I am always excited to meet with inspiring and successful women. I have had the pleasure of interviewing Katie Natrass – The photoshop expert. Katie works with amazing clients on global campaigns like Boohoo. Let’s see in detail the interview with a fashion Photoshop retoucher expert.
Can you give us a little background?
My first job at 16 was working in a film processing lab, it was my Saturday job and I became hooked on looking at images every day. A man who had travelled around the world brought a plastic bag of 34mm film in to be developed, I came into work in my own time to work through this bag and felt like I went around the world with him. It was mesmerizing to see all these stunning images.
How did your career as an image retoucher come to be?
I started working as a photography assistant for a top commercial photographer called Matthew Seed; he said I was the strangest assistant he had ever had because I had no desire to get behind the camera. He taught me so much about the industry and business that after three years of assisting I flew the nest and became a fully-fledged retoucher. I then went on to work with some amazing clients and work on global campaigns like Boohoo.
Have you met some major technology problems?
From a technical aspect, I don’t really have to deal with too many issues as I’m lucky enough now to be working with top-end photographers who know what they are doing and what they want. When I first started out retouching I’d spend a lot of time correcting lighting, or emailing photographers explaining that they had lit their models so much that they had blown out any detail in their faces and left nothing but floating eyes. I found that people would literally point four lights at the model and start from there, rather than using one light and knowing what that’s doing first. This just showed a lack of control and a lack of understanding as to what their lights were actually lighting.
What technology can you not live without?
I use Adobe Photoshop CC, which is industry standard. I have dabbled with other programmes but nothing I have used meets all the needs I require. Plus Photoshop is ingrained in me now – you can’t teach old dog new tricks.
How can women follow in your tech-savvy footsteps?
Working as a creative can be a tough road full of ‘constructive feedback’. So get the experimenting out of your system early. Be relentless and don’t forget your umbrella.
Thank you Katie for your time and I wish you all the best with your career.
Take a look at Katie’s work
Images: Katie for Boohoo.