Being a professional retoucher, I often come across pictures capturing tender moments of the family, siblings cradling newborn babies, parents hugging babies, or solemn, quiet moments of beloved people. These photos are already charged with love and togetherness, but what lies ahead for me is to bring out their best side without compromising their naturalness and authenticity.
Let's take this newborn and sibling photo example. The first picture is taken straight out of the camera. It has beautiful composition and genuine expressions but feels flat and doesn't have a warm feel to it. The tones are a bit cool, the light a bit off-balance, and the background and floor require some fine tuning to create that warm, dreamy feel that parents love.
You can see in the retouched one how the editing completely changed the mood. I started correcting the white balance, warming the skin tones without changing the whites. The children's skin is softer and even now, yet natural, no plastic or too-smooth look. All the details of the newborn's delicate skin and the older brother's broad grin are maintained.
Next, I made attempt at decluttering and enhancing the floor and props. I eradicated small distractions, brightened the wood floor and made light texture adjustments to the wall to provide the image some depth. The final result draws your eyes directly to the children, which was intended to be the focal point of this frame.
Lastly, I added a subtle glow and warmth to the lantern, promoting the atmosphere of the photo to be more comfortable and storybook-like. This small touch gives the photo character and transports it from a simple studio image to something magical: a memory preserved in the most delicate form.
Retouching children’s, newborn and family portraits is not about achieving a perfect image, it is about retaining the emotion and atmosphere of the moment, while also enhancing all aspects of the photo so that the image is as beautiful and permanent as the moment it records.