a little advice

[mjcole]

Hi all
I've just found this site and pretty stoked, didn't realise there was a retouching community out there.

I'm actually posting my first post for a little advice especially from some of the
senior retouchers out there, if you have the time.

I've just started freelancing after a 12 year career in commercial hi-end retouching in Australia, both 2D and 3D. I've worked on some pretty big jobs from multinational to international car ads, products to fashion you name it.

I'm in dilemna of which direction to take my career next, but my question is based on what I've seen on this forum from the work post and the classifieds.
Do alot of you effectively get work from this forum and your website? It seems that any classified ads get saturated with posts and from some pretty inexperienced retouchers.

I guess what I'm asking is do any of you get disillusioned, I know I did and similar to the post 'are retouchers a dying breed' I've experienced years of photographers, art directors even suits being 'photoshop experts', watching agencies take all their retouching inhouse to produce terrible work and just a general downturn in the quality of work being produced,
maybe that's just in Australia...

I know I've done some great work and I'd love to give everyone a link but I'm not representing my old company anymore, I need to have my own book and site which has been started, which I'll post once it's completed.

Thanks in advance for any insights anyone has.

[WishfulPixel]

Hi Welcome to the board and congrats on going freelance!

Are you still down under freelancing?

Alot of times the work posts are saturated, but ultimately its up to the client to decide what they do and dont like. Its totally subjective, its also a cost thing, Im sure there are tons of hi end guys out there that would love to charge 250 an hour per job for every job (and who wouldnt!). but most people dont have that budget, and then the quality of work is compromised based on that.

watching agencies take all their retouching inhouse to produce terrible work

Any in house retouching in particular you care to comment on?