Who still manually retouches their negatives?

Bill Burk · Aug 30, 2021

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

Dusty Negative · Aug 30, 2021

Bill Burk said:
I know a course Katherine Gillis offers, web-based retouching instruction

Hmmm. Thank you for the info.

CMoore · Sep 1, 2021

Dusty Negative said:
Hmmm. Thank you for the info.

Did you have luck accessing her website.?

Dusty Negative · Sep 1, 2021

CMoore said:
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 · Sep 1, 2021

thank you

Louis Nargi · Sep 2, 2021

Thank You I'll go to her website

Dusty Negative · Sep 6, 2021

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 · Sep 12, 2021

mshchem said:
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 · Sep 12, 2021

focus_on_infinity said:
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 · Sep 12, 2021

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

Mainecoonmaniac · Sep 13, 2021

focus_on_infinity said:
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 · Sep 13, 2021

Mainecoonmaniac said:
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.

Who still manually retouches their negatives?

How many people airbrush or otherwise manually retouch their negatives?

Yes, I do frequently manually retouch my negatives.

I know how to manually retouch my negatives, but choose not to.

I wouldn't know where to begin to manually retouch my negatives.

I manually fix basic imperfections in the emulsion, but do not do aesthetic retouching.

Bill Burk

Dusty Negative

CMoore

Dusty Negative

CMoore

Louis Nargi

Dusty Negative

focus_on_infinity

Dusty Negative

Andrew O'Neill

Moderator

Mainecoonmaniac

focus_on_infinity

Who still manually retouches their negatives?

How many people airbrush or otherwise *manually* retouch their negatives?

Yes, I do frequently manually retouch my negatives.

I know how to manually retouch my negatives, but choose not to.

I wouldn't know where to begin to manually retouch my negatives.

I manually fix basic imperfections in the emulsion, but do not do aesthetic retouching.

Moderator

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency

How many people airbrush or otherwise manually retouch their negatives?