Media Library vs. Precision Retouching: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters
Every so often, a client will ask:
“Can you clean that up a little more?”
“Is it possible to tweak this one part of the image?”
“Can you fine-tune just this section?”
These kinds of questions come up often—and for good reason. When you care about how your brand is presented, the details matter.
I’ve had this conversation with many clients over the years, so I figured it was time to break it down in one clear place.
This post explains the difference between what we call Media Library Delivery and Precision Retouching—and why each serves a different purpose depending on your project goals.
What Is a Media Library Delivery?
This is the standard approach we use for shoots that involve a large volume of images, like:
Events
Restaurant photo shoots
Brand content
Social media batches
Any job where you’re receiving a full collection of deliverables
With Media Library Delivery, we color-correct every image, match tones across the gallery, and ensure everything looks clean and consistent. This is a fast, efficient, and professional way to deliver images that are ready to use across your platforms.
What it does not include is advanced pixel-level cleanup—like removing objects, smoothing out food smears, or manually fixing small visual distractions in each image.
This type of delivery is ideal for situations where speed, volume, and overall cohesion are the priority.
What Is Precision Retouching?
Precision Retouching is our per-image editing service. It’s designed for when you need a small number of images taken to a higher, more polished level. This includes:
Object removal
Cleanup of food or product presentation
Skin retouching, hair cleanup, clothing fixes
Adjustments to composition or digital enhancements for marketing
You’ll usually find this type of work in:
Product advertising
Editorials
Commercial campaigns
Website hero images or anything print-based
Each image receives individual attention, and this service is billed per image due to the time involved.
Why This Matters
If you’re getting a batch of 30, 50, or even 100+ images, you’re receiving Media Library Delivery. Every file is color corrected, consistent, and ready to use. This is efficient, clean, and reliable—exactly what’s needed for most business and brand assets.
However, if you're selecting a few key images to represent your product, your brand, or yourself at the highest level, that’s when Precision Retouching comes into play.
It’s all about intention.
Media Library = broad usage, fast turnaround, polished consistency
Precision Retouching = detailed image crafting for maximum impact
Want to Upgrade a Few Images?
We’re happy to help. Just let us know which photos you’d like retouched and we’ll send over a quick estimate.
Still not sure which type of editing your project needs? Feel free to reach out—we’ll talk it through with you.