Retouching jobs - advice

OptimusBri

OptimusBri

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Name
Briony
Edit My Images
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I'm a final year student at University and currently work part-time as a retoucher at a photography studio on the weekends (they photograph families, pets, babies, do make-overs etc.). Retouching is something that I'd quite like to go in to when I graduate, and though I thought I was fairly good at editing already, this job has taught me a lot in only a few months - how to use a Wacom tablet (very useful!), how to edit a large amount of images in a short space of time (40-60 images in about 45 minutes) and just more about how editing would work in a professional environment. It's a strange (but good) feeling enjoying going to work too!

I just wondered whether anyone had any advice for me if I end up applying for a retouching job after graduating? Whether it be for the interviews, or the job itself and what kind of thing to expect etc. I don't really want to stay in the realms of family/babies/pets, I'd like to go in to something fashion-based.

Thank you :)
 
TheRightMoments said:
Lovely pictures on your website - i have to say you are a very lucky girl going to photograph HOYS, would love to do that :-)
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Thanks Helen :) Funnily enough, I don't really have an interest in horses and had never photographed them before, but thought that it would be fantastic experience, and somehow won the competition! It was incredibly hard work, but worth it.
 
Link up with good photographers with varied styles and work on creative projects with them for free. It's the best way to refine your skills and develop your own style as a retoucher. Maybe try and do an internship at a retouching agency, all of these are relevant steps to becoming a junior retoucher at an agency or starting out on your own. Realistically if you want to work on high end projects it will take a LOT of dedication and determination, but speak to the right people and work hard and it will happen! As for money jobs to keep you going, packshots and stuff like that can be pretty good. Maybe becoming a digi operator would be a viable option too if that interests you?
 
SamuelHearn said:
Link up with good photographers with varied styles and work on creative projects with them for free. It's the best way to refine your skills and develop your own style as a retoucher. Maybe try and do an internship at a retouching agency, all of these are relevant steps to becoming a junior retoucher at an agency or starting out on your own. Realistically if you want to work on high end projects it will take a LOT of dedication and determination, but speak to the right people and work hard and it will happen! As for money jobs to keep you going, packshots and stuff like that can be pretty good. Maybe becoming a digi operator would be a viable option too if that interests you?
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Thanks Samuel, that's good advice :) I hadn't really thought about linking up with other photographers and doing projects for them - definitely something to think about. What's a digi operator?
 
OptimusBri said:
Thanks Samuel, that's good advice :) I hadn't really thought about linking up with other photographers and doing projects for them - definitely something to think about. What's a digi operator?
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A digital operator / digital tech is in charge of making sure all of the digital capture goes well on set. Must know how to operate Capture One / Hasselblad Phocus, proficient with both windows and mac, and have inside out knowledge of hasselblad / leaf / phase camera systems. It's quite specialised, but the pay is a fair bit better than being a lighting assistant.
 
SamuelHearn said:
A digital operator / digital tech is in charge of making sure all of the digital capture goes well on set. Must know how to operate Capture One / Hasselblad Phocus, proficient with both windows and mac, and have inside out knowledge of hasselblad / leaf / phase camera systems. It's quite specialised, but the pay is a fair bit better than being a lighting assistant.
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Ah thank you :)
 
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