These guys are good, though they have an opening for a Junior and a Senior.

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/med/418611866.html

and here

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/med/418560138.html

They do burn through retouchers there it seems. They always have ads. I think it's because they don't pay enough to keep the really good ones.

From what I understand, they are trying to add new retouchers, but have been really picky.

Ok, good. It just seems that they have had ads for the past 2-3 years is all. Even in NY it's hard to staff retouchers though so I understand.

"In-depth understanding of all technical aspects of retouching including color theory, color management and practical experience with US and European print production, RGB and CMYK color spaces is a must."

That's not a retoucher, per se, it's a manger on the technical side.

And, yeah, they advertise a lot. Why the turnover?

"In-depth understanding of all technical aspects of retouching including color theory, color management and practical experience with US and European print production, RGB and CMYK color spaces is a must."

That's not a retoucher, per se, it's a manger on the technical side.

And, yeah, they advertise a lot. Why the turnover?

I disagree. A senior retoucher needs those skills and more.

I agree with Ant on this one Benny. Essential knowledge to make it and keep ahead.

Chris

can any of you guys educate me a bit on the differences between US & European print production?

any little bits of info are most appreciated.

Euro is based on Version 1 of the Approval colors. Tend to be a little more yellow than the US. If I got that right.
Otherwise I treat it just like US and making sure the UCR is right.

Chris

thanks chris, i was just talking with onbe of my production managers, and they're gonna call a contact in germany and try to get some specifics.

I'm curious about the salary levels. They do seem very low. In the NYC and the immediate surrounding area, a good typist makes more than what they're offering for the Junior retoucher.

Are these 'entry level' Junior/Senior positions?

Thanks

I'm curious about the salary levels. They do seem very low. In the NYC and the immediate surrounding area, a good typist makes more than what they're offering for the Junior retoucher.

Are these 'entry level' Junior/Senior positions?

Thanks

I feel the same. I'm just getting by with that salary range out here in L.A. I can't imagine how those junior retouchers manage with that in NYC without living with their parents.

i haven't checked out impacts site in a while, in their special effects section of their portfolio, they have this really great spread with michael jordan, with all these tribal looking symbols, that look almost tattooed on his body.

it flows really well with the contour, and lighting as well. That's an interesting job to me. Prob a lot of displacement maps i would assume, among other masking and overlay techniques. Kind of like what chris was mentioning about following contour in the pascal makeup post.

just looks like a cool project. maybe 'cause i'm somewhat of a tat freak myself!

I'm curious about the salary levels. They do seem very low. In the NYC and the immediate surrounding area, a good typist makes more than what they're offering for the Junior retoucher.

Are these 'entry level' Junior/Senior positions?

Thanks

i hear ya about the salary, my wifes friend is secretary for a head surgeon at a hospital in Chicago and her salary is 70K a year...

i haven't checked out impacts site in a while, in their special effects section of their portfolio, they have this really great spread with michael jordan, with all these tribal looking symbols, that look almost tattooed on his body.

it flows really well with the contour, and lighting as well. That's an interesting job to me. Prob a lot of displacement maps i would assume, among other masking and overlay techniques. Kind of like what chris was mentioning about following contour in the pascal makeup post.

just looks like a cool project. maybe 'cause i'm somewhat of a tat freak myself!

This project was written about in PDN a year or two ago. I can't find it online. They detail the process well. I have no energy to attack the stack over in the corner.

edit: Found it. The May, 2006 issue. The retouchers name is Brent Adams, and the software used was Autodesk 3D Studio Max.

Wow I thought it seemed pretty great for a junior retoucher.....but then again in my area a 2 bedroom 1100 sq. foot apartment is $450 a month :) and they top out at about 800 a month with granite countertops and all frills

Just wondering what is the monthly cost of living in NYC without living in a shanty? I know its very expensive.

One bedroom, 455 sq ft, east village of manhattan - $2266

My flat in London - £1100 a month plus 150 c.tax. Thats $2,536 - and thats cheap. You guys have it easy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqNGhcdtMbc

There's nothing decent (non rent-controlled) in Manhattan under about 1800 or so for a one-bedroom. Outside of Manhattan, the prices drop (tho I can't imagine leaving Manhattan, even considering the 'lower rent/more space' argument.)

And those salaries are for pretty comparable, from what I've seen at other NY agencies, for entry level-ers. I'm sure their more experienced retouchers earn more.

455 sq ft, east village of manhattan - $2266

My flat in London - £1100 a month plus 150 c.tax. Thats $2,536 - and thats cheap. You guys have it easy.

WOW thats crazy, ... around here for $2000 a month you can pretty much have your own a castle :)

Heres what u get for $2000 in my city....then again there isn't any 100k a year retouching jobs either lol.
http://homes.realtor.com/search/listingdetail.aspx?cmid=1014226&ml=3&mnp=24&mxp=36&typ=5&sid=cdcf74d9bcc247c0ab180298f6d58e3f&pg=2&lid=1076739638&lsn=17&srcnt=60#Detail

http://newyork.craigslist.org/aap/

The boroughs are a little cheaper, but not w/out character.

Here in London experienced retouchers expect to get anything from 35 to 60k, depending on the type of work you can do. This is effectively 100k in $ - I've heard rumours of a few at the top end (http://www.happyfinish.net/) getting more than 100k ($202,850 a year). Just about makes it possible to live in this city

Hi Mark am from London to the house price are a joke here! Think it's now the most expensive city in the world, New Yorks no far behind tho.

