Sometimes when doing a photo-shoot, it’s not always possible to accomplish certain things. It’s not always possible to do certain things such as shoot in the location you want, capture specific events at a specific time, or even attain all the props necessary for a shoot. Sometimes after a shoot is complete, new ideas tend to come to mind that you wish you could have incorporated into the shoot, but the shoot is over and it’s too late. What are you to do when dealing with such dilemmas and situations??? One of the best answers to these problems, in my opinion, is retouching. Retouching is the process of taking a photograph and enhancing it in ways that enable the photograph to better be able to tell a story, display a mood, have more impact, or simply look better. However, when retouching a photograph, the most important thing to remember and accomplish is to keep the photography looking as real as possible. It’s important not to over do it. My belief is that you should only do as much as is necessary.

Below you will find samples of my retouching work. With each photograph, I have included a brief summary about what I did.
Hover your mouse/cursor over the images to see the "before" images

I had a lot of fun doing this shoot. The model, Raquel, was very easy to work with which made everyone even more comfortable. I was able to get a lot of good shots from this shoot, but this beauty shot has to be one of my favorites. Working with a model such as Raquel makes it so much easier to get a good beauty shot. Although the original looked great, there was room for enhancement. When working with a photograph like this, the first thing that I like to do is examine the photo and make a plan of action. I decide on everything that needs to be done. This way I won’t miss minor details. When retouching, the first thing I do is remove any and all bumps, blemishes, scars, etc. The next step is to work on minor imperfections such as uneven eyebrows; distracting lines, dark spots, and removal of tattoos if necessary. Then come things like make-up enhancement, adding color to the eyes, and fixing hair if necessary. Yeah some of these things could have been taken care of before and during the shoot, but as mentioned before, sometimes things either get overlooked or are not easily fixed on the spot. This is exactly why there is such a thing as retouching. Unless a photo needs to be specifically left in its original form, there is no reason not to retouch a photo to its full potential. Retouching is done in all of the major fashion magazines, movies, advertisements, and so much more. Retouching is a major part of photography. Yes everybody has flaws, but clients don’t pay for flaws: they pay for perfection. So it’s important for models to have quality photos, and sometimes retouching is the way to achieve that. That is why I made sure to make this photo as flawless as it could get, all while keeping it looking real. Now, if you were a model, which photo would you prefer to present to a potential employer: the before or the after???

This photograph was a switch for me. This was the first male that I photographed, which meant shooting a completely different style from shooting female models. This photo had to be manlier as you would say. The photo was shot on a hotel rooftop. It was shot in the evening just as the sun was beginning to set. I didn’t bring my strobes so we had to get as many shots as we could before it got dark. After looking at all the shots we took, this one turned out to be the winner of this set. Looking at the original, I felt it was too plain and just ordinary. I knew it needed something extra. Then I thought about how cool it would have been to have actually shot this at night with the sun’s glare shining across the cityscape as it set. So that’s where I got the inspiration to edit it to achieve this final result. Although I wanted to keep it as real and natural as possible, I also wanted it to have very unique and unusual elements about it. I felt it would be more interesting that way. So there are a few things about this photo that were done purposely to give it a truly unique look and “feel”. Jay (the gentleman in the photo) was very happy with the result. Compared to the original, the final photo is more interesting, more unique, and really draws you in.

This photograph, taken for The Untouchables modeling troupe in Tampa, FL., was fun to do in terms of being creative and testing my post-process and retouching skills. Looking at the before, you can see how distracting and “busy” the background looks with all the foliage and trees. When this photo was shot, there were no initial plans to retouch the photo. When I initially began to process the photo as-is, I felt that the photo lacked visual impact and composition. So I began thinking about what could be done to enhance the photo and really make it “pop”. The first and main thing that I decided had to be done was to remove the distraction of all the foliage in the background and implement something that would be more visually appealing. I wanted to give it a more “upscale” appearance, so I figured with the balcony already in the shot, overlooking the ocean would be a great idea. I added in the gorgeous blue sky and clouds, along with the ocean below. After that, I decided adding curtains would help to enhance the photo even further. There were other little elements in the photo that were retouched, but they were all minor. Overall, I the new version has better composition and is much more interesting to look at. Again, in this photo, the client didn’t expect anything more than the original, but I truly felt the need to expand on their idea and give them something that they can truly be proud of and excited about. And with this photo, I did just that!

This photograph, taken for The Untouchables modeling troupe in Tampa, FL. was one of my most interesting assignments. The first thing that interested me about shooting this was the fact that this was my first ever group shot. So there obviously was a lot more work involved than just shooting a single model. Initially, nothing was planned as it pertained to any custom retouching in post-process. They didn’t have any specific plans or ideas. When I shoot, especially a concept such as this, I like to figure out ways to really make the photograph unique and stand out. So as I was right in the middle of shooting this shot, I got the idea to completely remove the background and add something that would give the shot the “feel” that they were going for. So I completely removed the background and all other distracting elements that didn’t belong such as the shelving and chandelier. After much thought, I felt creating the illusion of being in a high-rising tower would be the perfect setting for the shot. I implemented one of my stock cloud photographs, created a window design, and added picture frames atop the window to finish off the background. So then it was time to decide what other little elements I could add to give the photo that special touch. When we shot the photograph, the cigars in the ladies’ hands were not lit, so I decided to give the cigars “lit tips” and then added some smoke from the cigars. I was also sure to add the smoke from the cigars to the cigars in the table reflection that were visible. Have to add that realism!!! I also did the basics such as color correction; blemish removal, and image optimization.

This was both a very unique and challenging job. The group wanted to do a schoolgirl themed shoot. Initially, the group had planned to shoot this shot in an actual classroom, but that fell through. We ended up shooting in a mini-mansion in the Tampa area. So for the group, the idea of having the photo set in a classroom environment wasn’t given any more thought. So we did the photo shoot and moved on to the next concept. When I got to my computer later that day to begin processing the photo, I saw an opportunity to really show the client what I can do. Originally they wanted a classroom environment, so that was what I was going to give them. I began by removing the entire background and any other element that I felt had to go. I then began to plan out how I would layout the new setting. The first thing that I knew that had to be in the shot was a chalkboard. So that’s where I started. After the chalkboard, I began to add the new wall, and I felt that paneling would be a nice touch. A few edits later, I added the carpet, edited the table, added some drop shadowing, and voila! And to finish off the look, I added the apple, and wrote some stuff on the chalkboard, with chalk of course! This photo is a good example of what can be done with a little creativity, know-how, and most importantly, creativity. It’s all about taking a photo from ordinary to outstanding.