With rising levels of technology, more and more special effects can be added to video and photo, creating increasing opportunities for advertisements, movies, commercials, and other elements of media. However, with new opportunities also comes new illusions; with Photoshop, producers have the ability to change images so that they appear different than reality, leading audiences to believe that the deceptive Photoshopped images are actually better representations of reality than reality itself.
One common and well-known Photoshop technique is the one used on women in advertisements and magazine covers. In order to portray a “perfect” female body, editors take the photos of the particular model and use Photoshop to enhance breast size, decrease cellulite, and airbrush over any supposed flaws on the model’s face or body. In addition, color variation is added to make the photo appear more intriguing in color contrast. As seen on the Rolling Stone cover, Katy Perry’s breasts have been enhanced and her stomach has been smoothed over. Similarly, an advertisement for one of Khira Knightly’s films shows Khira with enlarged breasts and added hair volume. For more before-and-after Photoshop pictures, view: http://sastha-knowyourledge.blogspot.com/2010/12/celebrities-before-and-after-photoshop.html
Due to the increased levels of Photoshop used in magazines and television, audiences begin believing that the images are actual representations of reality, rather than exaggerated images. As a result, many consumers view their own bodies as inadequate because they are unable to achieve the perfect yet fake bodies of celebrities. This need to become perfect creates a snowballing effect by increasing the consumption of products such as workout systems, hair dyes, makeup, self-tanning lotions, and many more products that are aimed to “improve” one’s image. Images are Photoshopped because that’s what sells, but unfortunately, we as consumers now believe in the “fake” more than the “real”.
The fact that we allow ourselves to read this material as "real" is something that I believe we still have somewhat of a struggle to deprogram ourselves from. I know that when I still look at a cover of a magazine I am still amazed at the body of the celebrity or looks in the cover, and even if I may know that there is photoshop work done with them the idea of what we think is "real beauty" pushes us to want that amazing body or that perfect tan, hair, etc. However, I sometimes wonder about the celebrity in the cover and when they see the final product. The pressure to be in the media is already intense, the pressure to be skinny and perfect becomes impossible because of these programs that allow to alternate ourselves into making something that clearly does not exist. However, it's understandable when we see that they just want to make something or someone marketable because that is what they are aiming at, making something appealing to the eye in order to gain profit from the pretty sights we are shown and led to believe.
ReplyDeleteI think it is amazing how we put so much emphasis on the media and what it says and what the pictures they use to tell us what is beautiful or not. I sometimes have a difficult time myself looking at some pictures before I realize they have been photoshopped or edited to a certain degree. It is extremely easy to do, and even in my life I see girls photoshopping pictures on facebook to make it more appealing. I think it is just sad how much emphasis we put on what the media thinks of us, especially when it do not even know us on a personal level.
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