
See more examples of the retouching process, including before and after comparisons, on my fashion retouching before & after page.
Discuss a Fashion Retouching Project
Do you have a fashion, editorial or commercial project that needs retouching? I’d be happy to discuss the brief, the intended use and the finish you need. I work with photographers, agencies and brands from my London studio, and remotely.
Contact me to discuss your retouching project.
All images copyrighted John Deaville / Photofixer.