Retouch4me: The Game Changer in Photo Retouching
Back in 2021, I had the pleasure of reviewing and providing my thoughts on three Photoshop plug-ins from Retouch4me, which promised to streamline and take care of the heavy lifting involved in the retouching process. I was absolutely blown away! At the time, the whole AI craze was just getting started, and there were few plug-ins or any software that made good on their claims of simplifying the process and producing high-end results. Photography is a results-driven business, and often we, as working photographers, are swamped and need more time to edit our creations like we want to. Thankfully, Retouch4me offers a solution to this problem and a great one! In my initial review, I had the opportunity to use Heal, Dodge and Burn, and Portrait Volumes. These three plug-ins have effectively changed my workflow forever. The results produced by these three powerhouse plug-ins are nothing short of amazing. I use the trio in my retouching workflow and cannot tell you how much time and effort I have saved.
You can check out the review here: https://www.frontproofmedia.com/reviews/retouch4me-photoshop-plug-in-suite
Think of Heal as an AI-driven, clever spot-healing brush. Heal automates the detection and retouching of problem skin areas in photos while keeping the natural skin texture intact. This is always how I start the retouching process, and it produces astonishing results. What I absolutely love is that, unlike the spot healing brush, Retouch4me Heal doesn’t replace skin defects with over-smoothed, unnatural-looking skin patches. It maintains the natural skin texture and is the perfect primer for retouching photos.
Probably my favorite of the entire lineup, Dodge & Burn uses AI to darken and lighten problem areas of the skin, effectively producing the same high-end technique professional retouchers use to deliver jaw-dropping results. When done manually, this process takes a lot of time in a retoucher’s workflow. Once again, this plug-in can produce high-end results in seconds without blurring or smoothing the skin. A total game-changer!
RETOUCH4ME PORTRAIT VOLUMES
Portrait Volumes I compare to the global dodge and burn technique. I use this to add depth and dimension to my portraits, and it does an exceptional job of giving your work an almost 3-D pop. Like global dodge and burn, a little goes a long way, so opacity is your best friend! Portrait Volumes is the perfect compliment to Heal, Dodge & Burn and makes for a powerhouse trio in your retouching workflow.
Proper skin tones are super important in a portrait, and Retouch4me skin tone helps you achieve perfect, well-balanced skin tones with the click of a button! It’s remarkable to see how well this plug-in can identify uneven, splotchy, or red patches in skin and even them out to craft the perfect portraits. I like to use this plug-in to ensure my subject’s skin tone remains intact after color grading, which we all know can throw things off quite a bit. Retouch4me Skin Tone to the rescue.
Fabric is a unique plug-in as it works like a digital iron to eliminate wrinkles and creases in clothing. This is very valuable for fashion, catalog, and portrait shoots that require critical attention to detail. Fabric is a lifesaver because it cleans up an area most don’t even think about until it’s too late.
Mattifier is another one of those “you don’t think you need it until you need it” plug-ins. It does a fantastic job of eliminating hot spots and excessive shine on the skin. This is an invaluable tool if you shoot with an off-camera flash or do nightlife-style photography, where it’s common to face these issues. Mattifier is another excellent plug-in to pair with Heal, Dodge & Burn, Portrait Volumes, and Skin Tone to get the perfect finishing touch for your portrait.
RETOUCH4ME CLEAN BACKDROP
This is an essential plug-in for those commonly working in a studio environment. Clean Backdrop effectively detects and removes dirt, folds, and sensor dust leaving backdrops spotless! The great thing about this plug-in is that it only affects the areas that need it and doesn’t affect shadows or the backdrop color. It is a significant time saver when retouching studio portraits.
In addition to all the plug-ins mentioned above, Retouch4me has also released a free Frequency Separation plug-in that offers a lot of user control and is phenomenal. You can find that plug-in here
Retouch4me is compatible with :
Windows 7 (x64), Windows 10 (x64)
64-bit (x64) processor, 1.2 GHz or faster
PC: GPU with 4GB RAM or CPU with OpenCL 1.1 support
MAC: 2015 or later, Intel or M1 CPU
Retouch4me plug-ins can also work as a standalone software. They can also be used as an external editor in Adobe Lightroom and Capture One.
In summary, I find the Retouch4me plug-ins to be nothing short of amazing, and they just keep getting better through frequent updates and new releases. I have not found any retouching solution that is easier, or that is even close to producing the professional-quality results that Retouch4me renders. In this business, results are what matter, and if you can save a little time while getting those results, it’s a BIG win! I highly recommend you check out Retouch4me and see for yourself why these are the world’s best retouching plug-ins.
Heal: https://retouch4.me/heal
Dodge&Burn: https://retouch4.me/dodgeburn
Portrait Volumes: https://retouch4.me/portraitvolumes
Mattifier: https://retouch4.me/mattifier
Clean Backdrop: https://retouch4.me/cleanbackdrop
Skin Tone: https://retouch4.me/skintone
Fabric: https://retouch4.me/fabric