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Q: When it comes to retouching, how much is too much? I feel like I'm losing money on the job.
A: Great question, and one that keeps coming up lately. With more and more retouching tools and software available, the possibilities equating to digital plastic surgery are tempting, but here are some guidelines so you don’t lose your shirt in the process.
By Kim Herrera
Adobe Certified Expert, Photoshop
Now more than ever, it’s easy to get swept away retouching images, so much so that a simple portrait/fashion job turns into hours at the computer. Once the client knows what is possible to change and perfect digitally, the flood of requests start coming in. But that’s the key; that the request comes from the client. That translates to chargeable changes.
The original image needs some re-touching.
Knowing what to include as part of a job is crucial to the bottom line. For instance, if you originally include a certain amount of retouching on a job that you quoted based on volume, then you know your time or anyone you hire is covered.
The problem I see happening more in this economy is that the volume is decreasing in a lot of cases. That leaves less available for hired help, requiring you to spend more time in front of the computer, and less time behind the camera, draining the profit almost entirely.
My photographer colleagues ask, "But what else can I do? I don't want the client to walk!" We all agree… a line must be drawn at some point. Maybe pointing out to the client that the previous rates allowed for the extra retouching would be a good place to start.
Making it clear from the beginning of each job that basic retouching is included, and additional requests are chargeable could help.
Minimal retouch: Eyes, teeth whiter, shine reduced, background spotting and under-eye circles visibly reduced.
If the high-volume client of the past was quoted with all-inclusive retouching and color correcting, perhaps it's time to make a new quote based on current volume and list high-end retouching as an additional charge. You could quote a higher hourly rate for the retouching and then offer the customer a loyalty discount of 20 percent off that rate. Also, include Web sizes and DVD or CD for free since the cost and effort require minimal time and effort on your part.
If the freckled skinned, the unshaven, the frizzy haired, the wrinkly clothed or the shiny nosed came to your shoot that way, that may be how they leave. Basic retouching should take less than 15 minutes per image; five is ideal.
If the job is only five images then I would spend the full 15 minutes on each file. I would include teeth and eye whitening, under-eye circles fixed, necklines and extra chin lines reduced and maybe a quick Liquify to decrease bloating where necessary. The sharpening, the levels, and the toning should already be handled during image processing, and batched if possible.
Chargeable changes include major work in neck area, new teeth with a more even smile, shadow dodging and burning, and a new backdrop.
Resist the urge to perfect your subjects even though, at times it feels impossible because you know you have to power to shape and mold it into something so much better. Don't fix it because it bothers you. Wait for the client to catch it and make a request or point it out as additional, hence chargeable fix you could perform and benefit from.
Kim Herrera, Adobe Certified Expert, Photoshop, is the color management expert for Logan Photography at Studio Exchange, Santa Ana, Calif., and runs KCH Digital, a digital artistry, education, and consultancy firm.