Freelance retouching is a huge step. Leaving the security of a full time job to become a freelance photo editor can be daunting. Especially if you have a family or mortgage to take care of every month. Unless you are a huge risk taker then you would need to have a good nest egg saved up, have a partner who is earning enough to take care of the outgoings every month or you need to get your monthly expenses down as much as possible.

I was lucky, I managed to get my mortgage paid off before deciding to jump into freelance retouching and straight into freelance work. I had freelance retouching work all through the first week of leaving my full time job and thought, this is great! I am my own boss and making more hourly money then I ever did working full time but similar to when you go to the casino and win big your first time, it doesn’t last forever.

Join creative agencies to find freelance retouching work

Make sure you approach as many employment agencies specializing in creative contracts for artworkers, graphic designers, retouchers, web designers etc. These agencies will help you find short and long term contracts. The more feathers that you have in your cap then the more offers you will get. If you are a photo editor but can also do graphic design or page layouts then you will be more suitable for more clients.
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The down side of using agencies is they will take a nice chunk of your hourly pay but you won’t know it. They will add around 25% on to what they charge the client for you being there but so they should, they found you the gig and they need to keep the lights on too! With some research, you can find the companies that are using agencies for freelance retouchers and approach them directly undercutting the agencies and working directly with the company.

Other ways to get clients is to get your own website and spend a little on advertising on Google. Contact your previous employees, if you have left then they may have a hole to fill. It is absolutely true what people say, freelance is a feast and famine lifestyle, one minute you can have more money then you know what to do with and the next, you are living off credit cards until your next gig!

If you are looking for a freelance retoucher for your company then contact us here.