Photo Retoucher Resume Example and Template
A strong photo retoucher resume showcases technical mastery of Adobe Creative Suite, an eye for detail, and a portfolio of client work across different industries. Include specific techniques like skin smoothing, color grading, and object removal, plus measurable project volumes.
Recruiters prioritize before and after samples, turnaround time improvements, and experience with high-volume production workflows. Emphasize collaboration with photographers and art directors.
Also searched as
Senior Photo Retoucher, Junior Photo Retoucher
Jessica Chen: Photo Retoucher
Austin, TX, United States
Summary
Photo retoucher with 6 years of commercial experience in beauty, fashion, and ecommerce. Expert in advanced skin retouching, color grading, and compositing. Reduced client project turnaround by 30% while maintaining premium quality standards for 2,000+ images annually.
Work Experience
Senior Photo Retoucher, Luminous Studios
Mar 2023 – Present. Commercial photo post-production facility, 25+ staff
- Retouch 400+ images monthly for luxury fashion and beauty brands, maintaining 98% first-pass approval
- Mentored 3 junior retouchers on advanced skin blending and color matching techniques
- Implemented new RAW processing pipeline that cut project delivery time by 25%
- Pioneered automated dust and blemish removal scripts, reducing manual work on catalog shoots by 40%
Photo Retoucher, Prism Creative Agency
Jun 2021 – Feb 2023. Full-service advertising agency, 60 employees
- Processed 200+ images per week for ecommerce clients including product photography and lifestyle shots
- Developed custom Photoshop actions that accelerated batch processing by 35%
- Collaborated with photographers on set to plan efficient post-production workflows
- Specialized in beauty retouching including airbrushing, frequency separation, and seamless background removal
Junior Photo Retoucher, Focus Image Solutions
Jan 2020 – May 2021. Photography services and post-production, 15 employees
- Retouched 150+ images monthly for portrait and commercial clients
- Assisted senior retouchers on high-end beauty and fashion projects
- Learned advanced techniques in dodging, burning, and luminosity masking
- Maintained organized asset library and version control across all project files
Education
School of Visual Arts
Certificate, Digital Photography and Retouching. Sep 2019 – May 2020
Skills
Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Capture One Pro, Frequency Separation, Color Grading, Compositing, Batch Processing, Skin Retouching, RAW Processing, Adobe Bridge
Languages
English, Mandarin Chinese
Why this look works
The clean, minimal aesthetic reflects the precision and attention to detail central to retouching work. A light background with crisp typography mirrors the clarity professional retouchers bring to images. Soft blues convey the technical refinement and calm focus the role demands.
Resume tips for this job
- Lead with a portfolio URL or Behance/Instagram link showing before-and-after work, not just final images
- Quantify your output: images per week, project volume, turnaround improvements, or approval rates
- Name specific tools and techniques like frequency separation, luminosity masking, or content-aware fill
- Highlight any automation or workflow optimizations you've created or implemented
- Include experience with different retouching styles: natural, beauty, fashion, commercial, product
Common questions
Should I show before and after photos in my resume?
No, your resume text shouldn't include images. Instead, hyperlink your Behance, portfolio site, or Dropbox folder in your contact section or summary. Recruiters in photo studios expect to visit a live portfolio, not flip through attachments.
How important is it to list specific software versions?
Not critical. Focus on software names and specialized techniques instead. Mentioning 'Photoshop' is enough; version numbers change too quickly. If you've mastered a less common tool like Capture One or Affinity Photo, that's worth calling out.
What if I haven't worked for major brands?
Emphasize the volume and variety of work you've handled, not brand names. Say '2,000+ images across beauty, fashion, and ecommerce' instead. Describe the technical challenges you solved and measurable improvements you delivered.
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The person, employers and numbers in this example are fictional, written to show what a strong resume for this job looks like.