Meet the Jury

How did you find your way into retouching, and what has kept you in it?

In the late 1980s I read an article in Photo District News about how National Geographic caused a minor scandal by using a computer to move a pyramid on a cover image to fit their crop. At the time I was assisting advertising photographers, and I remember thinking constantly about how much easier certain things would be with these new tools.

The summer of 1990 I decided to find out. Every spare hour I had outside of photo assisting, I spent tracking down resources and anyone who could teach me. Eventually I found Charles James, who was heading up a new digital department at a local film lab and was generous enough to show me the ropes. That led to buying a Wicked Fast IIfx Mac - and I have been in love with digital imaging ever since.

How long have you been working in the industry, and what phase of your career are you in now?

This past February marked 35 years. I'm told that makes me a senior retoucher - though I'd push back on the idea that the learning ever stops. There is always something new to get to grips with, and I think the moment you stop being curious is the moment you start falling behind.

What kinds of projects or environments have shaped your standards the most?

Working as part of a team on high-end movie poster and advertising campaigns. What those projects taught me - above everything else - is that the file itself matters as much as the final image. It needs to be something another person can pick up, understand, and work with. A brilliant result built on a chaotic file is not a professional result. That lesson has shaped everything about how I build my work.

What made you want to be part of the Retoucher of the Year jury?

I have always been interested in helping others learn and improve their skills. This felt like a natural extension of that - a chance to see what people are doing, engage with the community, and hopefully contribute something useful along the way.

When working on major campaigns compared to smaller projects, what truly changes?

Mostly the logistics - how everything gets kept organised and consistent across the scope of the work. The care and attention don't change. The complexity of managing it all does.

When you open a new file, what do you look at first before touching anything?

I save a merged layer of the comp first, to make sure everything is properly in place and nothing moves unintentionally. Then I look through the layers palette to understand how the file is built and what I'll need to do. After that I check the client's brief - whether I need to add bleed, place the file in a template, or handle anything else before I start working.

When working at scale, how do you make sure nothing is missed?

Careful notes, a flattened reference version of the file to check against, and a final pass at around 150% zoom - scrolling through the image methodically to make sure everything is exactly as it should be. It's not glamorous, but it works.

Beyond technical ability, what really determines whether someone builds a sustainable career?

Thinking like an entrepreneur. Good business skills, a solid approach to marketing, and a genuine drive to stay current and keep learning. Technical skill gets you started. Everything else is what keeps you going.

What do you think this industry needs more of right now?

More mentoring for people coming up and trying to build a career. There is a lot of knowledge in this industry that never gets passed on, and that's a real loss - for the people who need it and for the community as a whole.

What is one insight you wish more retouchers understood early in their career?

Know your value - and price accordingly from the start. I see newer retouchers consistently underpricing their work, which makes it harder to stay in the industry long enough to actually grow. Pair that with a genuine understanding of the business side - marketing, networking, how to position yourself - because the technical skill alone will not sustain a career. It never has.

A final note from us

Dennis is someone who has watched this industry grow from its very earliest days, and who has never stopped being curious about where it is heading next. His combination of deep technical knowledge, entrepreneurial thinking, and genuine desire to help others succeed makes him exactly the kind of experienced, generous voice this jury benefits from having.

We are thrilled to welcome Dennis Dunbar as a member of the jury for Retoucher of the Year.

About Dennis Dunbar

Country: United States

Years in the Industry: 35

Primary Specialization: Compositing, Entertainment and Movie Poster Retouching, Beauty, Lifestyle, Product

Main Expertise: Color Correction, Color Grading, Compositing

Website: dunbardigital.com

Instagram: @dennisdunbar

Facebook: facebook.com/ddunbar

Behance: behance.net/DennisDunbar

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dedunbar

Substack: substack.com/@dennisdunbar