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Home / Services / Image Editing / Photo Retouching
Image editing service
Photo Retouching
Skin, product and editorial retouching — frequency separation, dodge and burn, and blemish work that keeps texture intact at full resolution instead of smoothing it away.
- From $1.00 per image
- Typical delivery 24–48h
- Revisions included in the rate
- Layered files kept intact
What photo retouching is
Retouching is the difference between a photograph that is technically fine and one that is finished. Blemishes, stray hairs, dust, creases, sensor spots and distracting highlights all get resolved — without the plastic, over-smoothed look that gives cheap retouching away instantly.
For skin we work with frequency separation and dodge and burn rather than blur. Separating texture from tone means we can even out colour and shading while leaving pores, fine lines and the grain of the skin exactly where they were. Zoom to 100% and it still reads as a real person.
For products the same discipline applies to dust, fingerprints, uneven seams, reflections and packaging creases. The aim is not a different product — it is the product as the client believes it looks, at the standard a listing or a campaign demands.
Who it is for
- Beauty, fashion and editorial photographers delivering to demanding art directors.
- Portrait and headshot studios processing volume without compromising finish.
- E-commerce brands whose product shots need dust, creases and reflections resolved.
- Creative agencies handling campaign imagery that will be seen at large sizes.
- Studios that would rather book retouching hours out than lose their own to it.
What we provide
Levels of finish
Basic clean-up
Blemishes, dust, stray hairs and sensor spots removed. The volume tier for catalogue work.
High-end beauty
Frequency separation, dodge and burn, full skin and hair finishing for close-up and campaign use.
Product retouching
Fingerprints, creases, uneven seams and unwanted reflections resolved on packshots.
Tone & contrast
Local contrast, shaping and colour finishing applied consistently across a set.
Examples
Before and after
After
Before
Drag the divider to compare. This is real production output, not a demonstration file — the same standard every batch is measured against.
Most of what we produce is delivered white-label and published under our clients’ names, so only cleared work appears in the public portfolio. If you need to see something closer to your own sector, ask — we can usually share a relevant example privately, under NDA if you prefer.
Our workflow
Four steps, every time.
01
Upload
Send files by Dropbox, Drive, WeTransfer or straight to your shared folder.
02
Share instructions
Add the spec once. We turn it into a style guide and reuse it on every batch.
03
We edit
Assigned editors work the batch, with an internal QA pass before it leves.
04
Review & delivery
Typically 24–48 hours, in your formats, with revisions included.
Production capability
A short, professional toolchain.
No novelty software. The industry standard, used properly, with layered files kept intact so your team can pick the work back up at any point.
Editing & finishing
- PsAdobe PhotoshopRetouching · masking · compositing
- LrAdobe LightroomBatch colour · exposure · consistency
- AiAdobe IllustratorVector paths · raster-to-vector
- CrAdobe Camera RawRAW conversion · exposure recovery
Files & handoff
- DbDropboxShared production folders
- GDGoogle DriveReview & approval rounds
- WtWeTransferOne-off bulk delivery
- FTPYour FTP / DAMWe work inside your system
Quality, turnaround & revisions
What you can hold us to.
Turnaround
24–48h
Rush slots available on request for campaign deadlines.
Revisions
Included
Included in the rate, not billed as a second pass.
Formats
JPG · PNG · TIFF · PSD
Layered files kept intact and delivered on request.
Minimum order
1 image
No monthly commitment, no retainer required.
Why Fix The Subject
What working with us actually looks like.
Reliable workflow
A named contact, a documented spec per client and a predictable 24–48 hour cycle.
Clear pricing
Per-image rates that scale with volume, quoted per account after a test batch.
Support that answers
Overlapping cover across North American, European and Asian hours.
Secure file handling
NDA on request, white-label output and free storage for up to six months.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Will the skin still look real?
That is the entire point of working with frequency separation rather than blur. Texture is preserved and only tone and colour are evened out. If your house style is more or less aggressive than our default, send two or three approved finals and we will match them.
Can you match a retouching style across a whole shoot?
Yes, and that is where the written style guide matters. We derive it from your approved references, apply it across the set, and reuse it on every shoot that follows so image one and image five hundred read as the same session.
How long does a batch take?
Typical delivery is 24–48 hours, depending on image quantity, complexity, resolution and quality requirements. Larger catalogue drops are booked into a scheduled slot so you get a committed date rather than an estimate, and rush work can usually be accommodated if you tell us the deadline up front.
How is photo retouching priced?
Per image, starting from $1.00, adjusted for complexity and volume. Recurring accounts are quoted after a test batch so the rate reflects your actual files rather than an average. Send a representative sample and we will tell you which tier your work falls into before you commit.
What do you need from me to start?
The files, the output you need, and any reference. If you have approved finals from a previous shoot, send two or three — we will match those rather than applying our own defaults, and we write what we derive into a style guide reused on every batch that follows.
Are revisions included?
Yes. If a file did not match the written spec, correcting it is our cost, not a second charge. Revisions are part of the rate.
Need more clarity?
Ask us anything about the work, the process or the commercials — you will get a straight answer from a person, not a sales sequence.
Related services
Often ordered together
Send ten images. See the photo retouching.
A free trial on your first order, no card required. If the output isn’t at your standard, you owe us nothing.
- NDA on request before you send a single file · typical delivery 24–48h