Entry Fees & Prizes
Retouching is global. So is this competition.
But we know: what feels fair in London won’t feel the same in Lagos, Dhaka, or São Paulo.
To make participation accessible worldwide, countries are grouped into three pricing tiers, based on local economic conditions and purchasing power. Each region has its own entry fee and regional prize structure, making the competition more accessible while maintaining the same professional standards for every participant.
Regardless of tier, every participant competes under identical conditions within their regional competition—working on the same official images, following the same creative brief, and being evaluated anonymously using the same judging criteria.
Across every region, we award the following Regional Titles:
Beauty Retoucher of the Year | Product Retoucher of the Year | Fashion Retoucher of the Year | Composite Retoucher of the Year | Colour Grader of the Year | Rising Star of the Year – Beauty | Rising Star of the Year – Product
Alongside the category winners, each region also recognises its Top 50 Artists, celebrating the highest-performing participants across all categories.
The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in every category then advance to the Global Final, where they compete for the international titles.
tier 1 - £65 Entry
Established Creative Hubs
Economically developed markets with strong creative industries and higher living costs.
Examples include regions such as Western and Northern Europe, North Americas, Oceanias, Middle-East, East Asia
£500
£400
£300£500£400£300£450£300£200£450£300£200£200£150£100£500£400£300£500£400£300TIER 2－ £45 ENTRY
Emerging but Thriving Markets
Regions with growing creative industries and mid-range living costs.
Examples include regions such as Central & Eastern Europe, Central America, South America, South Africa
£300£200£150£300£200£150£200£150£100£200£150£100£100£70£50£300£200£150£300£200£150TIER 3－ £19 Entry
Fast－Growing Creative Economies
Emerging markets where digital artistry is rapidly expanding and accessibility is key.
Examples include regions such as North Africa, South Asia
£150£100£70£150£100£70£90£70£50£90£70£50£70£50£30£150£100£70£150£100£70Why TIER?
Because this is a global competition — not a local one.
Our mission is to make retouching recognised and celebrated everywhere. That means creating a fair entry point whether you live in Copenhagen or Kolkata.
- Same brief. Same jury. Same standards.
- Different entry fees and prize pools — balanced to your country’s economy.
- Every winner, no matter where they are from, gets global visibility through our website, social media, and press outreach.
This is not about dividing artists.
It’s about removing barriers — so talent can rise anywhere.
Because retouching is not just a job title. It is responsibility for the final image. And that responsibility is shared — between photographers, retouchers, and graphic designers.
Retouch League™ isn’t just about who wins.
It’s about proving that retouching is a craft worthy of recognition — from Dhaka to Dubai, from Budapest to Berlin.
Some categories test pure technical skill (Rising Star, Supernova).
Some celebrate colour and mood (Luminist).
Some are about subtle storytelling (Halo).
And some demand full Photoshop mastery (Alchemist).
