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Retoucher vs photo retoucher

The differences between retouchers and photo retouchers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a retoucher has an average salary of $51,538, which is higher than the $51,529 average annual salary of a photo retoucher.

The top three skills for a retoucher include color correction, adobe photoshop and product photography. The most important skills for a photo retoucher are adobe photoshop, product photography, and style guides.

Retoucher vs photo retoucher overview

RetoucherPhoto Retoucher
Yearly salary$51,538$51,529
Hourly rate$24.78$24.77
Growth rate--
Number of jobs135281
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 76%Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Average age4242
Years of experience--

What does a retoucher do?

Retouchers are skilled professionals who use advanced computer imaging software to change or modify the appearance of a photo or other digital image. These professionals must interface directly with clients to perform multiple image composition, color correction, and image manipulation. They are required to use Photoshop to carry out editing tasks such as masking, rebuilding, and cleaning of images. Retouchers must work exclusively with photographers and manage high volumes of photo organization. They must also maintain an organized electronic database of digital images.

What does a photo retoucher do?

A Photo Retoucher retouches the assigned digital photos to the client's standards. They communicate with the production team and digital imaging manager to ensure each task complies with the highlighted standards. Besides using natural-looking results to edit beauty images and skin photos, photo retouchers also review the clients' notes and specifications about execution and photo retouching. They prepare photos for client delivery, deliver their services according to the required procedures, and highlight work processes to meet the desired results.

Retoucher vs photo retoucher salary

Retouchers and photo retouchers have different pay scales, as shown below.

RetoucherPhoto Retoucher
Average salary$51,538$51,529
Salary rangeBetween $24,000 And $107,000Between $24,000 And $107,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between retoucher and photo retoucher education

There are a few differences between a retoucher and a photo retoucher in terms of educational background:

RetoucherPhoto Retoucher
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 76%Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Most common majorPhotographyGraphic Design
Most common college--

Retoucher vs photo retoucher demographics

Here are the differences between retouchers' and photo retouchers' demographics:

RetoucherPhoto Retoucher
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 57.8% Female, 42.2%Male, 53.0% Female, 47.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 14.2% White, 56.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 14.9% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage15%15%

Differences between retoucher and photo retoucher duties and responsibilities

Retoucher example responsibilities.

  • Manage and organize photography and video productions and key personnel.
  • Design working environment on CMYK and RGB color correction.
  • Retouch in CMYK for print.
  • Digitize film and print photography.
  • Color-Correct clothes, jewelry, and accessories.
  • Retouch images for editorials, and book publication.
  • Show more

Photo retoucher example responsibilities.

  • Manage and complete assignments from editorial and advertisement photographers to be publish in domestic and international media outlets.
  • Create image silhouettes for clipping paths.
  • Create clipping paths for images that need to be place in layouts
  • Edit, organize & retouch photographs for internal projects, create detail presentations in InDesign & PowerPoint.
  • Image retouching, color correcting, photo manipulation and silhouetting using Photoshop
  • Image retouching, color correcting, photo manipulation and silhouetting using Photoshop

Retoucher vs photo retoucher skills

Common retoucher skills
  • Color Correction, 21%
  • Adobe Photoshop, 15%
  • Product Photography, 10%
  • Mac, 7%
  • Creative Direction, 6%
  • Adobe Creative Suite, 6%
Common photo retoucher skills
  • Adobe Photoshop, 26%
  • Product Photography, 16%
  • Style Guides, 6%
  • Mac, 6%
  • Digital Assets, 5%
  • Product Images, 5%

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