Do you know what you are looking at?

I recently saw an article that led me to a website that led me to a bunch of other things.....but it's a topic that I've come up against more and more.

Airbrushing. Photoshopping. "Fixing" "Correcting"

We are constantly being faced with images that are not real, but more often then not...you can't tell.

It's easy to look at a picture and decided if it portrays an "unhealthy body image". But you might be suprised at how many of the images you see are altered. I've always known that nearly every picture is airbrushed to one extent or another, but since I started doing photography, I am more aware of just how much in magazines and other ads is fake. I do look at pictures for ideas on how to pose and light a shot. I'm getting better at noticing when it's too perfect.

Anyway, I'm posting a few links here and I hope you take a good look at them. Part of this stems from the French wanting Magazines to declare who, what and how much has been airbrushed in every issue. But it's an interesting thought still the same.

This site is good for anyone to see just how much pictures are altered. Check out the step by step nitpicky changes..(heads up: clicking on the "why we do this link" will bring up a series of unhealthy body images that you may not want your kids to see)

Then look here for examples of what you might not have thought about....perfection is less in the lens...and more in what they want you to think. The first image that pops up is one that shocked me. I knew they airbrushed kids....but this was ridiculous.

So finally, in the spirit of honesty. I edit my pictures. I airbrush zits and I'll soft focus the skin. But I very rarely alter images just for vanity's sake. But I wanted to show how fast it is to change someone. I took less than 10 minutes to edit a picture to fit the standards of "today". See it below? Mouse over to see the original image.  Scroll to the bottom for a list of changes.

Honestly, I probably wouldn't do all that unless I KNEW my client was self consious about it. Even so, I'd probably not even do this much unless asked. I think we can love ourselves for how we are....and not how far we can be photoshopped.







another link to Why you should revise your opinion of celebrities!

Check out this girl's videos (set of three-I only watched the first)-a guy is talking about his pinups and how they are so perfect...then they interview the guy who created the image...and show it to the guys who thought it was real. (the guys are real-so the last line in the video makes reference to the title)


Changes.  skin texture, eyes whiter/sparkle added, nose reshaped, jaw reshaped, shadows adjusted on jaw and face, hair fuller, undereye circles removed, eyebrows shaped and raised, cleavage fuller and lifted, reshaped to hide angle, arm thinner.

And all in less than 10 minutes.  Albeit, the was a web sized image and I wasn't being very careful, the edits are noticable....but the fact is there.  It's too easy to make pictures too perfect.  I've joked about doing this with my friends, but maybe I shouldn't...