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    Friday, November 10, 2006

    "Perfect" Girls

    I got bored the other day, and decided to make Ladybug into a fauxperson.

    See, we've been playing with and looking at sites recently that show how unreal models are created with digital editing.

    * Girlpower's step-by-step retouch in flash Part of the Swiss government's campaign for media awareness.

    * Professional photo editors here and here show what is done on a regular basis with many models and stars.

    * Here is an article discussing honorable retouching in photojournalism. Is there souch a thing?

    * Finally someone honorable steps up to the plate to reveal the naked truth. Jamie Lee Curtis bares all for a look at the truth of glamour.

    After about an hour of watching her wince and shudder and listening to her repeatedly proclaim "I'm NOT a Barbie!", I finished ruining her beautiful face for the sake of boredom and proving a point.
    Take a look at what I did here, and remember that I'm not a pro at this. With all of the talk about self image and cherishing our own personal brands of beauty, I was proud that my daughter was so up in arms about me "perfecting" her. Soon I was dissapointed however, when my mother asked for a print out of the "before" picture "with those dark circles edited out". *twitch* I guess some people will never learn.

    Thousands worry about the danger to their children's self image and even health, and big media is busy changing even beyond-"ideal" reality to, literally unreal images that our innocent children strive to emulate, often damaging or killing themselves in the process. All for an image that noone could ever possibly reach, not even the supermodels.

    But there's no reason to worry.

    After all, it's just innocent brushstrokes... right?

    Yes, the lady does paintings from photographs. This was intended to be a modified, aged, and cartoonish version of the fauxperson image. It's like glamour shots, only less dishonest. *wink* Well, as long as you tell people that isn't really you, or that it is an artist's interpretation.

    In thanks for allowing me to do such a horrid thing to her image, I have promised to advertise her blog, Just Stuff. Let me assure you that this was an example based on modern concepts of beauty. I personally think my daughter is perfect just as she is, and that the "before image" is prettier than the "after" one.

    Forward this far and wide in it's entirety. Everyone should know how easy and common it is. We need to protect the children, and ourselves from the negative stereotypes propogated by today's media. Even videos are edited like this now...

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    5 comments:

    Ry said...

    I'm gonna look up the links you have and submit them to one of our Girl Scout leaders. She wants to teach our 5th graders about this! They are at a good age for this. Especially since make-up, shaving, etc is right around the corner.

    Anonymous said...

    As a former model, can tell you it's all fake. Thanks we need more truth.

    TheyDHD said...

    Heather,
    Feel free to not only use the links, but also to use the picture. Ladybug is in 6th grade, so that might also appeal to them better than just adults being "fixed"?

    Layla,
    Funny thing is, Ladybug used to do commercials, back before it was common to edit a moving image much beyond blurring out mouthes that cursed or similar.

    She was happy about me posting her edited image on the net once I told her that it was going to be part of a PSA against drastic photo retouching. *smile*

    Anonymous said...

    That is interesting. Changed the look totally.

    Anonymous said...

    i hate that people find it necessary to "embellish" thier pic. Liek you, I like the before one better. She is a beauty!!!