Ditz

Issue date: 12/6/07 Section: Vanities

Media Credit: http://www.hemmy.net/2007/05/25/celebrities-before-and-after-photoshop Before

Media Credit: http://www.hemmy.net/2007/05/25/celebrities-before-and-after-photoshop After

Are you imagining things? Are these the same people? The answer is yes; most magazines use such techniques as Photoshop and air-brushing to touch up images before publishing. The idea is to create a better image, highlighting the subject's supposed natural beauty. Unfortunately, these methods create flawless images that do not replicate real life. Furthermore, they negate the natural beauty of the person who was photographed by insinuating that they were not attractive enough without enhancement.

From the comments, it appears that many people found the original images just as beautiful. Although some people argue that the increased contrast creates a more eye-catching quality, others argued that it is good to show the flaws. After many years of being exposed to this enhanced media, society begins to believe they are imperfect in comparison to models and celebrities. However, unless such stars are shown with their flaws removed, the public is comparing itself to unrealistic beauty ideals. The fake appearance many of the images exude was mentioned on several occasions; skin tones appear unnatural and freckles, wrinkles, creases, blotches and other typical facial features are absent-they don't even have pores. The skin is so smooth it loses its texture and becomes more of a material than a part of the human body.

This false appearance has socialized society to believe they must appear flawless, a look that some achieve by means of plastic surgery. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Botox was the number one nonsurgical procedure performed in 2006. Botox gives the appearance of smoother skin and helps to eliminate wrinkles and creases, an effect parallel to the airbrushing and Photoshopping we see in print media. Since 1997 surgical procedures have been on the rise; the number of surgeries has gone up 123%. The constant barrage of manipulated images pressed upon society promotes these ideals that many recipients of plastic surgery are hoping to attain.

Television shows, such as The Swan, promote similar beauty ideals inaccessible by natural means. In 2005, a poll of 30 Occidental College students was taken to analyze media's distortion of beauty ideals and appearance. When shown photographs of participants on the show, as well as celebrities with and without editing and make-up, over three-quarters of observers found the before and after pictures shocking and noted that the people were hardly recognizable.

Another mainstream TV show that highlights the issue at hand is America's Next Top Model. It becomes evident after several episodes of the show that it takes many shots, sometimes up to 100, for the models to get one acceptable picture. The images are then Photoshopped and still fail to meet the media's standards on many occasions. According to the U.S. Center for Health Statistics, the average woman who is within an inch of 5'10" (only 3.5 percent of the population) weighs around 145 to 150 pounds-this is 30 or more pounds heavier than the typical supermodel. If these models, with physiques unparalleled by majority of the society, need 100 frames to meet expectations, how can the average citizen hope to?

The following websites display edited photos:

Celebrities without Photoshop
http://gossip.commongate.com/post/celebrities_without_photoshop/photos/29647

Celebrities Before and After Photoshop
http://www.hemmy.net/2007/05/25/celebrities-before-and-after-photoshop/

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