Summary
- Registration for Retoucher of the Year 2026 closes on September 30
- Competitors in each category work from the same RAW files and creative briefs
- Generative AI, AI plugins and third-party AI tools are not permitted
- Greece is listed in Tier 2 with a £45 entry fee, approximately €52.56 at the August 21 exchange rate
- The top three in each category across four regions advance to the Global Final
- Identical RAW files and briefs for everyone
- The seven titles and competition categories
- Generative AI and AI plugins are not allowed
- How competitors reach the Global Final
- How much it costs to enter from Greece
- There is also a separate open call for photographers
- Who is behind the competition
- What we think
- Frequently asked questions
Event Details
Retoucher of the Year 2026 is creating a new international competitive platform dedicated specifically to retouching, using identical RAW files, anonymous judging, seven titles and a ban on generative AI.
The first global edition of Retoucher of the Year is now under way, with registration remaining open until September 30, 2026 at 24:00 UTC. The competition is an initiative of the UK-based Retouch League, whose organisers describe it as the first international competition dedicated entirely to the art and technical craft of retouching.
One of its most notable features is that this is not another portfolio competition. Entrants within a category work from the same official files and the same creative brief, reducing variables such as access to expensive productions, major clients or different photographic material. Judging considers both the final image and, for selected entries, how the editing workflow has been structured inside layered PSD files.
Identical RAW files and briefs for everyone
The Retoucher of the Year format is built around a common starting point. Rather than allowing everyone to submit the strongest images from their own portfolio, competitors receive specific RAW files and a detailed brief for their chosen category.
Judging is anonymous and takes place over multiple stages, with criteria including adherence to the brief, visual quality, technical precision and consistency. Organisers also state that selected entrants are required to provide layered PSD files for technical review of layer structure and workflow.
This is arguably the competition’s most important distinction: judges are not only considering whether an image looks right, but also whether the process behind it meets professional post-production practices.
The seven titles and competition categories
The competition leads to seven distinct titles: Beauty Retoucher of the Year, Product Retoucher of the Year, Fashion Retoucher of the Year, Composite Retoucher of the Year, Colour Grader of the Year, Rising Star of the Year – Beauty and Rising Star of the Year – Product.
Rising Star Beauty and Product are aimed at creators with up to three years of experience and use Photoshop. The corresponding Supernova Beauty and Product categories are intended for more experienced professionals with at least three years in the field.
Luminist focuses on colour grading in Lightroom or Capture One and uses a series of fashion RAW images. Alchemist is designed for artists with advanced Photoshop and compositing skills, using a hero image plus a supporting asset library. Halo focuses on editorial fashion retouching and asks photographers or retouchers to build a cohesive fashion story from eight RAW files.
Generative AI and AI plugins are not allowed
At a time when generative tools are becoming integrated into much of today’s imaging software, Retoucher of the Year is taking a clearly defined position.
The category rules state that generative AI, AI plugins and third-party AI tools are not permitted. According to the organisers, the aim is to evaluate human judgement, technical ability and craftsmanship.
That decision is significant for a competition designed to measure retouching skills rather than the ability to generate or replace content with generative models. Design Week also notes that the platform is launching at a time when AI is rapidly reshaping creative industry workflows and aims to increase recognition for the human technical expertise behind post-production.
How competitors reach the Global Final
The competition is initially divided into four geographic regions: Europe, the Americas, Africa & Middle East and Asia-Pacific. Participants compete within the region associated with their country of residence.
Following regional judging, a Regional Top 50 is recognised, while first, second and third place are awarded in each individual category. The top three in every category move on to the Global Final and represent their respective region.
For the regional stage, submissions run from October 1 to October 25, 2026, with judging starting on October 26 and expected to last four to five weeks. The Global Final has a new submission period from December 1 to 13, followed by judging from December 14 for approximately two weeks. There is no additional cash prize at the Global Final; it determines the holders of the international titles.
How much it costs to enter from Greece
Retoucher of the Year uses three economic tiers, with different entry fees and corresponding prize structures intended to reflect economic conditions in different countries. Base entry fees are £65 for Tier 1, £45 for Tier 2 and £19 for Tier 3.
In a competition post covering Tier 2, Greece is listed alongside countries including Bulgaria and Cyprus, with an entry fee of £45. At the exchange rate on August 21, 2026, that is approximately €52.56.
The official site also says that 10% discount codes can be found through Instagram, jury members and affiliate partners. If such a code is applied to a £45 entry, the price becomes £40.50, approximately €47.31 at the same exchange rate.
For Tier 2, the competition lists an overall regional prize pool of approximately £3,700, equivalent to around €4,322 at the same exchange rate.
There is also a separate open call for photographers
Retoucher of the Year is not only looking for retouchers. A Photographer Open Call is running until September 6, 2026, from which the photographic series used as official competition material for the regional round will be selected.
Photographers can submit work for Beauty, Product, Fashion, Colour Grading and Composite briefs. Initial submissions are made as JPEG files, while photographers whose work is selected will subsequently be asked to provide the original RAW files. The competition states that AI-generated images are not accepted and that submitted material must originate from a camera in RAW format.
Those selected photographs will then become the source material used by competing retouchers across the four geographic regions.
Who is behind the competition
Retoucher of the Year is an initiative of Retouch League and was founded by Tímea Buknicz, whose background spans photography, graphic design and high-end retouching. The official profile describes more than 20 years of experience in visual arts, with professional work across photography, e-commerce production and beauty retouching.
Design Week reported at the official launch that Erik Johansson and Mikeila Borgia are ambassadors for the inaugural edition, while the jury includes professionals from different areas of post-production. The official site continues to reveal the jury lineup progressively.
What we think
The most interesting aspect of Retoucher of the Year is not the titles or prize money, but its attempt to create conditions in which a retoucher’s actual skills can be compared more fairly. Identical RAW files, a common brief, anonymous judging and the possibility of technical PSD review remove several of the variables that normally make different portfolios difficult to compare.
At the same time, the explicit ban on generative AI gives the competition a clear identity at a moment when the boundaries between retouching, image generation and automated editing are becoming increasingly blurred. Whether Retoucher of the Year can establish itself as a genuine industry benchmark will become clearer after its first edition concludes, but its structure is already noteworthy for professionals and emerging creators who want their work assessed using shared material and defined technical criteria.
Frequently asked questions
Who can enter Retoucher of the Year?
Entrants normally need to be at least 18 years old. Those aged 16 or 17 may enter with signed parental or guardian consent. Both professionals and amateurs are accepted, with different categories aimed at different experience levels.
Are generative AI tools allowed?
No. The category rules prohibit generative AI, AI plugins and third-party AI tools, as the competition is intended to assess human technical skills and creative judgement.
How much does it cost to enter from Greece?
Greece is listed in Tier 2, where the entry fee is £45, approximately €52.56 at the August 21, 2026 exchange rate. With an available 10% discount code, the cost could fall to £40.50, approximately €47.31.
When do registration and submissions close?
Registration closes on September 30, 2026 at 24:00 UTC. Regional-stage submissions run from October 1 to October 25, with judging beginning on October 26.
Who advances to the Global Final?
The first-, second- and third-place finishers in every category from each of the four regions advance to the Global Final. The final determines the international titles but does not offer an additional cash prize.
