Pro Photo Editing: AI Retouching and Lighting Setups

Name: Pro Photo Editing: AI Retouching and Lighting Setups
Rating: 2.0 (1 reviews)

Master lighting, skin cleanup, and AI-powered retouching using real workflows for portraits, headshots, and more

Created byRetouch4me Academy

Last updated 12/2025

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

Master simple and effective lighting setups that dramatically improve image quality before editing.
Apply a 4-step AI retouching workflow to clean, tone, and polish skin in portraits professionally and efficiently.
Use lighting gear and modifiers strategically to reduce post-processing time and enhance subject features.
Automate repetitive retouching tasks using AI-powered tools while maintaining full creative control.

Course content

1 section • 5 lectures • 1h 57m total length

Introduction0:41
In this course, you’ll learn how to transform your portrait workflow from capture to export using professional lighting setups and automated AI retouching systems. Whether you're a photographer, retoucher, or content creator, this course gives you the tools to shoot better, retouch faster, and deliver pro-grade images every time.
Light Is Your First Retoucher — with commercial photographer Rafal Wegiel1:14:52
Lecture 1: Light Is Your First Retoucher — with commercial photographer Rafal Wegiel. Learn how lighting impacts your final result more than any tool in post. You'll discover:
Simple lighting setups for editorial & commercial portraits
The exact gear Rafal uses (and why)
How to build and balance light for perfect results in-camera
Recap Guide – Lighting Essentials & Mistakes to Avoid2:44
The 4-Step AI Retouching System with Vitaly Glebochkin, co-founder of Retouch4me36:54
Lecture 2: The 4-Step AI Retouching System — with Vitaly Glebochkin, co-founder of Retouch4me. Learn a streamlined skin workflow used by top pros to retouch faster and more naturally using AI-powered tools. You'll master:
Dust, fabric, and skin cleanup without cloning for hours
Tone unification, dodge & burn, and polishing tricks
How to batch process images without losing quality

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction & Agenda
01:24 - Retouching Philosophy: Keep Personality, Remove Temporaries
02:48 - Common Retouching Mistakes
04:28 - Golden Rule: Don’t Harm Original Pixels
05:15 - Stage 1: Removing Temporary Distractions
07:48 - Stage 2: Smoothing Skin & Creating 3D Map
09:47 - Dodge & Burn with AI vs. Manual
12:39 - Stage 3: Correcting Skin Color (Redness, Uneven Tone)
14:46 - Stage 4: Final Polish – Removing Oily Shine (Mattifier)
16:20 - Why AI is Better than Global Highlight Reduction
17:44 - Q&A: Face Make, ARMS, Batch Retouch Options
20:00 - Frequency Separation: Purpose & Limitations
21:49 - Q&A: Difference Between Apex & Photoshop Panel
23:34 - Q&A: Black & White Image Support
24:13 - Q&A: Plugin Order & Upcoming features
25:06 - Q&A: Subject Distance Settings & Sensitivity
27:37 - Q&A: Frequency Separation for Extreme Cases
28:09 - Practice Demo: Full Business Portrait Workflow
32:07 - Selective Retouching for Couples & Groups
35:33 - Q&A
38:10 - Small Faces Recognition Tip
38:45 - Adding Skin Texture & Hair Volume (Apex)
41:28 - AI Workflow Tips & Layer Control
42:52 - Special offer: 20% off
43:59 - Q&A: Dust Plugin
47:29 - Clean Backdrop for White Backgrounds
49:41 - Trick for Dark Backgrounds
53:48 - Closing Remarks
Retouching Playbook – Plugin-by-Plugin Workflow Guide2:10
Light + Retouching Workflow Assessment

Requirements

No experience required — this course is beginner-friendly and covers the full workflow step by step.

Description

Discover how professional photographers and retouchers streamline their editing with smart lighting and AI-enhanced workflows.

This practical, beginner-friendly course combines two expert-led lessons into one powerful toolkit. First, you’ll learn lighting setups that make your images look better straight out of the camera — reducing hours of retouching. Then, you’ll dive into a proven 4-step retouching system that blends manual techniques with AI-powered tools to achieve natural, high-end results in a fraction of the time.

In Lesson 1, commercial photographer Rafal Wegiel shows how to build flattering, dimensional lighting using continuous lights and modifiers. He explains how each element — from reflectors to accent lights — contributes to a polished image that needs minimal post-processing.

In Lesson 2, you’ll learn a streamlined editing approach that mirrors how real studios work: starting with cleanup, then evening tones, adding depth, and finishing with polish. You’ll see how Retouch4me plugins fit into each stage, along with manual controls for full customization.

Included are two step-by-step recap guides you can download and follow. By the end of the course, you’ll have a fast, flexible workflow you can apply to portraits, headshots, and client work with confidence.

No prior experience needed — perfect for both beginners and pros looking to speed up their process without sacrificing quality.

Who this course is for:

Beginner and intermediate photographers who want to master the full workflow — from capture to delivery.