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Home / Services / Image Editing / Ghost Mannequin
Image editing service
Ghost Mannequin
Neck joints, sleeve and hem composites that give apparel a clean, worn 3D shape — the invisible-mannequin effect apparel marketplaces expect.
- From $1.00 per image
- Typical delivery 24–48h
- Revisions included in the rate
- Layered files kept intact
What ghost mannequin is
The ghost mannequin effect shows a garment holding its worn shape with no mannequin and no model inside it. It is the standard for apparel e-commerce because it does two things at once: it shows how the garment actually sits on a body, and it keeps the focus entirely on the product.
The edit is a composite. A garment is photographed on a mannequin, then again with the inner label or back neck exposed, and the two frames are combined so the inside of the collar shows through where the mannequin used to be. Sleeves, hems and open plackets are treated the same way.
What separates a good neck joint from an obvious one is depth. The interior has to sit behind the shoulder line with believable shading, not read as a flat patch pasted into the collar. We build that shading in rather than relying on the original frame to supply it.
Who it is for
- Apparel brands listing on Amazon, Shopify, Zalando or any marketplace expecting the format.
- Fashion e-commerce teams processing seasonal collections at volume.
- Photographers shooting apparel who need the composite handled downstream.
- Catalogue producers standardising a garment presentation across many suppliers.
- Agencies delivering apparel campaigns where the product must read cleanly.
What we provide
Composites we build
Neck joint
The inner collar composited in with correct depth and shading behind the shoulder line.
Sleeve & cuff
Open sleeves and cuffs given interior depth so the garment reads as three-dimensional.
Hem & opening
Bottom hems, plackets and vents finished so nothing shows through that should not.
Symmetry & shaping
Collars levelled, creases resolved and the silhouette shaped to a consistent house standard.
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
What do I need to shoot for a ghost mannequin edit?
At minimum, the garment on the mannequin and a second frame showing the inner back neck. For open sleeves or hems, add a frame showing the inside of each. Shoot both from the same position with the same lighting — that single detail decides whether the composite takes ten minutes or an hour.
Can you do it from a single image?
Sometimes, by rebuilding the interior rather than compositing it, but the result is never as convincing as a proper two-shot capture and it costs more because it is reconstruction rather than assembly. If you are shooting a new range, capture the second frame — it is five seconds on set.
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 ghost mannequin 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 ghost mannequin.
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