Toronto professional photo retouching

All retouching is done here in Toronto. Unlike some retouching services, I do the work myself. Nothing is off-loaded to third parties or subcontracted to low-paid workers overseas.

Your photos are cared for exclusively by me, a full-time professional with over 25 years of digital retouching experience.

As artificially intelligent (AI) tools become increasingly prevalent in photo editing software, some require photos to be uploaded to a cloud for processing. While software companies assert that their cloud services protect privacy and won’t misuse your images, I prefer a different approach.

I don't use cloud-based tools for portraits. Instead, I utilize other tools that allow me to keep your images secure on my computer, even if the work takes a bit longer.

1:   Send your digital photo(s) and a description of what you want done. I work only with digital files. You can send your files by email, WeTransfer, Dropbox, or any other similar service.

Initially you can send a smaller version of your photo(s). But I need the largest version available for the retouching. A large image allows for more accurate edits and better results.

2:   I'll send a quote based on $140/hour plus tax. Most photos require 15 minutes to an hour. A photo that requires extensive retouching or compositing can take longer.

After you've agreed to the price, I will do the retouching. Turnaround time depends on the number of images and the complexity of the retouching.

3:   You will receive a watermarked proof of the retouched photo(s).

4:   If the retouching meets your needs, I'll send an invoice. After you've paid by credit card or Interac e-transfer, you will receive the finished photo(s).

      If the retouching doesn't meet your needs, I can do one revision or you can cancel the work without any cost to you.

5:   It's important that you make backup copies of the retouched photo(s) because I do not keep any copies. If you lose a retouched photo, it will have to retouched again and full price will be charged.

Digital files only. I don't work with film, negatives, slides or prints.

Watermarks and copyright notices will not be removed from photos.

I won't put your girlfriend/boyfriend/spouse's face on another body.

A photo will not be distorted to make the subject look worse.

Text in a document will not be altered.

Currency and postage stamps will not be altered. (The Bank of Canada and Canada Post take their copyrights very seriously and they don't tolerate people changing photos of their bank notes or stamps. They sometimes view it as a form of counterfeiting.)

Photos for news use will receive limited retouching according to journalism standards.

Photo retouching operates on a "garbage in, garbage out" principle. If you start with a poorly shot image, retouching will only enhance that poor quality. However, if you begin with a reasonably good photo, retouching can elevate it to something truly great.

People have sent me cell-phone selfies, hoping to transform them into professional, studio-quality portraits. While retouching can improve these selfies, they will never rival a genuine professional portrait. Effective photography relies not just on equipment, but also on the skill of the photographer and their ability to use that equipment.

It's important to understand that retouching has its limitations. It can't change factors like camera angle, camera distance, lens choice, a person's pose, or facial expression. Additionally, it can't fix issues related to clothing style, low image resolution, excessive file compression, and much more.

Retouching also can't reveal what's hidden. For example, a building can't be turned to show more of the other side, sunglasses can't be removed to unveil a person's eyes, and a coat can't be taken off to display the clothing underneath. I've received retouching requests for all of these.

If something was cut off by the photographer, retouching alone can't restore it. I've had requests to "retouch" the top floors of a building, the upper third of a statue, the side of a car, and even half of a person.

AI software can sometimes generate missing parts of an object if those parts are relatively small and total accuracy isn't important to you. AI software makes educated guesses as to how a missing part is created. The smaller the part, the more accurate it can be. Or, the larger the part, the less accurate it will be.

While retouching can sharpen images, it can't fix those that are really out of focus. Retouching works only with the data present in an image file, and sometimes that data is simply insufficient, such as in cases of severe overexposure, underexposure, or blur.

Retouching shouldn't serve as a crutch for poor photography. But a good portion of my work is fixing photographers' mistakes. This is why I retouch so many business headshots. To minimize your need for retouching, always hire the best photographer you can afford. A good photographer is worth more than what they charge, while a cheap photographer often costs more than what they charge.