Digital Retouch serves a niche market of fashion, celebrity, and beauty retouching. A key element to the company’s success is that it was founded by professional photographers who understood and embraced the changing technology. Their expertise was sought by contemporaries who were slow to adapt or not as passionate about the changing environment. The digital revolution in photography started about eight years ago with the introduction of multi-pass 4x5 digital capture systems for use in product imagery. The digital revolution in photography started about eight years ago with the introduction of multi-pass 4x5 digital capture systems for use in product imagery.
In 1998 Andrew Matusik began to work as a photo assistant in one of the largest digital studios in America. This environment was a great place for him to gain experience with digital workflow, image archiving, systems calibration and proofing. Most important of all, the studio provided seven digital capture bays with Photoshop instructors. For over a year Andrew absorbed this wealth of knowledge and became an expert in digital workflow and image manipulation.
When the first single capture backs were introduced to the fashion photography world, Andrew would play a key role: he took charge of establishing the workflow for this new technology. Digital capture had brought the lab into the studio. Photographers were responsible for processing the RAW capture, correcting for the new medium’s shot comings and understanding pre-press file preparation. A revolution had begun and Andrew was a flag-bearer.
Stewart Price was a photographer with several years of Photoshop knowledge. Then a friend taught him the basics of retouching. He picked up some internet work and did thousands of retouches, mostly beauty and skin, honing his skills. Stewart was in the thick of this media revolution where Photoshop killed the super model and where Hollywood stars could be manipulated to look like models.
Andrew was picking up a lot of fashion and beauty work and Stewart had amassed a lot of Hollywood’s celebrity “A” list. Upon a friend’s introduction, the two decided to join forces and form Digital Retouch.
For the past 4 years their work has been seen in leading magazines such as Vogue, Vogue Homme, Elle, Glamour, GQ., Rolling Stone, Interview and Playboy. A short list of their celebrity work includes such icons as Brad Pitt, Jennifer Lopez, Tom Cruise, Beyoncé, Drew Barrymore, Jude Law, Jessica Simpson, Natalie Portman, Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Garner and Justin Timberlake.
Getting the product to market was an effort that brought in the talents of Chrys Coulter. Chrys was producing fashion and music events in LA and was introduced to Andrew through a magazine publisher. When financing for the magazine fell through, Andrew and Chrys stayed in contact and began working together on a variety of projects including the current Digital Retouch website.
Digital Retouch only hires photographers and makeup artists who have mastered the digital medium. It is a criteria that their freelancers are working artists and have a strong understanding of photography and the current visual trends. Andrew emphasizes, “Any computer whiz can learn a program, any artist can make aesthetic decisions, but we need specialists who speak the language of photography and understand passionately what is ‘in fashion’.”
How many artists are currently working with Digital Retouch?
Digital Retouch’s unique approach carries over into their business structure. They have offices in New York and Los Angeles, but use a completely digital model for all workflow and delivery. Embracing the technology of the day, Digital Retouch has a network of freelance artist who are offered assignments via electronic interface and work out of their own studio. Digital Retouch has an intense system of quality control and use an internet based job management program for tracking, client feedback, Q&A and even delivery. This flexible system allows them to handle the ebb and flow of the fashion business and balance projects with their own production.
Who are your major clients?
We are interested in tackling projects with artists who we respect and are producing imagery that inspires us. However, we do carry a few bread and butter accounts. Our work is quite extensive and has been seen globally. We have presented a list of our high profile work on our website. Unfortunately, due to overwhelming popularity of our site, we had to limit the access to registered professional clients.
Are you a photographer first, or a retoucher?
The interesting part of our business is that we are entrepreneurs who understand the changing nature of the photo business. We are photographers who have adapted to a new environment. We constantly push ourselves and have developed and prototyped state of the art techniques for application and delivery. We are on the frontlines from image capture through prepress and our field research is real and practical.
(to Andrew & Stewart) Do you have a traditional art background?
Both Stewart and I have Art degrees in Painting. Painting technique is one of the key components of our easy adaptation to the new digital medium. Time and again we are teaching our freelancers techniques found in painting theory and application.
(to Andrew) Do you prefer to use a digital camera or a 35 mm?
I love film, I shoot film extensively in my personal “art projects.” It is tactile and doesn’t magically disappear when a hard drive crashes. The colors in my landscapes are so fantastically brilliant that people inevitably ask if they have been “enhanced.” Nothing is more satisfying than seeing their expression when I pull out a sheet of chromes. But the bottom line is simple: money and practicality. Digital is more flexible, cost effective, and instantaneous. I will never shoot “film” on a commercial shoot. It is not practical. Let me emphasize, “If you are not shooting digital, you are a Dinosaur.”
(to Andrew & Stewart) Is retouching primarily a technical or artistic process for you?
DSP: Artistic mainly, but it is technical, there is no doubt about that.
AM: Artists who rely on their technical merit to stand out from others are subject to their technique. They protect their method because if someone else learns it, it can negate their uniqueness and threaten their livelihood. Artistry is the individual and creative interpretation of the skill set manifested in a unique vision. I always give my “secrets” away and contribute to Photoshop books and seminars…because simply put: knowing how to shoot a basketball doesn’t make you Michael Jordan.
