About Us
Who We Are
Retoucher of the Year is the world’s first global competition dedicated exclusively to the art and craft of retouching. Born in Hungary, organized by the UK-based Retouch League Ltd, the competition will roll out across 50+ countries — shining a light on a discipline that has long been unrecognised.
In today’s creative industry, retouching is everywhere — in campaigns, beauty, portraits, fashion editorials, product ads, and e-commerce — yet it is rarely acknowledged as its own craft. Too often, it’s seen as a “step” in the process, not as a profession. We’re here to change that.
Our Mission
We believe retouching deserves the same recognition as photography, direction, and design —
because it is the final language of the image
the world sees.
Our Vision
- To build a global stage where retouching is judged, celebrated, and refined.
- To create the world’s first professionally verified retoucher database — a trusted resource for talent and companies worldwide.
- To launch an educational platform that raises global standards in e-commerce, beauty and creative retouching.
This is not just a competition. It’s a movement to transform how the industry sees retouching: not as an invisible technical step, but as a creative craft in its own right.
Who’s Behind It
Retouch League™ was founded by Tímea Buknicz, a Hungarian-born photographer turned high-end retoucher with two decades of experience in visual storytelling.
She spent 10 years in Hungary as an award-winning photographer. Later, she worked for London-based e-commerce studios, including Blend Studio, Vow Studio, Made.com and Ted Baker.
As a freelancer, she retouched campaigns for brands such as Creed Fragrance, Miller Harris, and the real woman series for Woman & Home Magazine.
With this international perspective, she envisioned a world where retouching could finally step into the spotlight.
What began as an idea on a rooftop in a foreign city has grown into a global project — one that now unites participants, jurors, educators, partners and sponsors from around the world.
This is Just the Beginning
It’s emotional.
It’s cultural.
It’s art.