No matter how many celebrities protest against the use of photoshop, or argue that they are ‘all natural’ in their latest shoot, it is a fact that photoshop plagues our magazines and social networks and photoshop is undoubtedly here to stay. But is this a new route for the future that we are just going to have to accept or should we put an end to this damaging deception once and for all?
Beyonce after and before photoshop. Photo by Ebara Jaja via Google Images
Let’s be honest, we’ve all at some point or another felt like absolute ? because we’ve apprehensively posted a picture thinking it’s okay, only to get knocked back to the depths of rock bottom after seeing someone else’s selfie that looks like it’s come fresh off the press at vogue.
Truth is, while i’m not implying every attractive selfie you come across is edited, photoshop either in the forms of professional software or iphone apps is a lot more common than you’d expect!
For example, not that I would ever even try to fault Queen Bee – all hail – but these pictures show just how much difference photoshop can truly make.
The photo on the right shows her skin to be bumpy with the occasional spot blemish (you know, like real people have *gasp*) and the image on the left showing her thinner face with a perfectly chiselled jawline. But you know what the craziest part about this is? I’d genuinely say I recognise the fake, flawless version as the ‘real’ Beyonce over the actual thing.
And that’s where I think things have gone too far. When you begin to shape a person so perfectly to the extent where they no longer look like themselves in real life, is that politically or morally okay? In all fairness to magazines, Beyonce is no stranger to a bit of photoshop herself, with these images showing some of the ‘fails’ of editing on her personal Instagram.
Photoshoping probably won’t ever go ‘out of style’ because where there’s fault or room for improvement, it will be made. But there is certainly a line that needs to be drawn.
- Editing to the point of impossible standards is harmful to younger audiences, especially those who don’t understand the potential of photoshop. It’s these unrealistically high standards that provoke eating disorders and low self-esteem issues because neither they, nor anyone else can possibly look like they do in these fake images.
- Photoshop to falsely sell a product i.e. makeup. No, that foundation isn’t going to miraculously flatten this massive zit on my nose and make me look like shiny hard plastic like in your picture – that is and lie and that is deception.
And now, to give you a good laugh, please enjoy these ridiculous photoshop fails
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