1. E-commerce and Product Focus (Driving Sales) The editor's top priority is ensuring product photos are accurate, consistent, and optimized for conversion. This involves:
Precise Color Correction: Guaranteeing the on-screen color matches the physical product (vital for apparel and cosmetics).
Flawless Retouching: Removing scratches, dust, or blemishes, and creating clean, perfectly white or transparent backgrounds (known as clipping paths) to meet marketplace standards.
Optimization: Resizing and compressing images to ensure rapid website loading times without losing visual quality.
2. Catalogue and Editorial Focus (Brand Integrity) For catalogues, lookbooks, or high-end banners, the editor performs advanced, non-destructive retouching. They work closely with graphic designers to prepare assets for complex layouts, ensuring photos meet high-resolution print specifications and use the correct color profiles (like CMYK). They also manage and organize these files within the company's Digital Asset Management (DAM) system.
3. Social Media Focus (Engagement and Speed) This area requires speed and creative adaptation. The editor takes approved product photos and quickly converts them into engaging, platform-specific content. This includes:
Format Adaptation: Cropping and resizing hero images for square, vertical, and horizontal feeds (e.g., Instagram Stories, TikTok, Pinterest).
Visual Enhancement: Adding clean typography, graphic overlays, brand logos, and eye-catching filters or effects to maximize scroll-stopping appeal and fit the brand's social identity.
Essential Skills Success in this combined role requires expert proficiency in Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, a keen eye for detail, and strong organizational skills to manage high-volume workflows under tight deadlines. This editor is effectively a visual perfectionist with a commercial mindset.