Magicalla Worx wrote:
People here are like Ice7 and vladdutch are raising fake bars and sheer insulting the likes of Natalia and quality retouchers including us openly. I think this thread be locked. Is a mod. reading this? I got targeted for no reason, when I was trying to calm the things down.

Woah woah. Don't go trying to get my Thread closed. Beyond the fact that there has been insulting going on. the basis remains " How to find a agency"

PS. Thanks for the link Chris

Natalia_Taffarel wrote:

When you're doing forums from your phone, you know you're really really screwed. You now that right hon?

and yes.... I do know that too

Tell me about it... I was waiting around at my daughters school and couldn't resist... The pain in the ass is doing cut and paste stuff with the iphone though.

Natalia_Taffarel wrote:

When you're doing forums from your phone, you know you're really really screwed. You now that right hon?

and yes.... I do know that too

Experienced it for the first time, last night, not gonna do that again! Signs. :x

Natalia_Taffarel wrote:

When you're doing forums from your phone, you know you're really really screwed. You now that right hon?

and yes.... I do know that too

No problem for a retoucher their like an octopus who multi tasks. Phone tucked under the chin chatting and what looks like 100 fingers racing on a keyboard and using a pen.
Occasionally stopping to take a sip of coffee.

Aphoristic Precise wrote:
This thread sure came through an interesting revival...

indeed!!


TDH STUDIO
www.tdhstudio.com

P A P A R A Z Z I  wrote:
Woah woah. Don't go trying to get my Thread closed. Beyond the fact that there has been insulting going on. the basis remains " How to find a agency"

PS. Thanks for the link Chris

If you do get a job working in a retouching studio then everyone works as a group, pools knowledge and helps out. A very fast way to learn.

If you were in the UK;

http://www.happyfinish.co.uk/

Check their careers page. They really are the dogs dangly bits.

P A P A R A Z Z I  wrote:
Woah woah. Don't go trying to get my Thread closed. Beyond the fact that there has been insulting going on. the basis remains " How to find a agency"

PS. Thanks for the link Chris

Don't worry. They are not doing that. I am glad the insults have reduced. They were nailing just anyone whether or not the reply is made to them:

:x

c_h_r_i_s wrote:
No problem for a retoucher their like an octopus who multi tasks. Phone tucked under the chin chatting and what looks like 100 fingers racing on a keyboard and using a pen.

Did you put a spycam in my room or what? lol anyway, I keep my phone on silent when I am working

c_h_r_i_s wrote:
Occasionally stopping to take a sip of coffee.

You forgot to mention occasionally getting off to go pee! hahaha

P A P A R A Z Z I  wrote:
I wonder, Why i can't find someone to work with exclusively.

Just like the saying goes, "To get the job you want, you have to dress the part." This applies for retouching as well, to get the type of clients you are looking to work with, you have to present a similar portfolio to the work they have in theirs.

Retouch the images that are going to give you that NEXT job. If you settle  for cheap clients, you will always have cheap clients.

If you proudly display 20 minutes retouches in your portfolio you will only get 20 minutes $20 images to work on.

You can take this as an insult or find the logic in it and work around that. It's up to you.

x

Krunoslav-Stifter wrote:
I think location plays a part if you starting out.

If it's going to be a big production photo shoot, they want you on the set with them or immediately available. For me that's a problem. I'm 8h (+/-) away. Time difference, I mean. So if agency in USA wants me for the job I have to be up all night, or they would have a delay in their time schedule. Usually not an option. My bet is they will go for someone local, or someone more famous that has rock solid reputation or someone they have worked with in the past.

And there is still factor of paying me since PayPal is not fully available here in Croatia (I use moneybookrs). Image transfer is also a potential factor. That is way I prefer photographers over agency. More flexibility, but less pay.

I disagree with that. Since I'm located in Argentina and it has never been a issue. So that's not usually the case.
Skype gets you closer and fast and reliable ftp even closer

I can see how it could be a problem starting out but you won't get many big production photo shoot when you're starting either.

x

Natalia_Taffarel wrote:
I can see how it could be a problem starting out but you won't get many big production photo shoot when you're starting either.
x

That is what I mean. No problem on technical side of thing, at least for me. Skype for screen sharing and communication, few sleepless nights with lots of coffin and FTP. Language is not an issue.