(to Andrew) During a photo shoot do you see potential problems and pre-visualize how you would retouch them?
Do I ever. I have to make decisions based in part upon the number of shots, the time of day, location, mood of the talent and client perception. By knowing the cost and capabilities of post, I am better equipped to make efficient and pragmatic decisions in the line of fire. My latest editorial for Atomica Magazine is a prime example. It is a visual ode to Salvador Dali and required extensive pre-visualization and post execution.
(to Andrew) Does the ability to retouch ease or remove some of the technical considerations of a photo shoot? Do you still try to make everything (lights, compositions etc.) impeccable?
Garbage “in” equals garbage “out”… this is a universal motto. Many an art director, hair dresser, and creative have become “photographers” due to the accessibility of digital image creation. However, time and again I am appalled by a lack of understanding of basic photographic knowledge. The level of sloppy work I see is a blessing, for it is the driving force behind the necessity of postproduction companies such as ours. The amount of money that could be saved on astronomical postproduction bills would be substantially curbed if the level of proficiency in image capture and the new digital media were improved.
(to Andrew & Stewart) Which software do you use to retouch? If you have to compare software and their ability what would you say?
DSP: PhotoShop CS2 Mac only, really nothing else.
AM: We try every noise reduction plug-in, RAW converter, and “latest and greatest” product. We run through analysis with various grains and contrasts to add to our arsenal. However, our understanding of Photoshop is so extensive we find that few products offer better results simply a more “user-friendly” interface for the novice. There are always 5 ways to reach the same destination in Photoshop. We don’t micro manage, we let our artist find their natural path to the result.
(to Andrew & Stewart) Do you use any special filters and plug-ins, or do you prefer to stick with the standard Photoshop tools?
I feel there are many tools that assist people with quick generic “adjustments.” I use several quite frequently, however, true control lies in adjustment layers and multi layer manipulation. Kudos to the software engineers at Adobe who continue to push themselves to improve a genius product advancing creative expression for all digital artist.
What are you plans for the near future?
DSP: The desire to build more relationships with some new interesting clients (interesting is important) also some world travel.
AM: The company is a few months away from launching a new division that will offer any consumer (globally) the opportunity to interface and hire our services.
(to Andrew & Stewart) Are you currently teaching any classes, or planning to teach? Or maybe publish a book or tutorial DVDs…?
DSP: Andrew has some plans for that, I just don't know how to set aside the time for those projects. We are contributing and co writing technique and workflow for several publications. We have a close relationship with Katrin Eismann one of the world’s foremost experts on Photoshop.
(to Andrew & Stewart) Can you show us some professional tricks?
I am sending several images to with before and after layers to demonstrate what is possible. One beauty image breaks down a multilayered technique I call “skin grafting”.
Step one: Always duplicate the layer preserving a “safety” layer.
Step two: Remove any “major” defect or blemishes. Use this layer in the future for grabbing “texture.”
Step three: Make a duplicate of the “texture” layer. Retouch, retouch, retouch… clean the image to a point of perceived perfection i.e. “over retouched.” The image should be retouched from corner to corner mainly with the healing brush and occasionally with the stamp. Just like a makeup artist , this layer will serve as a “foundation.”
Step four: a series of skin grafts should be performed to bring reality into the image.
I would like to emphasize the use of brush pressure and variation of layer opacity to maximize "control" over the amount of "reality" to bring back into the image.
Use the lasso to quickly pick the "key" spots like the Cheeks, forehead, chin... from the “texture” layer. Feather the selection for a clean blend. Drop the opacity in the "region" to the appropriate amount then use the eraser at a 10 to 20% and fine tune... One stroke ... Two stroke... Three ... This is the blending.
One can use a "layer mask" and bush back “reality” at various pressure and opacity... It seems simpler, but I "feel" like I have more "control" of the elements with the skin graft technique... There are many ways to skin the cat... It is only through experience that one builds up a arsenal of techniques to address the individual challenge in the most efficient way.
One other note.. Eyelashes must be "perfect" I hand paint lashes and fix makeup in the eye area to perfection. Eyes are a "hot spot," they must be perfect. "Reality" is seen in pores and keeping natural beauty marks.
Imperfections are subtle and appropriate. Example. An older person will keep lines and some under the eye "reality" in a faded and brightened fashion, but yet "real" It is the art of keeping the integrity of the subject (especially celebrity) but adjusting for aesthetics and camera unkindness.
Another useful tip is to keep the multiple layers with various opacities separate as long as possible. I turn the layer "eye" on and off obsessively many times through out the retouch process. It allows me to second guess and readjust (stepping away) and give it a fresh view.
Step five: combine layers to reduce file size and make fine tuning less confusing. This simple technique can be used to fine tune not only skin, but hair, clothing, background texture.
After you have fixed the image’s appearance, you know can now finish fine tuning by addressing issues of color, grain, shaping, and gamut.
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