A strong background and understanding of various photographic concepts, the ability to retouch photos, and contacts within the photography industry are typically required to become a retoucher. While having an educational background in photography or art is not required, because the actual skills you possess are often more important, developing these skills at a college or art school may be more convenient. You should start building a portfolio with any photos you can legally use and start networking as soon as possible. To become a retoucher, you’ll need to make contacts and establish a name for yourself in the photo industry.
One of the most effective ways to begin your journey to becoming a retoucher is to gain experience and knowledge in photography. This does not imply that you must attend art school or take photography classes in college, though both can be beneficial. You should become familiar with various aspects of composition, lighting techniques, and the elements that make a photograph successful. Even though you don’t have to be a photographer to work as a retoucher, the photographers you work with will expect you to understand the fundamentals of photography.
After you’ve mastered photography, you should work on honing your retouching skills in order to become a retoucher. This usually means you’ll have to learn how to use photo retouching software. While you can learn this on your own, the software is usually quite expensive, so you might be better off taking some photography or graphic design classes to learn how to use it. A degree can help, but being able to demonstrate your ability to retouch photographs is often more important when it comes to becoming a retoucher. You can usually do this putting together a strong and impressive retouching portfolio.
After you’ve acquired the necessary skills and knowledge to work as a retoucher, you should start making contacts in the photography industry. You can find photographers and build a network within the industry joining a variety of websites and associations. This can help you find clients if you want to work freelance, as finding clients is often one of the most difficult aspects of freelancing. Even if you’re still honing your skills to become a retoucher, you can start networking now, though it’ll be easier once you have some work in a portfolio to show others.