At NILMDTS, we dedicate ourselves to providing families experiencing the profound loss of a baby with professional-level remembrance portraits. As a NILMDTS Digital Retouch Artist, you become a crucial part of our heartfelt mission. If you have a passion for retouching, possess the necessary skills, and are looking to make a meaningful impact from the comfort of your home, we invite you to apply today. Selected applicants will be asked to retouch a series of four (4) images that may include challenges such as bruising and skin discoloration. Your completed work will be reviewed by the NILMDTS Volunteer Application Committee, and your expertise could offer immense comfort to grieving families.

Requirements

• Proficiency in Photoshop is required due to the advanced level of retouching needed for our services. While other software can be used alongside Adobe Photoshop, proficiency in Adobe Photoshop is mandatory.

Application Process

• Upon applying, you will receive four (4) sample images via email for retouching.
• Your retouched images will be assessed by the NILMDTS DRA Application Committee, comprising experienced Digital Retouch Artists.
• Applications are scored on a 0-20 scale across four categories, with 0 being the lowest and 20 the highest. A minimum score of 40 out of 80 is required for approval.

Evaluation Criteria
Your application will be reviewed based on your ability to:

1. Repair Skin Flaws: Address torn skin, blistering, and other imperfections. Cloning is a crucial skill for ensuring the final images look natural and professional.
2. Even Out Skin Tone: Correct bruising and discoloration, ensuring uniform skin tones, preserving natural skin texture, and addressing issues like dark lips and nails.
3. Conversion Skills: Skillfully convert images to black & white or sepia, ensuring they are visually appealing with good contrast and tonal range.
4. Various Other Adjustments: Minimizing background distractions, adding contrast and contouring to add depth, and proper handling of digital files.

Basic Retouching Guidelines for Application Images

• Do not crop application images.
• Retouch any changes resulting from death, including peeling skin, blistering, bruising, or discoloration.
• Do not use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools for retouching, enhancing, or altering application images. Doing so will result in an automatic decline.
• Do not composite parts of photos of other babies. Doing so will result in an automatic decline.

DRA Onboarding Program (DOP)

DRAs will be automatically enrolled in the DRA Onboarding Program (DOP) upon acceptance. The DOP is compulsory for all new DRAs, irrespective of their level of experience or skill level. The primary objective is to optimize and refine the onboarding process, ensuring that each participant receives comprehensive guidance and instruction essential for acquiring the requisite skills and resources. This facilitates progression towards achieving optimal proficiency levels. We strive to move each new DRA through the DOP within, but no longer than, 6 months. This is easily achieved by committing to actively accepting retouching sessions during your time in the DOP.

To see the scoring rubric, receive the sample images, and get more information, please fill out the form below.