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Professional Photo Retoucher Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Our Ideal Candidate * 2+ years of professional photo retouching experience, ideally in luxury, fashion, jewelry, beauty, or lifestyle. * Advanced proficiency in Adobe Photoshop. * Experience ...

Our Ideal Candidate * 2+ years of professional photo retouching experience, ideally in luxury, fashion, jewelry, beauty, or lifestyle. * Advanced proficiency in Adobe Photoshop. * Experience ...

Bring your VIBE * 3-6 years of professional photo retouching experience within e-commerce, editorial, or commercial photography environments. * Expert proficiency in Adobe Photoshop and related post ...

Bring your VIBE * 3-6 years of professional photo retouching experience within e-commerce, editorial, or commercial photography environments. * Expert proficiency in Adobe Photoshop and related post ...

ROLE OVERVIEW Reporting to the Postproduction Manager, the Photo Retoucher is responsible for ... Formalized career paths for continued professional growth * Comprehensive health insurance across ...

Bachelor's degree required. * 3-5 years of professional photo retouching, digital imaging, or related creative experience. * Strong portfolio demonstrating advanced retouching and color correction ...

ROLE OVERVIEW Reporting to the Postproduction Manager, the Photo Retoucher is responsible for ... Formalized career paths for continued professional growth * Comprehensive health insurance across ...

ROLE OVERVIEW The Editorial Photo Retoucher is responsible for elevating campaign, social, homepage ... Formalized career paths for continued professional growth * Comprehensive health insurance across ...

Retouch images to professional standards, including skin and texture correction, blemish removal ... Proven experience in a high-volume commercial photo production environment, producing beauty and ...

Work closely with Studio and Retouching teams to ensure that all items shot daily get selected ... Formalized career paths for continued professional growth * Comprehensive health insurance across ...

Work closely with Studio and Retouching teams to ensure that all items shot daily get selected ... Formalized career paths for continued professional growth * Comprehensive health insurance across ...

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Professional Photo Retoucher information

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$10

$33

$60

How much do professional photo retoucher jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 4, 2026, the average hourly pay for professional photo retoucher in the United States is $33.92, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $27.40 and $38.22 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What skills and qualifications are needed to be a professional photo retoucher?

To thrive as a Professional Photo Retoucher, you need advanced knowledge of photography, color theory, and digital image editing, often supported by a strong portfolio and relevant coursework or certifications. Expertise in industry-standard software like Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, as well as familiarity with RAW file processing, is essential. Attention to detail, creativity, and strong communication skills help a retoucher understand client needs and deliver high-quality results. These skills ensure the production of visually compelling images that meet client specifications and maintain professional standards.

What is a professional photo retoucher?

Professional photo retouchers are specialists who enhance and manipulate images using software like Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom. They work to improve the quality, appearance, and overall impact of photographs by adjusting color, exposure, removing imperfections, and sometimes combining elements from multiple images. Their clients often include photographers, advertising agencies, magazines, and e-commerce businesses. The goal of a professional photo retoucher is to deliver polished, high-quality images that meet the client's specifications and industry standards.

What is the difference between Professional Photo Retoucher vs Photo Editor?

AspectProfessional Photo RetoucherPhoto Editor
CredentialsOften holds certifications in Photoshop or digital imagingMay have similar certifications but often focuses on overall image selection and composition
Work EnvironmentPrimarily in studios, advertising agencies, or freelance settingsIn media, publishing, or digital content teams
Industry UsageSpecializes in detailed image correction and enhancementFocuses on selecting, cropping, and overall image layout

While both roles involve working with digital images, a Professional Photo Retoucher specializes in detailed editing and retouching to enhance images, whereas a Photo Editor manages the overall selection, composition, and presentation of images. The two roles often collaborate but serve distinct functions within the creative process.

How to become a professional photo retoucher?

To become a professional photo retoucher, develop strong skills in photo editing software such as Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, often through formal training or self-study. Building a portfolio of retouching work and gaining experience through internships or freelance projects can help establish credibility in the field. Certifications are not mandatory but can enhance job prospects, and staying updated with industry trends is beneficial.

What challenges do professional photo retouchers face, and how can they be managed?

Professional Photo Retouchers often encounter challenges such as meeting tight deadlines, handling high client expectations, and maintaining consistency across large batches of images. To manage these effectively, successful retouchers develop strong time management skills, maintain open communication with clients to clarify project requirements, and use efficient workflows and presets to ensure uniformity. Staying updated with the latest editing software and industry trends also helps address technical challenges and deliver high-quality results.
More about Professional Photo Retoucher jobs
What cities are hiring for Professional Photo Retoucher jobs? Cities with the most Professional Photo Retoucher job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Photo Retoucher jobs? The most popular types of Photo Retoucher jobs are:
What states have the most Professional Photo Retoucher jobs? States with the most job openings for Professional Photo Retoucher jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Professional Photo Retoucher jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Professional Photo Retoucher jobs are:
Infographic showing various Professional Photo Retoucher job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 53% Full Time, 41% Part Time, 3% Contract, 1% Nights, and 1% Summer. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $70,561 per year, or $33.9 per hour.

Freelance Photo Retoucher

Catbird

New York, NY โ€ข On-site

Other

Posted 12 days ago


Job description

Catbird is looking for a freelance photo retoucher to support our in-house creative team. You'll work closely with our photographer on beautiful, natural product imagery that feels unmistakably Catbird.

Our ideal retoucher has a sharp eye for detail and restraint-you know when to perfect an image without looking overly polished, and that texture and warmth matter.

To apply, please send your portfolio, a brief introduction, your hourly or project rate, and availability.

Key Responsibilities
  • Retouch high-volume ecommerce jewelry photography with exceptional attention to detail.
  • Color correct, match, and prepare images for web
  • Maintain consistency across image sets
  • Collaborate with our creative team to meet deadlines and uphold Catbird's visual standards.
Our Ideal Candidate
  • 2+ years of professional photo retouching experience, ideally in luxury, fashion, jewelry, beauty, or lifestyle.

  • Advanced proficiency in Adobe Photoshop.

  • Experience retouching highly reflective objects such as jewelry, watches, or accessories.

  • Strong color correction and compositing skills.

  • Excellent organization and file management practices.

  • Familiarity with Capture One workflows.

  • The ability to work independently while incorporating creative feedback quickly.

  • A portfolio demonstrating both ecommerce product retouching and lifestyle/editorial work.

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