What's in your retouching toolbox?

[Doug Nelson]

It's been awhile since I've surveyed the software landscape here, and all my previous attempts were use-agnostic. This time I want to concentrate just on photo retouching.

So, what software do you regularly use for your photo retouching? I'm going to go out on a limb here and predict a lot use Photoshop, but even if that's the case I'm interested in plugins and other apps you call on.

Do me a favor and also list version numbers and your general level of usage (hobby, occasional freelance retouching jobs, full-time retoucher, whatever else you think describes your usage). The type of retouching might also be useful. And we might as well throw in OS platform, and any other data you think is relevant.

[sid_v]

Hi,

I use Photoshop exclusively since version 4 to CS4. I tried plugins when i started out but didn't like any of them. Some were way to cheesy for me. I have designed actions though over the years, to speed up my workflow and get every popular look i wanted to recreate.

I am a professional commercial photographer and also do fashion books. The commercial part covers fashion, beauty, portrait, lifestyle, products, interiors etc. I have been doing my own retouching since the beginning. The actions help me speed up the process and be more consistent.

My actions and workflow are listed here(not free) if you would like to see before/afters:
http://sidvasandani.blogspot.com/p/p...p-actions.html

I am working on videos to show the retouching workflow, which will be up soon.

[nebulaoperator]

Hi everybody,

I am new to retouching but only use CS5 and some actions I made myself. Have not tryed any plug-in yet but I suppose you loose a lot of control when you introduce them to your work flow and gain some speed on the other side.

[eraanexact]

Photoshop CS5
CaptureOne 5 and CaptureOne Pro for processing RAW files.
All Macintosh based.

I'm a full time retoucher, fashion/beauty.

[ashphotoart]

Full Time freelance Beauty/Fashion retoucher.

software : Photoshop CS3

Developed so many actions for frequently use for general and higher end techniques/methods, we discussed here on retouchpro and on MM forum.

I also do portrait and wedding/event retocuhing for low budget work, so I use -
1. My own actions
2. Portraiture 2.1
3. Color Effex Pro 3.1
4. Neat Image 5.8 Pro
5. vertus Fluid Mask 3 (use rarely, masking with channels I use most.)

for photo restoraton
1. FFT filter
2. Neatimage 5.8 Pro

and offcourse lots of uses from Photoshop inbuilt filters.......

Ashish

[ashphotoart]

[mushmush]

Photoshop- CS4 for retouching

Illustrator/Indesign/Acrobat mostly for color management issues

[AydensGrace]

I use Photoshop CS5 32 bit, but 16 bit for processing fashion and beauty photos.

I try to stay away from actions for actual retouching, but Lightroom presets call my name for toning if I want a specific look. All Mac (OSX 10.6.6) based applications.

[RichardtKeech]

I'm brand new here

I'm a photographer/assistant
I do a little retouching as part of my job but I'd consider my skills to be only basic
Predominantly beauty/fashion but also whatever else the photog I'm shooting with shoots

I use Capture One Pro 6.1.1 as capture software and basic colour/contrast/sat/brightness editor as well as outputting to tif or jpg as needed

Anything more complicated than that I use Photoshop CS5

All on OS10.6.7

[ryans.daughter]

I'm new around here too, although I've been lurking for a while. I'm a photographer and do all my own retouching and editing. I use GIMP 2.6 and have recently discovered RawTherapee (latest stable release) which has improved my workflow no-end

[TerryB]

Started in mid-2002 with PS7, then CS, then CS3, now CS5.

Vast majority of work is restoration & reconstruction, both commercial and volunteer for Operation Photo Rescue, plus freebies for a few friends. Occasional commercial product retouch/color change/color match/corrections.

32bit W7 Home Premium, I-5 Quad @ 2.66 Ghz, 4GB DDR3

The only plug-in I employ is FFT, though I've tried Neat Image, Polaroid D&S remover and a few I've forgotten. Haven't found anything (other than FFT) that works as well or is as predictable as PS's native abilities. ESPECIALLY with CS5.

I'd appreciate any observations regarding my opinion of plug-ins.

[tsiklet]

hi im new here and want some beginners tutorial on how to remove creases and folded paper texture on images such as creases on scanned images.

can anyone help me on this? im using photoshop cs3

thank you guyz

[skydog]

tsiklet...start a new thread with your request and upload a copy of the scanned image you want help on...I'm sure there a lot of individuals on this site that can help you.

[virago]

I'm using Photoshop CS5 32-bit for retouching (portrait, headshots, beauty, fashion, etc.) Nik and Noise Ninja are main plug-ins although I seldom use plug-ins in my retouching unless the client requests a certain look where a plug might help accomplish that.

Win 7 Ultimate 32-bit
4 Gig Ram
Photoshop CS5 Extended
Nik Software
Noise Ninja

[Chain]

I use Photoshop for a wide variety of tasks, and not only "retouching".

Photoshop CS5 64-bit for everything (+Camera Raw for RAW images).
My own action sets to speed up frequency separation, sharpening, etc.
My own action sets to speed up batching conversions of images.
For batching I go Bridge > Tools > Photoshop > Image Processor.
I do have the FFT-plugin but I rarely encounter situations where it can be used.

Attached a few of my actions that I find useful while retouching.

[Dudley]

I may be a tad late to this party, but currently I use PSE 8 on a Windows platform. My statis is Hobbist, (but will take a buck or two, if someone wants to pay me). I may try out Paint Shop Pro, if the money situation improves.

[DadanY]

photoshop cs 5 64 bit,i use tablet wacom tooo

fulll time retoucher

[dtaanic]

I have been full Time retoucher since photoshop 4, started with 2.5
Today i branched back to photography.

Really never used much plugins, as i always ditched them after trying them. It is only recently that i begun to use Nik color efex pro to some extent in the workflow. At some time i used some noise removal plugins, but not anymore, it was in the film scanning days.
Actions for conversion resize and sharpening.
PS CS5, Capture OnePro and Aperture for RAW, Mac computers, wacom tablets.