13. Classified Subjects

Classified Subjects. The subject has everything to do with the amount of work applied to the negative. For example, negatives of aged persons, whether man or woman, require less lines to be removed than younger people, and negatives of men require less retouching than those of women, regardless of age. Children with plump, solid faces usually have few imperfections to correct, yet their little faces should be modeled and rounded. Thus, it will be seen that judgment must be exercised in the application of the work, being guided entirely by the subject you are working on. It is true that in some instances customers require all lines removed regardless of their characteristic bearing. In many cases these same customers will be well pleased if their lines are modified, yet

retained to a certain degree. Wherever possible, one should strive to retain as much of the characteristics of the subject as possible.

14. Learning Retouching

Learning Retouching. It is by no means a difficult matter to learn the art of retouching, for all who will study and apply the fundamental principles should be able to improve their negatives. Perfection in negative retouching, however, will come only by continual practice. The reason beginners fail at times to secure satisfactory results in their first attempts, is due to the fact that they become anxious to see their final results too quickly and thus apply too much lead in an unsystematic manner and in places where it is not needed. It is only by a slow and intelligent manner of procedure that you will master each and every principle. It is absolutely essential to understand the elementary principles of the work before you can expect to produce the best of results and gain speed in operation, which latter comes only by practice.