The images of pictorial photographers were impressionistic and expressive, often employing manual intervention for image enhancement.
As painters were capable of creating tone with a brush, pictorialists achieved atmospheric effects using techniques such as the platinum or gum-bichromate process, oil transfers and selective toning. The result was a soft focused image which was held to be a mark of artistry. Later, special lenses were developed to achieve similar results.
Early Hollywood studio photographers brought their expertise in lighting, portraiture and image enhancement through extensive retouching, all using the aesthetic promoted and developed by pictorialism.