Who still manually retouches their negatives?

[Bill Burk]

I know a course Katherine Gillis offers, web-based retouching instruction

 

[Dusty Negative]

I know a course Katherine Gillis offers, web-based retouching instruction

Hmmm. Thank you for the info.

 

[CMoore]

Hmmm. Thank you for the info.

Did you have luck accessing her website.?

 

[Dusty Negative]

Did you have luck accessing her website.?

I found this: https://carol-king-butler-academy.t...come-a-fearless-traditional-retoucher-spotter

I haven’t had time to really scrutinize the course. I think it’s $425, which, along with the time commitment, make it unlikely for me in the near future. But it’s exciting to know the knowledge is still out there and more-or-less accessible.

 

[CMoore]

thank you

 

[Louis Nargi]

Thank You I'll go to her website

 

[Dusty Negative]

Well, so far, it looks like a rough 50-50 split between those who wouldn't dare touch their negatives (OP included) and those that either would, could, or sometimes do, although evidently very rarely for purely aesthetic purposes. Evidently, most who do manually 'retouch' their negatives are rectifying basic anomalies in the emulsion rather than removing wrinkles, softening rough skin, removing unwanted thumbs upsetting the composition, etc.

Frankly, that is more than I anticipated.

Very, very interesting to know. Thanks to all who responded.

 

[focus_on_infinity]

I've spotted fb prints. No way do I have the dexterity for working on even large format negatives. In the day portrait photographers often employed a full time person, usually a woman, to alter negatives, hand color prints etc. Pimples removed eyelashes added etc

My grandmother used to retouch portraits professionally. That was the only part of the process she worked in.

 

[Dusty Negative]

My grandmother used to retouch portraits professionally. That was the only part of the process she worked in.

Makes me now wonder what the average turnaround time was between shoot and delivery.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I only touch the negative if there are pinholes, and only if I'm printing the negative directly into sensitised paper.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

My grandmother used to retouch portraits professionally. That was the only part of the process she worked in.

That’s a tough job. I’ve heard people who retouched negs long enough will have bad vision.

 

[focus_on_infinity]

That’s a tough job. I’ve heard people who retouched negs long enough will have bad vision.

Well, eventually she was legally blind, although I'd be surprised if it had anything to do with that job.