Natalie Steeley

Lead color reviews, manage retouching workflows, and partners with creative and production teams to deliver cohesive, high-impact imagery across Sourcebooks and digital campaigns.

As a Senior Retoucher at RH, I’ve contributed to national and international Sourcebooks—including Interiors, Contemporary, Modern Spring/Fall, Outdoor, and Baby, Child & Teen (assorted covers)—as well as marketing imagery for key Gallery openings. Working closely with Art & Creative Directors, SVP/VP Product Curators, and fellow creatives, I help bring campaigns to life from composite to color refinement, critique, and final print. My focus is on tonal and technical composite accuracy, visual balance, and narrative cohesion—ensuring every image aligns with RH’s elevated brand vision. I’m known for combining speed, flexibility, and attention to emotional detail in deadline-driven environments. Whether compositing lifestyle spreads, refining mood and palette, or turning around high-volume retouching in hours or weeks, I aim to elevate the visual story—not just execute the edit, and I always meet deadlines. My work has received direct praise from RH’s President and Co-Chief Creative Officer and is informed by over a decade of experience in fine art photography and high-end retouching—with a growing focus on creative leadership and art direction.

As part of RH’s Web/E-Commerce Retouching team, I collaborate closely with Product Developers and Retouching Leads to create refined, accurate digital references—translating fabric swatches, material samples, and design intent into polished visual assets across product collections. With a sharp eye for detail, color consistency, and brand accuracy, I deliver high-volume, high-quality imagery on fast turnaround timelines. My ability to balance speed with precision has made me a trusted contributor to RH’s online visual identity. I approach every project with a positive, solution-oriented mindset and prioritize clear, respectful communication. Building strong relationships across teams is central to how I work—and key to driving both visual excellence and collaborative success.

Freelance Portrait Photographer for events, milestones and numerous creative collaborations / projects. Conceptualized, captured, processed and fully retouched hundreds of final deliverable images for a multitude of projects - while simultaneously working full time corporate jobs. Working freelance requires organized archival setup of drives and consistent clear communication with clients along with a natural drive to juggle chaos and multiple projects.

As Senior Retouching Lead, I mentored a team of 45+ retouchers—providing hands-on guidance, technical training, and creative support to uphold quality and consistency across high-volume e-commerce production. I built trust through approachable leadership and open communication, often serving as a go-to for feedback, questions, and creative problem-solving. I actively collaborated with the Senior Manager of Retouching on special projects and process optimization. This included leading the "Auto-Retouching Steam" initiative to help develop automated garment refinement software—overseeing file management, visual QA, and rollout coordination across teams. Beyond day-to-day production, I took ownership of resolving daily ingestion and prep file issues to prevent workflow delays, and initiated weekly 1:1s with team members needing extra support. These sessions allowed me to shadow workflows in real time, offer targeted demos, and help retouchers improve speed and accuracy. Throughout, I remained committed to growth—both my own and my team’s—welcoming feedback, encouraging collaboration, and helping elevate the creative standard through mentorship, process ownership, and positivity.

As Photo Retouching Lead, I mentored and supported a team of 30+ retouchers, overseeing quality control, workflow efficiency, and onboarding for new hires. I facilitated individualized shadowing sessions to help underperforming team members meet production goals and implemented best practices to strengthen both speed and quality across the board. I played an integral role in day-to-day operations—managing SKUs, ensuring SLA compliance, and collaborating with DACs and leadership peers to keep our production pipeline flowing smoothly. I helped the team upload 15k–20k SKUs daily and contributed to TRR’s all-time monthly record of 501k uploads in February 2022. Alongside my leadership role, I supported special projects including TRR’s Auto-Retouch review program, ghost mannequin compositing for Recollection 01, and vendor retouching initiatives. I also helped develop training materials using Photoshop, QuickTime, and Google Slides to align new hires with company standards. I managed over 40 Slack channels, partnered with 15+ peer leads daily, and actively supported newly promoted team leads through ongoing mentorship. To foster stronger communication in a remote-first environment, I proposed and hosted regular mini team huddles—giving each lead’s group a chance to connect, troubleshoot, and build trust. Throughout my time in this role, I remained committed to mentorship, clarity, and a calm, collaborative atmosphere—empowering others while delivering consistent, high-quality creative work at scale.

In this high-volume production role, I processed thousands of product images daily—batch editing, compositing, and applying detailed localized retouching to meet both personal and team quotas for The RealReal’s e-commerce platform. Using Adobe Creative Suite and internal tools, I streamlined asset workflows, refined SKUs from RAW to final upload, and ensured that all imagery met TRR’s luxury brand standards. On my highest-performing day, I achieved 188% of quota—completing over 4,000 SKUs (up to 20,000 individual images) with consistency and precision. In addition to daily production, I contributed to TRR’s Auto-Retouch development by reviewing and flagging image sets to help train and refine the software—balancing innovation work with daily creative targets. This role sharpened my multitasking, time management, and ability to apply real-time feedback in a fast-paced, quality-driven environment.

While completing the final months of my BFA in Photography at Academy of Art University, I worked part-time at Anthropologie—where I refined my eye for detail, color, styling, and visual composition in a fashion-forward, customer-facing environment. This role deepened my understanding of personal style and design, while strengthening my ability to quickly read visual preferences, curate pieces, and collaborate with customers to create a cohesive look—much like storytelling through image. I regularly acted as a personal stylist, helping clients feel confident through intentional, aesthetic choices. Beyond customer service, I built strong relationships with coworkers and naturally stepped into a supportive role—offering guidance and perspective, much like I would later bring to mentoring creative teams in professional retouching environments.

While beginning my BFA in Photography at Academy of Art University, I worked part-time directing creative activities for K–8 students—leading the after school art program, assisting with homework, and providing hands-on mentorship to children ages 5 to 13. I developed and facilitated engaging art projects that encouraged self-expression, creativity, and confidence—skills that continue to inform my collaborative approach to visual storytelling. I also built strong relationships with students, parents, and faculty, modeling positive communication and a supportive presence. This role sharpened my ability to lead with empathy, adapt quickly, and inspire others—qualities that later shaped my approach to mentoring creative teams and guiding visual projects in fast-paced environments.

Inspired by a childhood love of cameras and visual storytelling, I earned a BFA in Photography with a focus on fashion and beauty portraiture. I became Phase One Certified and developed fluency in Capture One, Adobe Creative Suite, Profoto, Broncolor, and Canon/Nikon systems. Intensive studio work and weekly critiques strengthened my technical precision, artistic voice, and ability to collaborate under pressure. My final portfolio explored natural beauty through a fashion lens. This training laid the foundation for my career in high-end retouching and creative production at The RealReal and RH, where I continue to apply the same standards of quality, detail, and emotional impact.

Completed a foundational photography course at AAU while in high school, which solidified my decision to pursue visual arts professionally. Through weekly assignments, print critiques, and open dialogue, I was introduced to the creative process, technical basics, and the value of visual storytelling. This early experience with critique culture, composition, and hands-on shooting laid the groundwork for my BFA and future career in photography and retouching.

Completed a 3-year program focused on climate change and sustainability, blending science with leadership and communication. Founded and led an environmental journalism group—creating photo-driven flyers, designing layouts, and directing prompts to engage student voices around environmental topics. Led group presentations for 60+ peers and developed confidence in public speaking, creative direction, and team collaboration. In junior year, organized a successful schoolwide petition and student body meeting in response to campus policy changes—resulting in mediated revisions with staff. These early experiences shaped my creative leadership style: visually driven, community-centered, and action-oriented.