Retusoinnin

Retusoinnin, or retouching, refers to the process of editing an image or artwork to improve its visual appearance. The aim is typically to enhance aesthetic qualities by correcting or removing imperfections, adjusting color and lighting, and refining detail. Retusointi can range from subtle adjustments to extensive alterations, including reshaping, smoothing skin, or removing objects, depending on the context and goals.

Historically, retusointi originated in traditional photography and darkroom techniques such as airbrushing and dodging and burning. With digital technology, it has become widespread across photography, advertising, film, and digital art. Modern retusointi often employs non-destructive workflows using layers, masks, and non-destructive edits, enabling revisions without altering the original image.

Common techniques include blemish removal, skin smoothing, color and exposure correction, frequency separation for texture, cloning and healing, and selective sharpening. In some contexts, more dramatic modifications such as body shaping or background replacement may be used. Software tools commonly used for retusointi include Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, GIMP, Affinity Photo, and Capture One, among others, with both manual and automated workflows.

Applications span fashion, portraiture, product and beauty photography, editorial work, and digital art. Ethical considerations are prominent, particularly in journalism and advertising, where transparency about retusointi is often encouraged to avoid misrepresentation. Professionals balance image quality with authenticity, adhering to guidelines and legal standards where applicable.