Meaning & use
retouching photos
Last updated
Meanings
phrase
The activity of using software to improve or change photographs, for example by removing marks, smoothing skin, or adjusting light and color.
Grammar: Used as a noun phrase; it can follow verbs like 'do', 'start', or 'finish', and it does not take an article in general statements.
Patterns
- retouching photos of someone
- do some retouching photos
- spend time retouching photos
- retouching photos for a client
She spent the whole evening retouching photos from the wedding.
Retouching photos is a normal part of professional photography.
He is learning how to do retouching photos on his laptop.
phrase
The act of making small changes to a photograph so that it looks better or hides something unwanted.
Grammar: Often used after 'after' or 'before' to describe a stage in a process: after retouching photos, before retouching photos.
Patterns
- after retouching photos
- before retouching photos
- finish retouching photos
- begin retouching photos
After retouching photos, she saved the final file.
The editor checks each image before retouching photos.
They finished retouching photos and sent them to the client.
Common combinations
- do some retouching photos
- I need to do some retouching photos before I post them.
- spend hours retouching photos
- He spends hours retouching photos for his blog.
- retouching photos for a client
- She is retouching photos for a client who wants a clean look.
- professional retouching photos
- Professional retouching photos can make a product look perfect.
- learn retouching photos
- Many beginners learn retouching photos by watching online videos.
- heavy retouching photos
- Heavy retouching photos can make a person look unreal.
Synonyms and how they differ
- photo editing
- A broader term that includes retouching but also cropping, color grading, and other changes.
- image enhancement
- Suggests improving quality rather than removing flaws; it sounds more technical.
- photoshopping
- Informal and often implies heavy or deceptive changes; it comes from a brand name.
Word family
- retouch verb
- To make small improvements to a photo or painting.
- retoucher noun
- A person whose job is to improve photographs.
- retouched adjective
- Describing a photo that has been improved or changed.
Commonly confused: retouching photos or retaking photos?
retouching photos vs retaking photos
Retaking photos means taking them again, while retouching photos means editing the ones you already have.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'retouching photos' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'For' shows who the work is done for, which fits the meaning of editing images as a service. 'To' and 'at' do not fit this pattern, and 'of' would mean the photos belong to the magazine, not that she is editing them.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “retouching photos”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.