Retouching
Category: Post-Production
Definition:
Why It Matters: Creates polished professional imagery; removes distractions; ensures product presentation quality; corrects photography errors; maintains brand quality standards; can increase perceived product value.
Use Cases: Removing garment wrinkles and defects, cleaning backgrounds, adjusting colors, removing dust and spots, perfecting skin appearance, eliminating styling pins and clips, creating ghost mannequin effects.
Example of Real Use Case: An e-commerce retailer discovers 300 product photos have visible styling clips. Professional retouching removes all clips in 2 days for $1,500, saving a $15,000 reshoot. The cleaned images increase conversion rates by maintaining professional appearance.
Software/Service: Adobe Photoshop, Capture One, professional retouching services (Pixelz, Path, RetouchUp), AI retouching tools (Claid.ai)
Common Issues: Over-retouching creating unrealistic appearance, inconsistent retouching standards, time-consuming manual work, expensive for high volumes, loss of natural texture, misrepresenting product quality.
Do's and Don'ts:
✓ Do maintain natural, realistic appearance
✓ Do establish consistent retouching standards
✓ Do focus on distractions and imperfections
✓ Do preserve fabric texture and detail
✗ Don't over-smooth removing all texture
✗ Don't misrepresent product quality or appearance
✗ Don't create unrealistic expectations
Related Terms: AI Retouching, Post-Production, Color Grading, Inpainting, Ghost Mannequin, Clipping Path
Also Known As: Photo Editing, Image Enhancement, Post-Processing