Could you tell us a little about yourself and how you got into retouching?

My path into retouching started about 12 years ago, when I became pregnant and wanted to build a career I could do from home while staying close to my child. Photography had already been part of my life for years, so retouching felt like a natural next step rather than a completely new direction. I first worked in a commercial photo studio managing a team of retouchers, and after two years of seeing the work up close, I decided to learn the craft myself. Since then, retouching has grown into both my profession and the creative path that gave me the freedom to build a more flexible life.

How would you describe your retouching style?

I would describe my style as commercial retouching with a natural touch.

It comes from my love for traditional photography: rich and natural tones, soft contrast, and a timeless feeling. But as a commercial retoucher, my job is not to impose my own style on an image. My real job is to read the client's mind, understand what they want to see, and then quietly elevate it.

Not transform it. Just make it undeniably better.

I prefer working with a clear client brief. Sometimes I improve something outside the brief, and no one gets upset about it, because my clients trust me. I can feel where I need to stop my creativity. I can show more of that side in my personal art, but for clients, I think they value that I do exactly what they need.

What made you decide to enter Retoucher of the Year?

I was so happy to discover this competition because it brings so many of my colleagues and studios together in one place, and that is something I had never seen before.

I actually caught the very last train and signed up on the last day of registration. For me, it is a fantastic opportunity to test my skills, learn from others, and hopefully become part of a great team in the future.

What does winning validate for you today?

For me, winning would mean I am on the right path.

I have spent years learning, doubting, and pushing through. Winning would mean being recognised as someone whose skills are truly needed.

When you open a source image for the first time, what do you look at first?

Checking the color profile is supposed to come first, and it does matter. But in my workflow, the very first thing I check is whether all the file names match the brief.

Then I check the image quality, exposure, and lens focus.

I take a lot from painting in my work, so I believe tone and contrast are the heart of the image. Before making any corrections, I always check how the tones work in black and white.

Retouching is often invisible work. How do you feel about that?

When I first started, photographers did not mention me as part of the team. But I kept developing my skills because I genuinely love photography.

I believe the main parts of a good photograph are lighting and retouching. Now I have many clients who respect my work and always mention me.

What is one lesson that changed the way you work?

When I started, I was using too many actions and overcomplicating everything.

It took me five years to realise that a great result does not come from complexity. It comes from simplicity.

Now, all I need are my classic healing tools, my stamp, Dodge and Burn, and a few actions. When I teach retouching, I always repeat that less is better.

A final note from us

Mila's story is a reminder that retouching is often built slowly: through photography, observation, technical practice, self-doubt, and years of learning what to leave alone. There is something especially strong in the way she talks about simplicity. After years of tools, actions, experiments, and study, her conclusion is clear: the best work often comes from restraint.

What also stands out is her respect for the client brief. Mila is not trying to force a signature look onto every image. She sees commercial retouching as a collaboration, where the retoucher's job is to understand the image, understand the client, and make the result stronger without taking it somewhere it was never meant to go.

We are excited to welcome Mila Olennikova as a participant in Retoucher of the Year 2026.