“My pictures don’t need retouching”…. Bullshit!
If you’re shooting editorial, fashion, beauty, advertising or commercial photography, and you want to compete with the rest of the industry, then your photos better be retouched to match industry standards and quality.
Finding a good retoucher is as important as finding a good makeup artist or hairstylist. Retouching is more than just cleaning the skin up. Its also giving the image that extra “umph” that makes it shine.
If you’re going to be a retoucher, you’ll want to make sure you have the ability to pay strict attention to detail. I can’t tell you the number of times a great retoucher has fallen short because he or she didn’t follow directions.
No matter what… NEVER NEVER NEVER pay up front!!! Not until you see proofs (unless you want to wind up waiting two years for your images let alone receiving them at all).
I just had a completely unprofessional incident with a retoucher. He was actually really good at retouching . I tried him out with one story of 5 images. They came back excellent. I was highly pleased. I was sure we would build a great working relationship from there!
I had just finished a few shoots and I thought this guy would be great to retouch them so I handed over 18 shots to him. He was excited to retouch them as I was to see the finished result.Then came the humble request to pay in advance… “My rents due and I’d really appreciate the help :)”
I was so giddy about the first job he did for me and excited about getting these new images done that I threw out all business sense and went ahead to pay him ahead of time. Needless to say that was over 6 weeks ago and I’m still waiting for the job to be complete! My job had been put on the back burner and given low priority.
Some of the images were delivered after a few weeks and disappointing emails. But what I got back was definitely not the quality work he had done for me the first time. Some of the images looked like they were rushed or done using fast plugins.
I had asked him to retouch the images in a particular order of priority because some of the agencies needed them sooner. That was completely ignored. Then many of my emails started to go unanswered. :(
Rather than blasting his name all over the internet and to other colleagues in the industry (it’s a VERY small industry), I decided to just post this and leave it as a lesson and warning to all of you. It’s as much my fault as it is his.
Lesson learned.
Tips for working with new retouchers:
-Never pay up front
-Always ask for large proofs so you can see retouching details.
-Agree up front about usage especially posting before/after images for the retouchers portfolio. (most agencies don’t appreciate this)
New work coming soon. I’ve done so many shoots recently but can’t release any of it yet until the magazines run them. Wish I could give everyone a sneak peek :P but at the moment they require international exclusivity and ask not to post until 2-3 months after the release date.
So after 2 years in my 1000sq ft studio in Williamsburg, it was finally time to say goodbye. While wonderful in some ways (great location, spacious) he landlord neglected certain important things, like heat in the winter, functioning air vents in the summer, a very wet leak in the roof and huge hole in the wall which spat dust all day long.
No worries, I was off to a new location, this time in the city.. prime location. on Canal St!!!
Hmmmmmm. Somehow I managed to jump from the frying pot into the fire! :(
Needless to say, I’m am now another photographer without a home (as in studio… I still live in Brooklyn). Guess I will be taking it to the streets this summer!! I’ve been dying to shoot location. Maybe this is just the little push I need to force me into location shooting.
Shoot shoot shoot! That’s the name of the game.
I always wondered what photographers were talking about when I asked how often do you shoot (when not shooting for clients)? And they replied “when I can afford it”. What?? When you can afford it. Why aren’t you shooting everyday??? Now sadly, I know why.
I wish I could shoot everyday. I have so much stuff I want to shoot. So many people I’d like to work with. So many things I’d like to try. But this stuff takes $$$. So now I too shoot “when I can afford it”. I need a sponsor. :D
Finally, Australian fashion/beauty/hair magazine Highlights (http://www.highlightsmag.com - not to be confused with the American children’s Highlights Magazine) published their issue “Black to Black” featuring all black models. I have 2 stories in it. The first story is a 9 page spread titled “New World Order” featuring Loren @ Red Models. The second is an 8 page spread… my first male fashion shoot featuring the world’s first albino male model, Shaun Ross.
Also landed a 4 page story in this spring issue of Highlights Magazine #34 featuring model Fernanda @Muse. It was supposed to be a fashion story but (yet again) another wardrobe stylist disaster happened and we turned it into a great beauty story and it got picked up anyway! :)
What seems to be the story with flakey wardrobe stylists these days? This is the third time I’ve had a bad experience with a flaky stylist. But each time I do, the story turns out better and gets picked up. :)
Starting to enjoy shooting men. I got a 6 page story in And+Men Magazine, also published by Highlights Publications, featuring Dylan Monroe @ Major in Milan.
Look out for all 4 stories in these mags on stands now!!!
-Franklin
(Maggie Norris Couture “Natascha” Coat illustrated by Anna Kiper)
Just shot an Editorial with amazing designer Maggie Norris Couture and Princess Keisha Omilana for Highlights Black to Black Magazine.
Maggie Norris Couture is a couture design house founded in 2000 by American designer, Maggie Norris. Her designs have been featured in many leading magazines and periodicals such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, Harpers Bazaar, W Magazine, People, Hello!, Elle, The New York Times, and Wall Street Journal.
Maggie Norris Couture is known for dressing renowned celebrities such as Michelle Obama, Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts, Jennifer Aniston, Mischa Barton, Halle Berry, Diane Keaton, Andie MacDowell, Grace De Niro and Anna Getty.
