Meet the Jury

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

I initially found my way into retouching from my love for beauty photography. I almost found it to be quite cathartic, and it was a new level of retouching that presented a totally new challenge for me - though I'd always loved editing images.

I've stuck with retouching over the years because I love the fact that you can experiment until your heart's content and really generate your own style.

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

I've been a photographer for well over 15 years now, since I was just 16 years old - so it's been a long journey, and my career has definitely evolved along the way.

Now I believe I'm in my educator phase. I feel that I've spent so many years testing and working with clients, and now I think it's time to focus on sharing my retouching and photography knowledge with others. It gives me a whole new passion for the craft.

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

Making the move to Melbourne back in 2016 really shaped my journey into beauty and fashion photography. I was no longer in the relatively small town I grew up in - I was living city life and constantly making new contacts. I really believe it was the launching pad for my career.

During that time I learned so much more about the industry in general, and getting the chance to work with professional models really helped my work evolve.

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

I love seeing new and upcoming talent in the industry, and being able to be part of something that really lifts aspiring artists into the spotlight is such a wonderful thing.

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

Admittedly the pressure certainly rises! I've often found it's a balance too - it can be quite restrictive working for some larger clients, and sometimes I think I need to be reined back in with certain aspects, especially ensuring that I'm taking the brief into account, both photographically and retouching-wise.

With smaller projects I've often found I tend to have a bit more freedom. It's not always the case, but something I have tended to notice over the years.

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

The composition. Though I don't always make that my first adjustment, I tend to notice it initially and I'm already thinking about how the finalised image overall is going to look.

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

Review, review, review.

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

I think style really comes into play, and building an aesthetic with your work is always a nice way to draw people into your craft. I also believe that networking is a super important aspect — making industry contacts can be make or break for a sustainable career. And persistence. With everything, I believe that would have to be the most important thing.

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

More personalised work, more focus on the craft. Everybody is always trying to figure out a way to do things faster — which is completely fair enough in this day and age. However, I think the personal element gets lost sometimes. We start to focus more on money and efficiency than on the art, or on actually evolving our work.

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

Be diverse in what you can offer and think outside the box! Of course you can always choose to specialise in one particular field or genre — however I've often found that one way to continue receiving consistent work in this industry is to be dynamic and able to retouch across genres. Be flexible.

A final note from us

Kayleigh's path through this industry is a reminder that longevity comes from staying curious. She started young, kept learning, moved cities when she needed to grow, and is now turning that experience into something she can give back. That generosity of spirit, combined with a genuine love for the craft, is exactly what we hoped to bring to this jury.

We are thrilled to welcome Kayleigh June as a member of the jury for Retoucher of the Year!

About Kayleigh June

Country: Australia

Years in the Industry: 15+

Primary Specialization: Beauty and Fashion Photography and Retouching

Main Expertise: Beauty Retouching, Editorial, Education

Instagram: @kayleigh_june

YouTube: @kayleighjune

Facebook: facebook.com/KayleighJunePhotography

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kayleighjune