How to prepare a portrait for retouching
Choose a useful source file, write a clear retouching brief, protect important details and understand your proof before finishing begins.
Start with a useful source
Use your highest-quality available JPEG or PNG. Keep the original camera file in your own archive. Avoid screenshots, social-media downloads and repeatedly compressed copies where possible. A larger pixel count alone does not establish useful detail; motion blur, missed focus and clipped highlights remain important limitations. This intake accepts JPEG and PNG; it does not advertise an untested RAW or TIFF conversion.
Explain what is already done
Tell us whether the photo is already retouched, or choose “Not sure.” This helps avoid repeating skin cleanup, sharpening, white balance or tonal changes. A saved edit history is stronger evidence than an appearance-based guess. If a specific issue remains, name it: “The existing color is right; please address the fabric crease only.”
Write one clear brief
Describe the overall result, then the details that must remain. For example: “Natural finish, keep freckles and makeup, soften the bright forehead highlight, and leave the background alone.” You do not need to prescribe plugin names. A reference can explain a palette or mood, but should not become an instruction to copy another person’s face, body or wardrobe.
Choose the intended output
Mention whether you need a website portrait, an album photograph or wall art. Pixel dimensions and crop matter more than a DPI tag alone. Standard export is included with finishing. An optional enlargement should solve a real output need, not replace detail lost by unnecessarily shrinking the working master.
Check the proof at two scales
First view the whole portrait: does the light, color and emphasis feel right? Then inspect eyes, skin texture, hands, jewelry, clothing and background edges at a useful detail scale. Ask for a specific change such as “less skin smoothing” or “gentler contrast.” Approve the exact proof version that should be delivered; an earlier proof is not approval of a later revision.