Send the right files
Send RAW files if you have them. If you only have processed files, send full-size TIFF or high-resolution JPEG, not screenshots or social media copies. We accept all major camera RAW formats, plus TIFF, PSD and DNG.
Send only your selects. Culling is your job, and retouching rejected frames wastes budget. Share the files as a link (WeTransfer, Google Drive or Dropbox) and set sharing to anyone with the link.
Describe the look you want
Words like natural or clean mean different things to different people. Show the look: add two or three reference images, a moodboard or a previous project you liked, and say what you like about each one.
Say what must not change. For example: keep freckles, keep the mole on the left cheek, keep the fabric texture, keep the logo exactly as it is.
Notes per image
Give general instructions once, and add notes only for images that differ. A short list works: remove the stray hairs, soften the shadow under the eyes, whiten the teeth slightly, fix the color of the dress to match the swatch.
If you need a specific color, send a swatch, a Pantone code or a hex value. If you are unsure, say that too and ask for a suggestion.
A brief you can copy
Project and use: what the images are for (print, web, social, catalog) and the final sizes. Look: three references and a sentence on each. Keep: the details that must not change. Fix: the problems you want solved. Color: any swatches or codes. Deadline: when you need the files. Delivery: the formats you need, and whether you need layered files or an NDA.
That is enough for a good retoucher to start without a long back and forth.
After you send it
Expect a reply with a quote and a timeline. Check that the quote matches your brief and confirm any extras before you approve it. Revisions are for adjustments, so send them in one message with specific notes rather than one comment at a time.
At LightHouse Retouch you get a personal reply within 12 hours, and revisions are included in the price.
Ready for Uncompromising Editorial Quality?
Hand retouching with real skin texture and revisions included. Starting at $40 or $50 per photo, with commercial and jewelry projects quoted within 12 hours.
