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Who still manually retouches their negatives?

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

  • Yes, I do frequently manually retouch my negatives.

    Votes: 2 7.1%

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

    Votes: 8 28.6%

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

    Votes: 14 50.0%

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

    Votes: 4 14.3%
  • Total voters
    28
I know a course Katherine Gillis offers, web-based retouching instruction
 
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.
 

My grandmother used to retouch portraits professionally. That was the only part of the process she worked in.
 
focus_on_infinity said:
My grandmother used to retouch portraits professionally. That was the only part of the process she worked in.
Click to expand...

Makes me now wonder what the average turnaround time was between shoot and delivery.
 
focus_on_infinity said:
My grandmother used to retouch portraits professionally. That was the only part of the process she worked in.
Click to expand...
That’s a tough job. I’ve heard people who retouched negs long enough will have bad vision.
 
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