Do you work for Happy Finish? I've seen those guys before sounds like a great setup. I think they are all freelance. Freelancers seem to earn more

Wow I never knew london was so expensive.

actually a city in germany was named the priciest city this year, i can't remember where, but they were comparing apmt rentals to manhantan's...and if i remember correctly the average 2 bedroom was about 4k/month.

i live in bk, and dont mind it at all, i actually like getting out of the city after work!

but i guess since i was born and raised in bk, it's the only thing i really know. except for a quick stint in queens and that will never happen again!!

After I build up my portfolio I am thinking of moving to new york city, so many more job opportunities...but I will be in such a culture shock. Where I live in now is in the middle of two cornfields :) but is like 10 min. from the city, fairly small one at that. I always thought Cleveland was busy and congested lol

KR, where in BK are you?

I'm in greenpoint

(tho I can't imagine leaving Manhattan, even considering the 'lower rent/more space' argument.)





If you're a freelancer, you spend way too much on space. Talk to your accountant. You are a small business, after all.

Yes its all going freelance here these days. Places like Shoemakers and Happy are forming replacing the big retouching houses like Metro (which at one point dominated, in their heyday taking £300 an hour for...to be frank sometimes quite basic retouching). I think its better because its more about talent and skill now hopefully.

i think some ppl in nyc are having trouble with the 300/hour rate, i could be wrong on this though. Just over heard a convo about it, but these guys were more digital capture, but were saying something about 150-200 hour for retouching.

maybe thats an average, im sure there are a couple places with the right clients getting 350.

I disagree. A senior retoucher needs those skills and more.

If you think about it, a "master" retoucher is like the head or executive chef at a fine resort. All the sous chefs, or cooks or junior retouchers do all the chopping, prep, the grunt work and then the master chef designs the recipes and menus with the mangers, does the tasting, and maybe the plate setup and takes all the credit and big bucks. He may come out from his kitchen/studio and work the room, socialize and sign a few menus/Iris Prints/CTs. There seems to be analogy here in the art world.

steve

i think some ppl in nyc are having trouble with the 300/hour rate, i could be wrong on this though. Just over heard a convo about it, but these guys were more digital capture, but were saying something about 150-200 hour for retouching.

maybe thats an average, im sure there are a couple places with the right clients getting 350.

Of course it's a problem. Just saw a few bills that shouldn't have been slipped by me, and, jeez, total up those hours, and I'll bet it gets the bean counters at agencies squirming and scheming some way to look good for their bosses by reducing costs. "Hey. let's do it ourselves!" duh.

I worked at an ad agency (big one, in NYC) for a while... I don't think I could ever do that again. Their demands and time requests are ridiculous. But many big ad agencies, and fashion labels are going internal. Unless it was Dolce & Gabbana, I probably couldn't go back.

bbdo by any chance, theveed?

My guess: Mcann Erickson

I too did a very short stint in-house at a huge ad agency - horrible. I was easing back into working for someone else coming off several years of freelance only. Yuck. Never again ....unless it's my agency

what is that they have you juggling all the projects at once, or is it the hours that are so bad? or maybe they demand too much in a short period of time that doesn't allow you to do the job 100% to your satisfaction?

i don't think i ever heard of anyone liking the advertising scene! retouching at least!

my last post was actually a question, or did i hit it on the head?!?

let me know experieced ad ppl.

i work at a major ad agency right now, but my situation is kinda weird, i'm in the "below the line devision" and am the only retoucher out of my group. Any hi-end stuff, or beauty/fashion/editorial work i do is on the side for someone.

If you think about it, a "master" retoucher is like the head or executive chef at a fine resort. All the sous chefs, or cooks or junior retouchers do all the chopping, prep, the grunt work and then the master chef designs the recipes and menus with the mangers, does the tasting, and maybe the plate setup and takes all the credit and big bucks. He may come out from his kitchen/studio and work the room, socialize and sign a few menus/Iris Prints/CTs. There seems to be analogy here in the art world.

steve

Um, excuse me, but, what are you talking about? Do you retouch? Or, are you from Switzerland, stuck in some Guild like existence?
Look, there's a whole bunch of retouching out there, mainly in a few places in the world. The customer wants it done (1) well, (2) as fast as possible, and (3) at a competitive price. Some have more money to spend, some less. Your (and my) job depends on figuring out how to make a decent living off this little machine.
That said, it's surprising how chaotic this machine is, sputtering and coughing through time. Total incompetents grab a handle, hanging on, reaching in and grabbing bags of money. True geniuses are pushing hard and pedaling inside, making it work as others study them. NO ONE is teaching each other - well hardly anyone, as I said in another thread. And the client could care less how much you know about color management or printing or whatever. He has serious political games to play.

I tell ya, if somebody talked to me like a chef does to his people, I'd stick a Wacom pen in his eye and walk down the street and find another gig.

KR you hit the nail. And I was at one of the Publicis groupes. I think I had a pretty good setup compared to their other retouchers, but that's not saying much.

To those of you who are high end professional retouchers, I was wondering how much personal vision and creativity are you allowed for each project? Must you succumb to the agency, editor, photographer or client? Must you you follow a standard or can you be the creator of a new standard? I'm sure a lot has to do with the experience and political network you have established over time. Is this a young man's game especially in the new age of digital? And I'm sure you deal with a lot of incompetent individuals who have the final say. Just wondering what it is like on the other side.

Generally your job is to do what they ask. they are paying for your time. Any photographer I've met has their own thing, they want to be in charge.

You bring your own expertise and talent, and that of the shop you work for and then make additional edits as per the client or art director. You don't wait to be told every little detail. There will be an initial brief, you make the noted adjustments and then work the file until it's right to you. In rounds that follow, you make adjustments based on comments from the client and those needed as they arrive. Often one change may necessitate many others discussed or not.

Having said that, I have done creative retouching for clients at my own discretion. In those cases, I was contracted specifically for what I thought would 'look cool' for the client. For instance http://www.mostvaluableplayas.com/