Meet the Jury

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

I'm originally from Ireland, where I studied a four-year BA in Art Photography while assisting commercial photographers in Dublin - right at the point when the industry was shifting from film to digital. We were still shooting on film, processing and scanning our own negatives, which gave me a real technical grounding in image-making before a screen ever entered the picture.

What drew me toward retouching was the sense of possibility. It felt like an extension of photography - a way to refine and shape an image beyond what the camera alone could capture. I later moved to New York and decided to pursue it seriously. Through a mix of sheer luck and charm, I landed a junior position at Gloss Studio in NYC - despite, I'll admit, utterly failing the retouching test. That's where I learned the craft properly, and eventually worked my way up to a senior level.

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

Over 20 years now. Today I run my own studio in Los Angeles, Studio Madden, together with my business partner, focusing primarily on luxury fashion, editorial, and beauty work. At this stage of my career, the role is as much about direction and collaboration as it is about hands-on execution - helping shape the final image while keeping the technical precision as high as it has always been.

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

Working with leading fashion photographers has had the single biggest influence on me. Their vision - and the level of expectation that comes with both them and their clients - defines how I approach every project. A strong technical understanding of photography and lighting has been just as essential, because it lets you work with an image rather than against it.

My background in art and photographic history has also been invaluable. References in this work come from everywhere - a 90s campaign, a specific photographer, a painter from another era entirely. Being able to recognise and understand those references leads to more thoughtful, more accurate decisions once you're in post.

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

Retouching is a fundamental part of the image-making process, but it's consistently kept behind the scenes. It takes real time, skill, and sensitivity to do well, and I think that deserves more recognition than it usually gets. There's also a misconception that acknowledging retouching somehow undermines an image's authenticity - when in reality, almost every image we see has been worked on in some way. Being part of this jury is a chance to support the craft, and to give visibility to the level of work that actually goes into these images.

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

The level of detail and scrutiny increases considerably. The goal is always to land somewhere that feels both perfect and natural - which is a genuinely difficult balance to strike. Major campaigns involve far more stakeholders too: the photographer, the talent, the art director, the client, a wider creative team, all feeding in. Managing that process while keeping the image from becoming overworked is a significant part of the job. A lot of it is invisible work too - large-scale compositing, extensions, adapting images across formats and placements, all while keeping the final result completely seamless.

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

The technical fundamentals first - colour space, resolution, sharpness. After that, I look at how the image reads, how the eye actually moves through it. Small adjustments in brightness, contrast, or emphasis can subtly guide attention, reduce distractions, and bring focus to the elements that matter. For me, creating that balance and harmony is the work that happens before any detailed retouching even begins.

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

Developing a strong visual understanding - studying images, understanding light, colour, and composition, and recognising how the smallest changes can shift the entire feeling of a piece. Communication runs alongside all of that: being able to understand what a photographer or client is actually trying to achieve, and interpreting that direction accurately.

But the thing I keep coming back to is the balance between technical execution and sensitivity to the image itself - knowing when to push something, and knowing when to leave it alone. That second part is, in my experience, the harder skill to learn.

A final note from us

Jamie's career is proof that great retouching is as much about restraint as it is about skill - knowing precisely how far to take an image, and when to stop. His path from Dublin's darkrooms to running his own studio in Los Angeles brings a depth of perspective that spans both the analog and digital eras of this craft, and that range is exactly what makes his voice on this jury so valuable.

We are honoured to welcome Jamie Saunders Madden as a member of the jury for Retoucher of the Year.

About Jamie Saunders Madden

Country: United States

Years in the Industry: 22

Primary Specialization: Fashion, Editorial, Beauty, Still Life

Main Expertise: Film Grade Mimicry, Compositing, Skin and Hair Retouching

Website: studiomadden.com

Instagram: @studio.madden