Photographers generally like full control over an image from the moment they press the shutter to when they export it and send it off to the client, and as such, the idea of handing over retouching responsibilities to someone else can seem ludicrous. Some photographers do it and actually prefer it, however, and this interesting video essay features one successful photographer discussing why.
Coming to you from Daniel Norton Photographer, this great video essay discusses the topic of outsourcing your retouching. This can seem like an outrageous idea depending on the genre you shoot; for example, I can't imagine landscape photographers doing so. However, if you work in a genre in which the focus is often less on producing a single memorable image and more on delivering large batches of images, it can be a real way to get back a bit of work-life balance. For example, I know some wedding photographers who outsource a large amount of their retouching and who love the time they get back for other things. It certainly is not for everyone, but it is something to at least be aware of if you work with large groups of photos on a regular basis. Check out the video above for Norton's full thoughts.
"the idea of handing over retouching responsibilities to someone else can seem ludicrous" . . . to wankers, yes.
Most busy working professionals don't have time to sit in front of a screen for hours on end, so . . . like any good pro would do, they have a tech available, or on call.
Another fine out of touch click-bait useless article.
Ansel Adams had mostly other people do his printing . . . like most successful (businesswise) photogs, who are photographers, not darkroom technicians.
Yes, there is reason (and rhyme?) to do some yourself sometimes . . .
Oh, and your business "acumen"???? shows through. I don't pay my retoucher . . . my client does. It is called business
They aren't paying me, or other photographers for retouching because usually they are paying us to shoot . . . which bills considerably higher.
I have no problem with you, or anyone for that matter sitting in front of a computer. That's your choice. But I have yet to be in a major billing studio where there isn't either a full-time staffer doing tech, or a freelance brought in. If you are inured to being a one-man game, so be it . . . but it does intrude on time, in a big way.
Having a tech-ee on-site during a shoot elevates the process considerably
You definitely want James Fridman to retouch your photos! lol
My son does all his stills processing (wedding/event/photojournalist), but farms out his video processing. But, one of his good friends happens to be that video guy and my son's second shooter on occasion, so he charges minimally and does a terrific job.
Farming out is a smart move and it saves your time greatly. I worked with a wedding photographer as her assistant and she had me doing culling and creating Smartshow 3d videos that were part of the contract. Not sure if we could call it a real outsource as we kinda teamed up but still she didn't have to do everything on her own. But those who do not want to lose control over their works have a point as well. If the client books you basing on what they've seen in your portfolio it's probably not the right time to start outsourcing things.
Since I'm not a pro and I shoot primarily personal projects, I retouch my images because I have the time. If I were a really busy pro shooting practically every week, there's no way I'd want to handle all that retouching myself. I much prefer the shooting end of things and if I can find one or two fantastic retouchers, I'd pass that work on to them.
If I did high volume work, I would outsource.
No matter how good you think you are, it's unlikely that you're going to be better at editing or retouching than someone who spends all day everyday doing nothing but that. Outsourcing gets a bad reputation because tons of people use it primarily as a cost cutting measure, but I think it's important to remember that there are also plenty of professionals out there for whom retouching and editing is their art just as photography is yours.