$10 Versus $2 Retouch: Photographer Tests Outsourcing Images to Cheap Online Editors

Photographer and YouTuber Irene Rudnyk hired two retouchers through Fiverr, the marketplace for freelancers. Paying one $2 and the other $10, she revealed what both of the low-budget retouching services provided.

With almost half a million YouTube subscribers, this isn’t Rudnyk’s first video of this nature. Last year, she posted another retouch experiment video in which she hired a Fiverr retoucher costing $5 with interesting results.

Requesting that the retouchers make the image “pop” and add more colour, she then opens up the creative brief by stating she’s looking for “anything else that you think would make this image look awesome.”

She sends her chosen image to various retouchers costing $5, $15, and another who offers to work on 4 images for $10. Upon receiving her images back, Rudnyk breaks down each edit and offers her thoughts, focusing her attention on the skin retouch as well as the colors.

Naturally, each of the results vary. Given the small price tags, most of the edits could be deemed as worth their value for money.

See the results and Rudnyk’s critiques at the video above. Fancy having a go of the image yourself? Rudnyk has made the photo available for download

Jack Alexander's picture

A 28-year-old self-taught photographer, Jack Alexander specialises in intimate portraits with musicians, actors, and models.

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5 Comments

Soon all professional fees will be $5. I bet you're laughing at this statement too. Now.

Im a crappy amateur photographer maquerading as a professional. Can you fix this horribly captured file ? My client would be very appreciative.

The $2 is CLEARLY the best.

Literally 5 mins. Shame you can't get consistent and high quality retouching, even from the more dedicated processing places - not only fiverr.

Do it yourself is always best. No one to blame but my own ineptitude