Meet the Jury

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

Originally from a print, production and repro apprenticeship. I love how creative retouching can be.

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

22 years, and I'm currently freelancing for various advertising and design agencies.

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

I've worked on the Paris Olympics, Virgin Racing, the Super Bowl, and the Sundance Film Festival, to name a few.

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

I have always loved the craft of retouching and the skills involved to change and manipulate specific elements that make up a composition. I used to see it as visual magic - so I would love to be given the chance to look at retouching from different levels of ability and see how the files were constructed and organised.

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

The way the file has been organised and the naming conventions. I also check the resolution and original quality.

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

The way the file has been organised and the naming conventions. I also check the resolution and original quality.

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

The ability to have an excellent eye for detail and be meticulous with naming folder groups and file names - for the purpose of others being able to pick up your file and work on it.

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

What is the imagery being used for? Sometimes the size, and whether it's for print or digital, determines what level of retouching is needed. A building wrap or hoarding obviously requires a higher level of retouching and time than something for a website or an app. It's easy to get bogged down with an enlarged area when it's better to keep in mind what the image is being used for and its final size.

A final note from us

Lawrence brings something invaluable to this jury - over two decades of experience working at the highest levels of advertising production, across some of the world's biggest events and brands. His roots in print and repro give him a technical foundation that few can match, and his instinct to always ask what an image is actually for before touching it is a lesson every retoucher would benefit from.

We are delighted to welcome Lawrence Norman as a member of the jury for Retoucher of the Year.

About Lawrence Norman

Country: United Kingdom

Years in the Industry: 22

Primary Specialization: Creative Artworking and Retouching

Main Expertise: Adobe CC - InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides

Website: lencreative.co.uk

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lawrence-norman-11037a19