SERVICES · 01

Portrait Retouching

Portrait of a woman framed by large green leaves

Natural skin finishing, detail cleanup and expressive portrait work that keeps texture, character and the person authentic.

Portrait retouching is the refinement of a portrait after it has been photographed: skin, hair, colour, tone and small distractions. The aim is a polished image in which the person still looks like themselves. Natural skin texture is kept and refined consistently across the face rather than smoothed away.

The portfolio covers studio and beauty portraits, editorial and gel-lit portraits, lifestyle and outdoor portraits, and a professional headshot.

PROJECT DETAILS

Complimentary test edit: Prospective clients can send up to two images with their instructions for a complimentary test edit. Test edits are completed around our current production schedule; additional images, or changes beyond the original test instructions, may be treated as separate work.
Files we accept: JPEG, TIFF, PSD and common RAW formats such as CR2, CR3, NEF and ARW. Other formats can be discussed if required.
Sharing files: WeTransfer, Google Drive, Dropbox or another agreed service. Finished work is delivered the same way.
Corrections and revisions: If we miss an instruction that was clearly included in the original brief, we correct it at no additional charge. Substantial additional work, a significant change in creative direction, new requirements or work outside the agreed scope may be quoted separately.

Full details in the studio FAQ →

START A PROJECT SEE THE PORTFOLIO

What this can include

Skin cleanup
Temporary blemish removal
Texture refinement
Stray-hair cleanup
Tonal adjustments
Colour adjustments
Small distracting-element cleanup
Localised image refinement

Skin texture, natural features and the character of the original lighting are kept. The retouch concentrates on temporary blemishes, stray hairs and small distractions. More substantial changes are discussed and agreed in the brief. The Journal article When Does Retouching Become Too Much? looks at where that line sits.

Who this is for

Portrait, beauty and editorial photographers, studios producing headshots or model portfolios, and personal portrait projects where a careful, natural finish matters more than an obviously retouched look. For a set of portraits from the same session, skin tone, colour and finishing are kept consistent across every image.

How the process works

Send your images, a short brief and any references, along with your delivery requirements.
PIX ALTER reviews the images and brief and confirms a realistic timeline and price for that specific project.
The images are retouched to the agreed brief, keeping the character of the original photography.
Finished files are delivered in the agreed format.

Send the highest-resolution files you have — RAW (CR2, CR3, NEF or ARW), TIFF, PSD or high-quality JPEG — and note anything that should stay exactly as shot, such as freckles or a particular colour grade. A reference image of a finish you like is the quickest way to agree the level of retouching. Turnaround, file formats and revisions are covered in the studio FAQ.

See how PIX ALTER works →

Selected Portrait work

Each example in the Portrait Retouching portfolio can be compared before and after with the slider, with notes on what was refined.

Studio portrait of a woman with curly auburn hair after skin and tonal retouching

Editorial portrait under red and teal gel lighting after colour grading and tonal retouching

Editorial beauty portrait with hands framing the face after colour retouching

View the full portfolio →

Related services

Questions about
this service.

What does portrait retouching include?

It typically includes skin cleanup, temporary blemish removal, texture refinement, stray-hair cleanup, and colour and tonal adjustments. Which of these apply depends on the image and the brief.

Can portrait retouching preserve natural skin texture?

Yes. Portrait retouching at PIX ALTER is about preserving the natural texture of the skin while removing blemishes, scratches and other imperfections. Portrait work needs close attention to detail, so the skin is refined consistently across every area rather than smoothed over.

Can distracting elements be removed from portraits?

Yes. Small, localised distractions — stray hairs, a mark on clothing or a small object at the edge of the frame — can be cleaned up as part of the retouch. Larger changes depend on the image and are discussed before work begins.

Can multiple portraits be edited consistently?

Yes — for a set of portraits, PIX ALTER can work to keep skin tone, colour and finishing consistent across the images.

LET’S WORK TOGETHER

Have a project
in mind?

Send a few images and a short brief. New clients can start with a complimentary test edit of up to two images.

START A PROJECT