1. Do Product Photo Retouching Services Mislead Potential Customers?
As is the case with model photo retouching for products, or fashion photo retouching for the fashion
industry, products have come in for criticism in the recent past. Those who are not in favor of product
image retouching argue that it creates false expectations among potential customers about the look of
the product and its worth. Those who defend product photo retouching claim that this branch of photo
editing can dramatically improve the look of the pictures and portray the product in a favorable light –
something the product companies would obviously like to hear. So what really is the truth? Let’s weigh
both the sides objectively before coming to any conclusion.
Argument # 1: “Product photo retouch service providers overdo touchups on an image.”
There could be inexperienced digital artists providing photo retouching services who go overboard in
their efforts to make the product look good. In general, though, the majority of them would rather be
concerned about client satisfaction than showing off their post processing skills. With experience,
retouch artists usually develop a knack for knowing where to draw the line.
Argument # 2: “Image retouching makes the products look worth more than they are.”
This is the most common of arguments raised against product photo retouching. While it is
understandable to tweak the picture enough to compensate for technical issues, unfavorable shooting
conditions, etc., retouching can make the product look far more valuable than it really is. This poses the
danger of misleading the customers and raising their expectations from the product to more than what
the product can actually deliver. That makes it a genuine concern. While heavily retouched images might
look great onscreen, product companies are well-advised to consider the possible repercussions of
making a super-product out of their product offering. A truly professional photo retouch service provider
will not go overboard and will advise their client accordingly.

2. Argument # 3: “Photo retouching shifts the focus from the product’s utility to its cosmetic look”
This tends to happen when amateur retouch artists get obsessed with displaying their photo retouching
skills rather than meeting the client’s requirements from the product’s image. Classic examples of this
are watches, jewelry, gadgets (especially mobiles and tablets), etc. Since a picture is a powerful medium,
it has the potential to draw the prospective customer’s attention to its own beauty rather than help
bring out the utility of the product being displayed.
The Purpose of Product Image Retouching
The key to ensure you are not blowing up your product photos to look larger than life is to ask yourself
(or to have your service provider ask themselves) these questions:
 Does the retouching compensate for technical issues and unfavorable shooting conditions just
enough?
 Does it help communicate the true value of the product precisely?
 Does it go well with the medium where it will be used? (Ex. Product catalog, brochure, in-flight
magazine, etc.)
If the answer to all these questions is “Yes” then you are on the right track. Else, you need to go back and
go easy on touching up your product images rather than have unrealistic expectations from your target
customers.