Celebrity Retouching: 10 Reasons to Revise Your Reality
Everybody knows that every magazine cover photo is retouched - right? It's a never-ending quest to make the model perfectly pleasing to the eye - at least according to the editor or art director.
We may be aware of retouching, but that doesn't mean we are immune to the subtle feeling of self-loathing that may result from seeing these images every day of our lives.
Here is an eclectic and bemusing collection of links that demonstrate the phony art of retouch.
Email your friends, call your Mom, and tell your husband or wife. It's time to stop thinking "I wish I looked like that". It's time to start saying "Gee that retouch job is a bit overdone" - and then getting on with a life that runs deeper than a piece of celebrity skin.
Retouch-o-rama
You'll see stomachs flattened, skin blemishes removed, breasts made fuller, navels made 'perfect', limbs made skinny, and waistlines lose inches. Even a 12 year old boy can download a copy of Photoshop, grab a retouching tutorial, and create whatever they want.
- Portfolio site
Retouchers portfolio site showing the epitome of the retouch. Watch those hips shrink before your eyes - or see this woman say goodbye to those wrinkles and pores. - Digital Pablo (removed)
A selection of digital divas. - Digital Retouch (site now seems down)
A huge client list, and enough images to put me off magazines for a long time. - NY Photographics
Shock! You mean a model had stretch marks? - Touch of Glamour
Digital liposuction? Retouch Me
(Removed by request).- Portfolio site
These cheesy retouches get passed around the internet like a self-perpetuating urban myth. The only thing is - there's nothing mythical about it. Warning: Lots of skin here. Can anyone say sleaze? - Nasonart Portfolio
Instant makeup. - Worth1000 Photoshop Contests
The opposite effect - this is de-touching gone crazy. Even celebrities made fat. There's some amazing work on this site. - G!rlpower Sweden
And (finally) a body-positive demonstration site showing the ease of retouch.
The power of a retoucher
with too much time on their hands.
Liz Hurley's worst nightmare?
Industry leaders say they cannot stop re-touching photographs, because if they do, people will stop buying their magazines. They say consumers simply are not interested in seeing every flaw that a person being photographed has. (source: VoA - Real Girls Are Beautiful)And what do the photographers say?
"People would be shocked to know what some of the models really look like. Sometimes a model walks in and I don't even realise it is the model..." (source)
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104 Comments
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Created / Updated: January 4, 2012
Even the guys aren't immune to the photo touch ups! Actor Jerry O'Connel mentioned in Oprah that his pics get manipulated to make him look better.
ReplyOr you can simply have your own pictures retouched and look like a star instead of making the stars look 'normal' :)
Replyhere's where you can do it
http://www.face2show.com
Its really quite sick. In some cases the retouching was minor - removing a shadow but in some cases the retouching made the girl look completely different.
I can only imagine, how I would feel if I saw a photo of myself that had been "touched up" in a national magazine or whatever, knowing that I didn't really look like that. That would make me feel like I should be ashamed of the way I looked, like the way I looked wasn't good enough. That's an eating obsession and aging obsession that is waiting to happen !
Even though, pretty pictures may sell, the media has an obligation to the public to note that this photo has been digitally altered and to impress upon their audience that normal healthy people don't need to look like this to be valued, and liked within the community.
ReplyPerfection is unattainable, yet these magazine companies make it seem easy with all this touch-up crap. No wonder so many women have self image issues! Get back to the basics, people!
ReplyI bet even the celebrities who are retouched get down that they aren't considered perfect enough just to go in as they are - it's really sad!
ReplyYeah, those poor celebrities and models. I bet they cry into their millionairs of dollars every night.
ReplyUmmm...hmm. I have a slightly different reaction to the retouching...yes, I know it's been used widely in magazines etc...and that models don't really look just that way. I guess being so into body shape and size (former eating disorder) I figured that their bodies would look different "before." But if you ask me they all look pretty darn good before too. It's not like they're just starting from scratch (yes, I realize how horrible that sounds). It just doesn't make me feel that much better. I knew they weren't perfect...I guess I just hoped they were a little *less* perfect.
ReplyIf we look at these pictures for what they are, art, then we're ok. We only run into problems when we start thinking these are supposed to be snapshots.
Replylol gossip magazines aren't art and neither are a lot of other magazines stuuuupid
ReplyToo much makeup and retouching actually makes a women look unnatural and ugly. Most supermodels aren't nearly as attractive as some 'average hot' girls from down the street. Perfection in looks doesn't make women more attractive. Pamela Anderson would make a good example. How this plastic look actually became a standard is beyond me.
ReplyDear, Some Guy
Replyi think that was very good of you to put a comment like yours on here. women everywhere need a man's perspective on this subject. they need to know that men actually accept women with flaws as long as they are naturally beautiful. so....thanks. =)
It's true, being a guy I can vouch for myself and almost all of my buddies when I say that we like average looking but natural girls over "Perfect" but unnatural looking girls any day. Seriously like SomeGuy said Pam Anderson is supposed to be good looking; yeah right by whose standards.
