While I specialise in fashion and portraiture, my skills also extend to beauty and still life / product retouching.

My approach to retouching is always client-led, built on care, trust, and open, friendly communication.

Every client is different, and through understanding your past work and openly discussing any references or ideas you share, I work to realise your vision in a way that feels considered, consistent, and true to the work itself.

My feeling is that a good retoucher should be largely invisible, supporting the image and the photographer’s voice, rather than imposing themselves upon it. Building relationships with clients is really important to me, I want to make the process as seamless and straightforward for you as possible.

The same approach applies to colour grading. I adapt my skill set to help develop a grade that fits both your style and the brief for the project. Communication is central to this process: discussing what you’re trying to express through the work, what each image needs to achieve, and carefully studying any references you provide all play an important role.

Providing visual references is especially helpful. The closer they are to your own work — in terms of location (studio or on location), subject matter, and lighting (natural light or studio flash) the easier it is to refine the grade to match what you’re looking for.

Typically, I’ll grade one or two images first. Once the look is agreed and signed off, I’ll apply that grade consistently across the remaining images.

Every project is unique, and together we can figure out what works for you. Generally I charge either by the hour, or by the image. 

Please feel free to get in touch to discuss rates. If you can share a little information — such as the number of images, when high-resolution files and a brief will be available, and the turnaround you’re working to — I’ll be able to give you an estimate.

Alternatively, if you already have a budget in mind, I can outline what’s achievable within it.

This can always be agreed in advance, in a way that suits your timeline and budget.

As a general guide, I usually suggest allowing more time for the first round, as this is where most of the retouching tends to take place.

Unless discussed beforehand, your work will always be retouched by me alone, which means consistency, care, and a direct line of communication from start to finish. Nothing is outsourced, and every image is handled with the same attention and sensitivity. 

The only exception would be if we discuss in advance the need to involve another retoucher to meet a tight deadline for a large volume of images. I would of course organise and oversee this for you.

Raws, EIP files, Tiffs or PSD/PSB files are all acceptable. 

A brief, either as an annotated jpeg, a pdf with instructions, or just a description of what is required would also be needed.

Of course! I’ve always loved working on images shot on film. I’m passionate about working with the tonal subtleties, and character that make film images unique, while preserving its grain and integrity.

Unless otherwise requested, I keep a back up of simple layered versions of files indefinitely, in case you need them in the future. These are never shared with others, unless directly requested by yourself.

I’m based in the UK. After working in London for the first 10 years of my career, I now work remotely from my studio in Cornwall, which means I can work remotely with clients in the UK and internationally, while maintaining a responsive and collaborative workflow.

Generative AI is a powerful tool, and in the right hands it can be used to creatively solve problems that, in the past, would have required significant time and expense. 

Previously, if a client needed a large extension to an image where no plates were available, this might have meant a reshoot, extensive stock searching, or hours of manual matte painting. Generative AI can now play a valuable role in supporting this kind of work.

However, it isn’t a replacement for judgement or craft, and needs to be used carefully and selectively.

In unskilled hands, it will often leave tell-tale signs of its use. Artefacts, inconsistencies, low resolution, metadata traces, and visual “hallucinations” are inherent to diffusion-based generative models.

A skilled professional retoucher ensures these issues are identified and resolved, so they never become part of the finished work.

I can help you incorporate generative AI into your workflow where appropriate, whether that’s creating elements to integrate into a photograph, correcting errors within AI-generated imagery, or compositing your generated elements into an existing image.

When working with me, generative AI is never used for ‘global’ retouching changes, automating the retouching process, or any intervention that misrepresents the subject. I use Adobe’s Firefly models, which Adobe states are trained on licensed and public-domain content, and whose outputs are safe for commercial use.