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Photo Retouching Rates: How Much Does It Cost?

We’re so used to flawless photos that we tend to overlook how much time and money goes into creating the best pictures possible.

Even the commercial images we see go through several rounds of post-processing before people even get the chance to view them publicly.

The secret lies in the art of photo retouching and post-processing. A retouching service can turn a good picture into a masterpiece, but one big question comes to mind: how much does photo retouching cost?

Photo Retouching Rates

Prices may vary depending on the quality and correction you want to achieve. At Image Restoration Center, we offer high-end image editing and retouching services at a fraction of the average cost!

Read on to learn more about photo retouching rates and how you can level-up your photos with our expertise.

a before after of a colorized photo restoration

We’re Not Like ‘Other’ Photo Restoration Services.

Take into account that, unlike other photo restoration services, we don’t just fix the obvious problems and throw a filter over everything – we comb through your images pixel-by-pixel to repair damage & create a perfect restoration of your prints!

What Is Photo Retouching?

The work doesn’t end after taking pictures of people at a wedding, an event, or a photoshoot! After pro photographers take their photos, they need to edit and retouch each image before submitting them to the client.

Photo retouching is quite similar to photo editing – both involve altering an image during post-production. Retouchers use programs like Photoshop to edit and retouch raw images according to your specifications.

Although it’s possible to retouch your pictures at home, there are nuances that only a skilled retoucher can achieve. Only a seasoned pro can retouch a photo so well that people don’t notice the difference! This explains why even professional photographers prefer to pay for high-end services instead of painstakingly working on their pictures one by one.

How Is Photo Retouching Different From Photo Editing?

Photo editing is relatively straightforward. When you edit photos, you’re changing very subtle elements in your images ranging from basic light adjustments to minimal color correction. The work that needs to be done per image takes up very little time, so most editing can be done quickly on apps or programs.

On the other hand, retouching entails more than simply editing images to make them look good. Photo retouching is the art of enhancing images using every tool of the trade. From smoothing skin, whitening teeth, and adjusting lighting to compositing a background, model, or object – anything is possible with retouching. You name it, and a skilled retoucher can make it happen for the right price!

What Type Of Retouching Service Does Your Image Need?

Photo Retouching Rates

The first thing you need to do is determine the level of correction and retouching needed per image. Here are the 3 types of retouching services you can get.

Basic Retouching

If you need only one or two corrections for each wedding, product, portrait, or landscape photo, a basic retouching service is just what you need. The background is usually left alone for basic retouches, but retouchers may increase or decrease brightness if necessary.

Basic retouching can be as simple as:

  • Color correcting
  • Lighting adjustments
  • Teeth whitening
  • Removing minor blemishes
  • Removing stray hairs

Advanced Retouching

If you want to clean up the background or details in a photo, advanced retouching is a flexible option for most people. This level of retouching is best for wedding events, portraits, and product photos that want subtle but effective results. Other advanced changes include:

  • Color correction
  • Blemish removal
  • Skin smoothing
  • Removing background objects

Extensive Retouching

If you want to make a photo look the best that it can, you should expect to pay premium prices for high-end retouching! This type of service is ideal for beauty and wedding photography because it ensures all the people in the photo look amazing but natural. Retouchers may use a clipping path technique to process photos, along with:

  • Background compositing
  • Color correction
  • Skin-end skin correction
  • Blemish removal
  • Light adjustment
  • Comprehensive editing

What’s Included In The Price Of Retouching?

Photo Retouching Rates

If you want to know how much you need to pay for photo retouching, it really depends on the services you need. Here are several types of retouching services that can drive up the cost.

Color Correction

If your image has discolored elements that can’t be changed with a simple edit, you may want to consider professional color correction. A pro retoucher can improve the saturation, hue, contrast, and tone of each picture to achieve the mood you want.

Adding Or Removing People

If someone didn’t make it to your wedding, photography retouchers can simply add people into your group shot. Otherwise, it’s also possible to remove people in the way of a beautiful shot with clone stamping and clipping

High-End Beauty Retouching

Even the most beautiful models typically need a bit of retouching, especially when clients expect flawless skin. Beauty photography focuses on teeth whitening, blemish removal, skin retouching, and color correction while maintaining a natural look. Retouchers may also use masks, layers, and clone stamping techniques to achieve the perfect complexion on top of strategic photo editing.

