Every image you receive is retouched by me, personally, and the retouching removes things that are temporary while leaving the things that make you look like you. Blemishes go. Skin texture stays. Bodies are not reshaped. If you want more or less than that on a specific image, you can ask, and I will tell you honestly if I think it is a mistake.
People worry about retouching in two opposite directions: that they will be airbrushed into a stranger, or that the thing they hate will still be there. Here is the policy in full.
What gets removed as standard?
Anything that would not be there next week.
Blemishes and spots.
Bruises, scratches, and marks from clothing (waistbands, bra straps, sock lines).
Stray hairs across the face or on the fabric.
Lint, dust, and marks on the set.
Redness from waxing or shaving.
Under-eye darkness, softened but not erased.
That is done on every image in your gallery without you asking.
What stays unless you ask?
Anything that is part of you.
Lines and wrinkles. Freckles and moles. Stretch marks. Scars. Tattoos. Tan lines. Cellulite. Skin texture generally.
The reason is simple. I have seen what over-retouched boudoir looks like, and so have you. Skin that looks like poured plastic, a face with no lines at fifty-five, a body with the edges pushed in. It does not look like the person. It looks like a photograph of a photograph.
The clients who book here mostly want the opposite: a good photograph of the person they are. That is what I make.
What can I ask for?
Anything, and I will tell you what I think.
Common requests I say yes to: softening a specific scar, removing a tattoo you regret, reducing a tan line, evening out redness, minimising a stretch mark you are self-conscious about.
Things I will push back on: smoothing all skin texture, reshaping a waist or thighs, removing all lines from a face. I will do a lighter version and show you the difference. If you still want the heavier version, we will talk. I have not yet had someone choose the heavier one after seeing both.
Things I do not do: body reshaping. If you want to look leaner in the pictures, that happens in the session, with light and posing. Read why I don't retouch bodies smaller.
Do you outsource retouching?
No. Nobody outside the studio ever sees your images.
A lot of studios send retouching to an outside service, often overseas. It is a normal business practice and it is why some studios can turn galleries around in three days. It also means a stranger is looking at your photographs. I would rather do the work myself. It is slower and it is more private.
How long does retouching take?
Two to three weeks from the session to your finished gallery. Larger galleries take longer. If you need images by a specific date, for a wedding gift for instance, say so when booking and I will plan around it.
How many images are retouched?
All the ones in your collection. The Study includes 15, the Signature 30, the Collection every image from the session. There are no unretouched "proofs" you have to pay to finish.
Do I get to see the images before retouching?
Normally no. I select the strongest frames, retouch them, and deliver the finished gallery. That is how nearly every session runs, and it is what the collection counts are based on.
If seeing a lightly edited set first matters to you, ask before your session and I will arrange it as a one-off. It adds time to the turnaround. If there is a particular frame you remember from the day and want to see, just ask and I will find it.
What does the editing look like beyond retouching?
Colour and tone, kept natural.
Skin looks like skin. Whites are white. The light looks like the light in the room. I do not apply heavy filters or turn everything grey or orange. The guide to what my photos look like covers the overall style.
Black and white is available on any image. Some galleries end up mostly black and white because it suits the light and the person. Ask if you have a preference either way.
Can I have the unretouched files?
The raw and unedited files are not delivered. The finished images are the work. If there is a specific frame you want in a different edit, ask, and I will usually do it.
How will I know it is done right?
You will look at the gallery and see yourself on a good day, recognisable and real. If you look at an image and something about it feels wrong, tell me which one and what, and I will fix it. That is part of the service.
Written September 2026.