Retouching tips and advice for photographers (Positive Image)

This original image of the completed renovation work on a terrace of rural almshouseswas taken for a firm of architects and the project was being put forward for an award by the housing assocation who owned them. It was clear that the renovation and building work had taken its toll on the surrounding gardens and land and that any photographs taken would not shoe off the scheme in its best light. There was also a very tatty and run down old fence that detracted from the whole scene.

The central house had a neat cottage style garden which I photographed from several angles and used these images to then replicate a similar garden for the cottage in the foreground. Care had to be taken blending the long grass and the flowers to make them look authentic and the scale of the garden had to be considered too. The foliage pictures were placed over the top of the image of the old fence giving the impression of a long,open, flower-filled garden. Some retouching and blending work was also required to 'fix' the roof tiles. When the housing association saw the retouched photographs they decided to abandon the idea of replacing the fence and have longer gardens.

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