Pulling the Thread with Alberto Yagüe: Retouching fashion photos 📸

¿How they retouch fashion photos before publishing them? ¿Qué curiosidades esconde el controvertido mundo del retoque digital?

In this episode ofPulling the Thread, the Yellow Glasses podcast, I converse with Aliberto yagüe, retoucher with more than 10 years of experience and CEO ofStudio Yagüe, the largest digital post-production studio for fashion and beauty in Spain to explain details and anecdotes about his work and the particular world of fashion photo retouching..

Here you can listen to the entire conversation about Fashion Photo Retouching that was so interesting that we had in mypodcast «Pulling the Thread»:

A Conversation with one of the Best Fashion Retouchers in Spain

Hola a todos, I am manuel, the host of the podcast “Tirando del Hilo”. In today's episode, I had the pleasure of talking with Alberto Yagüe, one of the best fashion retouchers in Spain. With a decade of experience in the industry and collaborations with renowned photographers and brands such as Loewe, Escada and Vogue, Alberto offers us a unique insight into the controversial topic of photo retouching in the fashion industry..

Alberto explained to us that photographic retouching is not a new practice and has been carried out even in the analog era.. The main tool they use is Photoshop, together with Capture One program to translate raw camera files. Despite ten years of experience, Alberto emphasized that Photoshop is a complex tool without limits, and that there are still things that he does not completely control.

How Clients Request Touch-Ups

According to Albert, There are two scenarios when clients request touch-ups. With regular customers, you already know your preferences, but with new clients, ask for specific instructions to avoid misunderstandings. Sometimes they receive PDF briefings with instructions, especially when it comes to well-known models or public figures. Alberto confirmed that there are fundamental differences in retouching for different purposes, like magazines, advertising campaigns, online stores and social networks. Por ejemplo, a campaign with a celebrity like Pedro Pascal would require more time and attention to detail compared to a photo intended for social media or a website.

Team Dynamics in a Photo Session

Alberto emphasized that he sees collaboration as a team effort, with the photographer as leader. Believe in following the creative direction and photographer instructions, maintaining good relationships with other professionals involved, as stylists, makeup artists and editors. Alberto admitted that it may not be entirely fair that models often don't see the final image until it is published. He acknowledged that there have been controversies where celebrities felt poorly represented in publications.. Alberto believes in maintaining transparency and communication with models, understanding that they would appreciate seeing your image before it reaches a wide audience.

Criticisms and Controversies surrounding Fashion Photo Retouching ¿Are Retouching Scandals a Marketing Strategy?

The photographer and retoucher shared his perspective on the criticism and controversies surrounding photo retouching. He pointed out that many times, the criticism is not based in reality and is driven by malicious intentions to generate more press and attention. He suggested that these controversies may be a marketing strategy, as they often result in more media appearances and potential contracts for the individuals involved.

Alberto agreed with the idea that these retouching scandals can be a strategy to generate more attention. He added that there seems to be a trend in which people with imperfections, like gray hair or crooked teeth, They want to embrace their flaws and appear as they are.. He explained that, as someone who works with thousands of photos daily, Try to be respectful when you notice errors in the retouching. Acknowledged that errors may occur due to time constraints or pressure from clients.

*The transcription of this podcast episode to text has been done using AI, Therefore, this article may contain some syntax errors., semantic or morphological.