Meet the Jury

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

I actually started my career as a graphic designer. But I soon realised that putting together layouts wasn't really what captivated me. Whenever I was editing images though, everything just clicked and made sense. I've always preferred visual communication over relying on too much text.

What brought me into retouching, and what keeps me in it, is my love for making a single image strong enough to convey all the information and tell a complete story entirely on its own.

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

I've been working as a retoucher for five years now, preceded by four years as a graphic designer. I'm definitely in a senior phase of my career - I know my craft inside and out, and right now my focus is on pushing the quality of my work toward the highest global standards, while also helping guide emerging talent in the field.

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

The projects that have shaped me most are the ones that truly challenge my creativity. I love work that pushes boundaries - technically and in how the image is interpreted visually. There's something I genuinely love about pieces that escape reality a little and create a visual experience that feels singular.

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

Evaluating other artists' work brings a fresh perspective to my own. Seeing how other people see things expands my horizons in ways I can't always get from my own practice. I wanted to be part of the jury because I want to give back to the community - the same way others helped me grow by giving me feedback on my own work in the past.

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

I think it's the responsibility - not that one is greater or lesser, but it has to be handled differently. With smaller projects, even with a smaller budget, if you've taken on the job, you have to deliver your best regardless of the cost. That's what professionalism actually looks like. Larger projects bring a different challenge - visibility, and the pressure that comes with knowing more people will see the result.

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

How can I solve this in the simplest way possible? Creativity, for me, lives in the process itself. I've learned over time that the fewer layers there are to solve a problem, the more solvable that problem actually is. A project designed to be clean is also a project that's easy to adjust if it comes back for revisions.

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

Good file organisation. Everything in the file should be planned from the start - organisation is one of the biggest parts of the job, because only then do you have a map of the entire image, one you can navigate to find and change any part whenever you need to.

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

Your eye functions like a muscle - it has to be exercised through other forms of media too, not just retouching itself. Film, television, photography, painting. Analysing how each medium handles composition, colour, and structure, and then bringing that understanding back into your own work, is how you keep growing as an artist rather than just as a technician.

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

Little by little, thinking is being outsourced to AI. So today, more than ever, it's necessary to return to critical thinking and treat AI as a tool, not let it become the one doing the thinking for us.

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

That your early work being bad is part of the process, not a sign to quit. At the start, you think what you're making is wonderful - until you start seeing the things you need to fix, then more things, until it can feel like throwing everything away and starting over. It's frustrating, I won't pretend otherwise. But over time, the ability to clearly see what needs improving becomes a skill of its own. And that, I promise, is genuinely rewarding.

A final note from us

Rafael's belief that the eye is a muscle, something to be trained deliberately and continuously, says a lot about how seriously he takes this craft. His path from graphic design to becoming one of Lürzer's Archive's top digital artists reflects exactly that discipline, and his generosity toward newer retouchers makes him a genuinely warm addition to this panel.

We are so happy to welcome Rafael Alves as a member of the jury for Retoucher of the Year.

About Rafael Alves

Country: Brazil

Years in the Industry: 9

Primary Specialization: Retouch and Post-Production for Automotives, Packshots, Fashion and Lifestyle

Main Expertise: Retouch, Color Grading, Matte Painting

Website: therafaelalves.com

Instagram: @therafaelalves

Behance: behance.net/therafaelalves

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/therafaelalves

YouTube: @therafaelalvespsd