Retouching in Los Angeles, CA.

[PTS]

Hi.

I'm moving to Los Angeles from the UK next month, and will be looking for photoshop retouching work. I wanted to seek advice from anyone who lives in LA and working within design / retouching, or knows someone who does. I've worked within mostly cosmetic retouching for years now, and would like to think I'm highly skilled with image manipulation and colour.

I'll probably be living within Hollywood, so one would guess there's plenty of opportunity for my field of work? As well as photographic, magazine, and print work, I've heard movie studios / production companies will hire a retoucher to work on images for graphics (such as movie posters)? Any advice / contact names would by greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Paul S.

[jaydenjoe]

Re: Retouching in Los Angeles, CA.

I personally treat it just as I do when retouching in RGB for a CMYK final.Since Gamma 2.2, or Dot Gain 20%, etc. are just idealised working spaces, the choice has more to do with the performance of that space for your work than anything else. I personally use Gamma 2.2 and 16bit* for all my grayscale work. Although you could get the same result with a different curve in another space, I find that when curving in the Gamma 2.2 space I use more "organic" curve shapes to better effect.

[whiteyanderson]

Re: Retouching in Los Angeles, CA.

paul,

times have been lean here in L.A. but, there is work here if you don't fall into the "I'm in L.A. and won't touch anything beneath me because i'm god" trap. also you will need to get your name out there into the network. in other words you'll have to hustle out here to get the point across.

i get a lot of freelance business in adult work. it may not be ideal and it may be beneath many others but, it pays WELL. and affords me to be my own boss while i hone my skills. at the same time i can seek out new clients. and slowly i am aquiring a small but, loyal clientele that is non-adult. it has been a lot of work.

production companies are abound here but, i've never approached them. i would imagine they are tough to get into at first. what there is here are plenty of people who just like you, are trying to find their place and need work done. it may be small jobs and the work may not be as glamorous as wanted but, hey L.A. isn't that glamorous either when you see it for what it is. if you're willing to put in the work you can gain momentum. the problem is many people move here with big dreams and give up when it hasn't happened for them in 12 months. if you're eager and put in the time and hustle you can write your own ticket. the willingness to work is what seperates the ones with any type of success from the ones who fail.

[Filip Cz]

Re: Retouching in Los Angeles, CA.

Cool. Post answeared after 7 years. I wonder if Paul was so patient. :-)

[hippooo]

Re: Retouching in Los Angeles, CA.

Cool. Post answeared after 7 years. I wonder if Paul was so patient. :-)

Xcellent ...

[stippy1]

Re: Retouching in Los Angeles, CA.

If you are moving to L.A., there is some information that might be quite helpful, no matter what topic you are interested in. The site gives some general information for students in California and I found it very useful.

[samimg]

Re: Retouching in Los Angeles, CA.

Cool. Post answeared after 7 years. I wonder if Paul was so patient. :-)

Fantastic! Did he make it in Hollywood?