Meet the Jury

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

When I started learning retouching with my colleague in 2005, there weren’t many online resources available, so we had to learn from books, our own mistakes, and client feedback.

We had to face challenges such as learning how to work as a team rather than solely as individual contributors. This led us to focus on developing our own workflow, which then helped us avoid several technical issues.

One of our key achievements was implementing proper layer structuring and non-destructive editing techniques. It allowed us to grow quickly, become more creative and provide retouch services on the highest level.

I honestly love this job - it always makes me feel full of beans, especially when we have to face challenging projects.

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

We founded our studio in 2006 as a two-person team. Since then, it has grown steadily.
In 2023, my business partner left the studio, and I took over as CEO of House of Retouching.

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

I think our standards have been shaped mainly by the types of clients we’ve worked with and the challenging projects they brought in.

From the beginning, we’ve been involved in complex work with a lot of compositing, which always had to be completely seamless and unnoticeable.

This pushed us to test different techniques and learn how to analyse each image properly - what needs to be done and what really improves the final result.

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

Mostly my love for this craft and a huge curiosity about how other retouchers approach challenges, what techniques they use, how they build their files, what creative decisions they make, and how they receive and implement feedback to achieve the best possible outcome.

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

Not much, really.

I always try to deliver the highest quality of work, regardless of the client or the size of the project.

Every project deserves the same level of care, attention, and commitment.

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

I start by looking at the image and thinking about what feels wrong, what distracts from the main message, and what could improve the overall result.

Then I zoom in and analyze the pixel structure, which helps me understand what tools to use and what can realistically be done.

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

Apart from our workflow for layered files, we also have a workflow for file organisation and handling feedback throughout the project.

Since we usually work as a team, each project has a dedicated leader who manages the process and makes sure everything is delivered on time.

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

I would highly recommend understanding the tools and techniques which are being used while editing an image.

It helps avoid guessing what will work best and prevents mistakes or unexpected final results.

In summary, it helps save time and avoid unnecessary "back and forth" situations.

As someone who has spent many years working in retouching myself, I have a deep respect for people who continue to approach the craft with curiosity, humility, and a genuine desire to keep learning, no matter how much experience they have.

What stood out to me most while speaking with Krzysztof was not only the level of expertise he has built over the years, but also his passion for the process itself. After nearly two decades in the industry, he still speaks about retouching with the same enthusiasm and fascination that many of us felt when we first opened Photoshop.

That passion, combined with a commitment to quality, collaboration, and continuous improvement, is exactly the kind of mindset we hope to celebrate through Retoucher of the Year.

Krzysztof, thank you for joining our jury panel, for sharing your experience with our community, and for helping us raise the standards and visibility of our profession.

About Krzysztof Gadomski

Country: Poland

Years in the Industry: Advertising Agencies (1998–2004), Retoucher (2005–Present)

Primary Specialization: Advertising & Poster Retouching

Main Expertise: Compositing

Website: www.houseofretouching.com

Instagram: @houseofretouching

Facebook: House Of Retouching

Behance: House Of Retouching

LinkedIn: House Of Retouching & Krzysztof Gadomski