Global competition Retoucher of the Year launches to celebrate post-production craft
Retoucher of the Year has officially launched as an international awards platform dedicated to recognising post-production specialists.
An initiative of Retouch League, the competition challenges entrants with standardised RAW image files and evaluates complete layered PSD workflows.
Craft behind the screen
Post-production remains an essential phase in contemporary image-making, yet the skilled artists responsible for retouching, colour grading, key art design, and compositing rarely receive formal industry recognition. As artificial intelligence continues to reshape creative production pipelines, Retoucher of the Year aims to establish a dedicated platform focused on human technical expertise and creative judgement.
Founded by high-end beauty and e-commerce retoucher Tímea Buknicz, the initiative seeks to elevate the status of post-production within the creative sector.
Buknicz stated, “Retoucher of the Year isn’t just about recognising today’s best retouchers. It’s about strengthening an entire profession. We want to celebrate the artists shaping today’s imagery while creating a clearer pathway for those who will shape tomorrow’s.”
She added, “If craftsmanship has shaped your career, help shape the future of craftsmanship.”
The organisation also addresses the reduced entry-level learning opportunities for junior creatives caused by automated workflows, hoping to inspire emerging talent to pursue post-production as a long-term career.
A level playing field
Unlike traditional portfolio-based design competitions, Retoucher of the Year removes production variables such as budget sizes, client access, and team resources. Every participant within a given category receives the identical set of unretouched RAW files and creative briefs, ensuring that entries are judged strictly on execution, aesthetic judgement, and technical proficiency.
The judging methodology examines both final visual output and underlying working methods. Entrants who advance to the top 50 in each category must submit their layered PSD files for technical review. This requirement allows the jury to inspect layer organisation, non-destructive editing workflows, and professional attention to detail.
The judging structure operates across three distinct rounds and features a panel of approximately 30 jury members. Visual artists Erik Johansson and Mikeila Borgia serve as official ambassadors for the inaugural edition.
Categories, regions, and key dates
The competition structure spans four geographic regions: Europe, The Americas, Africa & Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. Regional winners in each category progress to compete for global titles.
Award categories include Beauty Retoucher of the Year, Product Retoucher of the Year, Fashion Retoucher of the Year, Colour Grader of the Year, and Composite Retoucher of the Year. Specific categories dedicated to early-career practitioners with zero to three years of experience include Rising Star in Beauty and Rising Star in Product.
Ahead of the main competition, an open call invites photographers and creative teams to submit unpublished, unretouched image series across five distinct briefs.
These briefs comprise:
- The Art of Beauty (portraiture influenced by 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s aesthetics)
- Objects of Desire (commercial product photography)
- The Golden Era (documentary fashion editorial)
- Chromatic Dreams (haute couture imagery tailored for colour grading)
- The Alchemist (advanced key art and compositing)
Selected photography submissions will form the official competition image sets used for the regional rounds.
The photographer open call deadline is set for 6 September 2026.
General competition registration closes on 30 September 2026, with official competition image assets released to participants on 1 October 2026.
The submission deadline for completed retouched entries is 25 October 2026, followed by regional judging starting on 26 October 2026 and the global final in early December 2026.
For more information, visit Retoucher of the Year.