But first they Have to trust me, right. It's like logic behind Catch-22:
"You can't get a job without experience, but you can't get experience unless you have a job."

Now, on the other hand if I had your reputation or Amy Dressers...

Natalia_Taffarel wrote:

Just like the saying goes, "To get the job you want, you have to dress the part." This applies for retouching as well, to get the type of clients you are looking to work with, you have to present a similar portfolio to the work they have in theirs.

Retouch the images that are going to give you that NEXT job. If you settle  for cheap clients, you will always have cheap clients.

If you proudly display 20 minutes retouches in your portfolio you will only get 20 minutes $20 images to work on.

You can take this as an insult or find the logic in it and work around that. It's up to you.

x

I could never take that as a insult. But i do dress the part. I don't have any 20 minute retouches, nor do i believe in it. So then what?

v2lab wrote:
this thread was good for a few lulz - some fools talking nonsense ; and some talented people being bashed... all in all it was a good 15mns

anyways

back at the OP ; networking is the biggest thing that will get you anywhere - word of mouth... keep your stuff circulating and send it out to as many people as possible - whats the worst that can happen? rejection?

I was doing that at one point. But a few other retouchers told me. most photog's look down on retouchers that come to to them for work.

So if they don't come to me and i dont go to them i make no progression

P A P A R A Z Z I  wrote:
But i do dress the part. I don't have any 20 minute retouches, nor do i believe in it. So then what?

then don't advertise that

P A P A R A Z Z I  wrote:
Me, I have extreme dedication to what  do. There for i can do about 8-10 images. Which take me from a hour each at the start but once i get moving the speed progressiveness increases.

Brightonian wrote:
There is an old saying:

"If a man can build a better mousetrap than his neighbour - even though he builds his house in the woods - the world will make a beaten track to his doorstep"

Keep creating breathtaking work and the people who matter will soon find you

It certainly worked for me - I never look for paid work but clients certainly seem to find me

This is the path I would go down if I were you

Good luck

John

Understood. You just opened my eyes

Natalia_Taffarel wrote:

then don't advertise that

You Are absolutely correct. I just realized where i was going wrong. Thank you Natalia

By the way whats the most recent Magazine you worked for.

P A P A R A Z Z I  wrote:

Brightonian wrote:
There is an old saying:

"If a man can build a better mousetrap than his neighbour - even though he builds his house in the woods - the world will make a beaten track to his doorstep"

Keep creating breathtaking work and the people who matter will soon find you

It certainly worked for me - I never look for paid work but clients certainly seem to find me

This is the path I would go down if I were you

Good luck

John

Understood. You just opened my eyes


You Are absolutely correct. I just realized where i was going wrong. Thank you Natalia

By the way whats the most recent Magazine you worked for.

This week
Fab magazine UK
Fame UK

x

P A P A R A Z Z I  wrote:
I know most retouchers here have worked for magazines or internet sites.How does one go about finding jobs with this. Because freelancing only gets me so far and i'm ready to work for magazines and other labels but i have no idea how.

move to a third world country, I hope that was helpful

Ravendrive Productions wrote:
move to a third world country, I hope that was helpful

Can you explain what u mean with that?

Ravendrive Productions wrote:
move to a third world country, I hope that was helpful

Excuse me?

The Power of Beauty wrote:
I believe Daniel Meadows had also asked what a good FTP hosting company would be as well.

I personally use http://www.ipage.com/ (Quite happy with the price and service, they also offer Anytime Money Back Guarantee, unlike some hosting companies)

You get one free domain name, and unlimited bendwith, unlimited storage and some other cool stuff. As long as it's within reason. Meaning you can't open another YouTube. Visit the website for more detail.

BlueHost is another prospect. http://www.bluehost.com/


Or.

You can use free alternative, http://www.filemail.com/
Works pretty well, for me.

There is also, DropBox, YouSendIt etc.

