Vahakn Vorperian is a UK based high end visual retoucher that has worked for some of the top names in the industry for many years. We talk to Vahakn about his journey into retouching, his tips and techniques, and his thoughts on the future of the medium.

Website: https://www.the-retouchers.com/about

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vahaknvorperian/?hl=en

Astropad software for turning your tablet into a retouching tablet

Tim Walker - Fashion Photographer

Shooting plates & assets - blank plates at beginning and the end of a shoot

Vanity Fair 2018 retouching cock up

Jay Brooks - All Creatures Great and Small - Series 2 image

Nodel Ninja panoramic head

Panoramic stitch - Capture One

PT Gui software

TIPS

• Always keep the original layer - duplicate it and lock the original away


• Separate background and skin into folders - naming accordingly


• Depth of your canvas - your layer stacks. Items Furthest away always at bottom of the stack


• Toms Tiff file tip and tips on proper folder structures


• Naming convention Vahakn uses for his projects: (Job Number - Client - name of photographer)


• Use of WIPs (Work in Progress) streams for email conversations


• Delete the shots that don’t work! (unless you want the clients to end up picking them)


• Disney and the case of the hairy arms


• Green Screen - shoot on grey, not on green! And avoid shooting on white for anything you want to cut out. 50% grey probably best


• Shoot on Haze on Black - Then use blend modes (ie. screen or hard mix)

i1 Display Pro calibrator

Jigsaw24

Stanley Green - Black Passport

Eugeune Smith - Minamata trailer

Tom’s Hand Spanks (retouching glove)

Robert Frank - London and Wales book and the image that we discuss

Sergio Larrain photobook