See I agree boys and men usually try hitting on the prettiest, sexiest or most beautiful looking girl they find but that is because they are thinking with their d***s,its simply biology and nature working there. In the long run however we would much rather be with a decent girl we are comfortable with (you know the kinda girl you take home to introduce to your mom - I hardly know anyone who still does that but hey you get the picture)
Men have their own insecurities most of which they handle quite well but when its comes to a partner its not that easy, so they always prefer a partner who is reassuring.
SomeGirl, yes men actually accept women with flaws as long as they are naturally beautiful. In fact men even accept women when they are not even beautiful as long as they are natural, self confident, honest, trustworthy, loving, caring, genuine, comfortable and fun to be with. You get the picture, these were qualities that were considered the most basically important but some how seem to be considered "outdated" in today's world.
Replyum, somegirl, as another girl i feel like i should tell you that the only person who you should be beautiful for is yourself. it shouldn't matter anyway that some men think "naturally beautiful" women are acceptable. people, of course, want to appeal to whomever they want to impress but in the end, it reeeeeeally doesn't matter about the majority of the other (or same) gender. if you meet a guy who thinks you're "ugly" because you are how you are, don't you dare feel bad about yourself. if someone thinks you're beautiful then props to them but also props to you if you don't rely on anyone else to feel like you deserve to be who you are.
if another guy reads this, using the word beautiful in the sense of conventional beauty is stupid. would you seriously tell a girl that "isn't beautiful" that she's decent because she's not braindead?
ReplyI wish they would stop retouching woman and show them as they are, which would probably make them feel better and it would be a better role model for kids growing up today. I think it would help everyone's self esteem. Perfect is can not be obtained even for models. they should show this information to young girls growing up. It might stop some of the horrible conditions they succumb to.
ReplyDear Lisa,
ReplyI truly agree with you. I am a 13 year old who has always wanted to be an Actress; not because of the fame, but because I always love to feel the vibe of the Character's feelings and emotions. The reason why i agree with your post, is because the "Twilight" series has been very popular. Kristen Stewart has amazingly natural beauty, and I have been inspired by her, but I know i cant be a pretty as her; thanks to the magizines.
kristen is not that pretty go to google then to the images type in kristen stewert there is no natural beauty that I can see
ReplyWell, I see that my website has been "featured" in the list of retouching sites. I have been working in the design industry for over six years now and I do freelance retouching. The comment under my site is "pore-less wonders" - I find that a strange statement to make as one of the things I work on is keeping the pores and texture of the skin. Remember I have been given a specific brief by a photographer on what to remove and what "look" is to be achieved. Fashion photography is not realistic. Retouching is nothing new just because of the digital age. People where retouching with real airbrushes before Photoshop came along. The comment "Even a 12 year old boy can download a copy of Photoshop, grab a retouching tutorial, and create whatever they want." LOL - sure lets see you try!
ReplyExcuse me if i am wrong, but are you agreeing with making people lose their self-esteem? 13 year olds like me would KILL to be like the people on the mags.
I dont know if a lot of people know this, but these magizines with the models who look mean and (pardon my language) but just plain bitchy, can also effect people personalities. I know someone at my school who pretends to be a (pardon again) a slut, and no one really appritiates except for the guys.
I share my dream of acting with others, and I know probably half of that percentage's self-esteem is lowered by the fake barbies on the front page of some $20 dollar magizine.
Reply"The comment "Even a 12 year old boy can download a copy of Photoshop, grab a retouching tutorial, and create whatever they want." LOL - sure lets see you try!"
Um - are you saying us nonprofessionals are unable to retouch a photo? You don't have to have a portfolio of expertise to remove wrinkles, pores, make someone thinner add make-up, etc.
It's not that hard.
Get off your "LOL" high horse.
I know 12 year old boys who could probably do work as well, if not better than you. I don't know which site is yours, but the ones up there right now - some of them are really lame, to be honest.
ReplyI have to agree with Lilly. I'm an artist who likes to keep an eye out for whats going on in the "visual world"
Photoshop is available to download from a lot of places on the web, and furthermore, I've seen what some of those kids can do with it. It's really quite extraordinary actually. Regardless of the abilities Chanelle has to have in her line of work; you have to remember that most of these magazines are sold to the population with the most interest and disposible income...the kids. It's scary, because that's who we are selling to.
Replyhmm.. i agree
ReplyMy husband, a keen photographer, was looking at one of those portfolio sites linked to a PhotoShop forum a while back. The featured image showed before and after pix of a (heavily retouched) curvy woman in a bikini. I was interested to see that ALL of the men on the forum preferred the original image where the model looked a lot more fleshy - and real.
ReplyTo that naturally will always be better, a human eye is felt by deception subconsciously, but a retouch is needed for clean shallow shortages but without fanaticism...
Reply