Retouching Academy

http://retouchingacademy.com


This website is a networking and marketing site designed to help with the technical aspects of retouching and the business side of the industry. They are run by a selection of the top working professionals who offer advice and feedback into works and share articles published online from the industry (this is done by their Facebook page).

Also available on the website are workshops, add ons for photoshop that make retouching easier as these include presets and e-books featuring tutorials. Although these are mainly catering to portraiture there is also a food workshop.

Under the open education section there are many different articles available for non members to access, these include tutorials and business advice also inspirational topics such as photoshop fails and interviews with artists.

Career advice from natalia tafarel

https://fstoppers.com/post-production/news-career-advice-professional-retoucher-5997


This is an article by Natalia Tafarel giving advice to newcomers about how to become successful in the industry, she says that we need to passionate about what we do and that instead of blaming others for our problems we must accept that it is our problem and we must make the changes needed.

She also points out that many retouchers get themselves stuck in a circle of doing low quality work because they aren't getting paid very much so they don't want to go above and beyond because they don't feel as though it is worth it. However this has an effect on your portfolio because then only low quality work gets produced and seen, this leads people to believe that you can only produce low quality work and only those with a low budget will hire you as those with a higher budget will look for another will higher quality work. She also says that working for free is not a bad thing, it helps network you to modelling agencies who need work doing and gives you a stronger portfolio.

Another helpful tip is to learn anatomy as some retouchers do not understand this and make bodies look unnatural or moving in an impossible way and these are mistakes that get fully noticed and your reputation will decrease.

Running a Business (Marketing)

I must research my potential clients so that I can offer what they are wanting.

I will need to create an identity so that my presence becomes more established and easily recognised and people can instantly associate me with the work.

Create an action plan and look through the toolkits available online because these will help

Paul Herman is a member of Red Eye and the advice he offers is to "be different" "have a good work ethic" and "build and keep strong relationships" these relationships include people within the industry and clients, sending christmas cards is a gentle friendly reminder to people to check out your latest work. Also important is being committed to the work and knowing about the whole of the photographic industry not just the specific genre/s that you are interested in.

7 important 'P's

- Product
- Price
-Place
-Promotion
- Process
- Psychical Evidence
- People

Researching the market

I should :

-Look for opportunities constantly
- See where my clients are based
- analyse what I find and see if i need to make changes
- understand my place in the market


Creating an Identity

I should ;

- website should reflect me, domain names are important
- become a brand
- be consistent
- be person behind the brand


Toolkit / Action Plan

online presence is required
optimise my SEO
update my portfolio regularly
Networking is better when done in person
Send printed mail (flyers, postcards)
Business cards
Get listed (AOP, Yellow pages)
Direct Mail, a specific targeted audience
Blog and keep up to date
Be social, on social media sites
Trade shows are excellent opportunities
Exhibit when can, go view often
Advertise
Create a book, better than screen prints
Enter competitions
Get press attention
Network
Talk to people, potential clients, industry workers
Send gifts, such as christmas cards
SHOOT!


It is also a good idea to sign up to some websites as using these in my brand identity helps represent me as an established photographer and at a higher quality.
- Royal Photographic Society (RPS)
- British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP)
- Society of Weddings / Portraits (SWPP)
- Master Photographers Association
- British Press
- Bureau of Freelance Photographers
- National Union of Journalists
- Redeye
- NE photographers network

ShutterHub

Shutterhub is a website set up for photographers to :

- Curate Exhibitions
- Sharing Opportunities such as jobs, competitions and exhibitions
- Hold meet ups for networking, portfolio reviews, workshops and events
- Portfolio building opportunities
- Special offers


The visitor Karen Harvey also gave us some advice :

"Measure success by Happiness"

start now! for looking at jobs and after graduation opportunities
Take up volunteering work for works experience
Try starting out by assisting
Give your clients 'something extra' others won't


Joining the website also gives me a valuable marketing tool as the website helps with building portfolios and when I am googled it will create a hit on my name.

Dove

http://digiday.com/brands/dove-tricks-photo-retouchers/


Dove's marketing campaign is about real women's real beauty and this publicity stunt highlights just this; they have created an action in Photoshop with is named and advertised that it applies a "skin glow" to images, saving retouchers the time of doing it themselves.

However the action was designed to be a trojan horse and undid all the modifications that had been applied and instead applied Dove's logo and the text:

"Don’t manipulate our perceptions of real beauty.” 

The work can be reapplied with the click of the undo button however the purpose of this was to make the retouchers and art directors opinions of beauty change and get them to reconsider sending out the retouching.