One of the questions I get asked the most by people is, "I know there's tons of high-quality education that you've made, but how do I actually become a working photo retoucher, and put it all to use?" Well, pat yourself on the back if you're asking that question, because most photographers and novice retouchers trying to start a career in retouching either assume they already know the answer or just don't even address it.

Understanding how to become a photo retoucher is almost as important as how to do photo retouching itself. In this article, I'm going to begin to unpack for you all of the concepts, strategies, and myths behind a career as a full-time retoucher.