Media = Insecurities
For many years people have debated the effect of print media and television on self esteem. All we see are super skinny models all painted up for their roles, parade around in twenty thousand dollar wardrobes and hundred thousand dollar cars, and we begin to get a sense that we cant live up to the TV icon. Little do we know the amount of effort put in by talented Photoshop artists, busily airbrushing away flaws to give a greater depth of illusion.
Little do we know that media moguls are up late at night brainstorming ever increasing ways to appear more attractive than they are. Photoshop has many uses, in this case sociological effects of its use may be far more reaching than one may realize.
That brings me to the video at hand. Welcome to the beautifully deceptive abilities of Photoshop. God, I love Photoshop.
Have you ever seen an infomercials before and after pictures? Welcome to a new perspective.
I agree, this is one of the more extreme examples, similar to the MySpace / Facebook picture cropping "tutorial". But isn't Photoshop just another layer of makeup? There is some truth to the advertised makeovers, before&after product showcases and even the art of dressing for the figure. Yes, Photoshop has extended the wishful thinking, but so did the first person who used henna and basma to dye her hair. So I would say 'yea' to the skillful manipulation, and a 'nay' to ONLY seeing the manipulated images.
I am never through the comment without a historical example.. so here: this portrait http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Marie-Antoinette%3B_koningin_der_Fransen.jpg does not show the pronounced double chin or the expanded waist, mentioned in the contemporary descriptions of the queen; the odalisque does not even have the correct number of vertebrae http://art-quarter.com/beck/joe/aj/1/3/ingres-odalisque98.jpg In the right hands... can we praise Photoshop for creating the ideals?
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