Unflattering lighting conditions can affect the quality and composition of an image. By adjusting the light in post-production, you can even out the exposure, whiten teeth, and highlight faces while editing. This simple adjustment can brighten up people in the foreground and fade the background for a more balanced composition.

Colorization Of Old Photos

Unflattering lighting conditions can affect the quality and composition of an image. By adjusting the light in post-production, you can even out the exposure, whiten teeth, and highlight faces while editing. This simple adjustment can brighten up people in the foreground and fade the background for a more balanced composition.

Adjusting Light Levels

One of the hardest things about adding color to black and white or sepia photos is how long it takes to color them in. If you want to preserve or restore old images, colorizing will breathe new life into faded memories. This service is more drastic than a simple edit or color correction because a retoucher needs to consult with historical experts to do the job accurately.

Compositing Images

Creating a clipping path allows retouchers to composite an entire photo using one image at a time. The level of experience needed to accomplish a proper composite is relatively high, so it may increase the price significantly. This type of correction should only be done by a pro, especially if you need to perform a background clean-up, expansion, or composition.

What Are The Average Photo Retouching Rates?

A pro retoucher may charge a different rate based on the number of hours, images, or projects, among many other factors. Sometimes, retouching services will offer a discount rate for bulk editing and retouching.

To give you an idea about the average pricing, let’s go over the 3 popular costing models of retouching experts.

Price Per Hour

The average hourly rate ranges between $85 to $120 per hour. Typically, it can take an hour to edit one or more images, which means you can expect the following estimated rates:

  • Basic Level – If you only need subtle skin retouching for a wedding, event, or photoshoot, prices range from $50 to 85$ per hour.
  • Advanced Level – The prices usually start at $100 to $120 per hour if you need more detailed retouches with color correction for a corporate event, wedding, or product photo.
  • Extensive Level – If you need drastic retouches on your photo for a high-end event like a wedding or a corporate party, prices range between $120 to $150 or more per hour.

Price Per Image

The prices per image vary depending on the complexity of correction and retouching. This is a more accurate way to estimate how much you have to spend on each picture since the cost depends entirely on the picture in question. The prices are as follows:

  • Basic Level – Some retouchers charge as little as $5 to $10 for basic editing and retouching per image.
  • Advanced Level – More detailed retouching for each photo will cost you between $15 and $25 per piece, but this doesn’t include drastic image compositing or restorations.
  • Extensive Level – If you want to retouch photos from a special occasion like a wedding or business event, it may cost you anywhere between $30 to $50 each.

Price Per Project

Most professional photographers charge flat rates for bulk photos per project. This pricing model is popular among product, fashion, and wedding photographers since they work with plenty of pictures.

Clients expect professional photographers to offer editing and retouching as part of their pricing proposals. Here’s a rough estimate of the pricing retouchers offer per project:

  • Basic Level – Basic bulk retouching can cost you anywhere between $80 and $100 depending on how many photos you need to retouch.
  • Advanced Level – Advanced retouching for fashion, beauty, product, or wedding photos ranges between $100 and $200 depending on the complexity.
  • Extensive Level – Retouching high-end wedding, product, beauty, and event photos range from $150 to $250 depending on the number of photos that need retouching.

What Factors Will Affect The Retouching Rate?

Different retouchers may charge additional costs based on your requirements. Below are other photo editing and publishing services that can drive up the cost:

  • Usage per photo
  • Number of revision requests
  • Time-sensitive work
  • Stylizing retouches
  • Restoring damaged photos
  • Printing high quality images
  • Delivering prints to your home
  • Rush or last minute photo editing

Get Affordable Photo Editing And Retouching Rates At Image Restoration Center

Before your photos see the light of day, you need to make sure you have them edited and retouched by a pro! Thankfully, our photo retouching and editing services can give you the high-quality results you’re looking for. As one of the most trusted names in the business, we guarantee 100% customer satisfaction or your money back. We also provide door-to-door delivery within 24 to 72 hours.

Now that you know more about photo retouching rates, you can hire a professional retoucher to take your photography to a whole new level. You can expect nothing but the best service at Image Restoration Center.

a before after of a colorized photo restoration

We’re Not Like ‘Other’ Photo Restoration Services.

Take into account that, unlike other photo restoration services, we don’t just fix the obvious problems and throw a filter over everything – we comb through your images pixel-by-pixel to repair damage & create a perfect restoration of your prints!

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