Ravendrive Productions wrote:
move to a third world country, I hope that was helpful

How is that helpful and just not plain offensive ?????????

Ravendrive Productions wrote:

move to a third world country, I hope that was helpful

Troll....You cannot retouch a troll...dont feed him now.

Let him come back to make sure

The Power of Beauty wrote:
So I read through this whole thread right now for the first time. It got thrown off quite a bit. But I believe the standing questions people were posting were...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
How does a retoucher find an agency?

If not an agency, how would one find work with magazines and higher clientel? If one of you have worked with bigger companys/magazines, how did you get the opportunity?

A few people asked if some retouchers could list who they're represented by if there were any.

And for those getting work with magazines & agencies, what kind of pay range do you guys get?

I believe Daniel Meadows had also asked what a good FTP hosting company would be as well. 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

So if anyone else have some answers to the above questions please feel free to post them. I as well as the OP and others would greatly appreciate hearing more on the topic.

I don't know any agency that reps retouchers. Are they out there? Doubt it but you never know.

As I've mentioned above, most mags have in house production teams that perform all retouching or the work is farmed out to a prepress house/studio that does it for them. In some rare cases, a freelance retoucher is used on certain stories or are retouched by the photographer/his retoucher with direction from the art directors. The same can basically be said for advertising agencies as well (although that gets slt more complicated). My experience with these companies started out through a prepress company but eventually moved to working directly with art directors and photographers as digital photography took hold.

Pay range for a prepress retoucher can vary. The higher end guys can make upwards of $80,000 (i'm giving NYC wages here). Overtime is also a big deal. Be warned though if you do go for a prepress position, most likely you will be working 4pm to midnight or worse. Most good retouchers have the day shifts locked down and seniority plays a big role.

Now the downer......prepress companies are a dying breed and that pay range number is lowering significantly. More and more photo studios and straight up retouching studios are doing the retouching duties for ad agencies. For mags, and I believe this is what the person that mentioned a "third world country" meant, they are using much cheaper labor in Asia and India to do prepress work and that includes retouching. The quality is much lower but, because of today's economic climate as well as the publication's struggle for the smaller advertising dollar, production costs trump that.

If you want to make good money, remember to deal directly with the Art budgets and not the Production budgets. In other words, photographers and art directors not production directors or prepress directors. Just my opinion of course. I'm sure there are photographers that would disagree.

ice7 wrote:

Wouldn't a photographer give out the RAW files to the advertising agency or the magazine that has hired her/him?
(in this case all the retouch work would be done by the client that has ordered the images... correct?)

Don't some companies have their own retouchers or they are just approving what the adv. agency produces?

I'm holding the last issue of Vogue as we speak, and as I was expecting I find something changing... to be honest a lot of the d&b retouches (high-end) start to look the same to me... and on the first couple of pages there are ads for Louis Vuitton and Dior, that have quite different post production than the regular retouch. Can't say I like it... but I can see they try to differentiate themselves in the type of retouches they have. (or is it just the adv. agency they hired?)
Has anyone noticed that trend?

My main goal being here was to learn new techniques and transfer them to movie/video-post production / compositing ... never had done any retouching 6 months ago I have to say "retouching" is no "rocket science"

I disagree that you need to be specialized in retouching to produce good results. The only thing that someone who does retouching exclusively is that you may get things done faster, yet this does not guarantee good results.

This post is kind of old, but thought I'd input. I have never known a photographer to ever hand over unadjusted RAW files to a client. I've worked for one photographer that gave the client the RAW files, but only after they were heavily adjusted and only needed minor retouching. This guy was pretty old school though and has been in the business for over 30 years and can still get away with that, plus his daily rates are more than most people make in an entire year so the last thing his clients want to do is also pay a retoucher with his rates. Every other photographer I've worked for, the images that go to clients are completely retouched and minor color corrections are made before the client ever sets eyes on the photographs. After everything is approved final adjustments are made and then they're sent off as high res files.

amanda stosz wrote:
Every other photographer I've worked for, the images that go to clients are completely retouched and minor color corrections are made before the client ever sets eyes on the photographs. After everything is approved final adjustments are made and then they're sent off as high res files.

this