This article addresses the issue of excessive photoshopping in todays media. It specifically talks about the magazine Glamour which sets standards on just how much is TOO much. I agree with the author opinion. She says "It’s one thing to be cool with zapping out a zit on a regular person’s avatar, but it’s another ball of wax entirely when a company is trying to sell a product based on an image that couldn’t possibly exist in the real world." (Williams 1). I think using too much editing to make models look like mannequins causes body image issues, especially among teens.
The article opens with a simile. "Retouching is like tequila. Sure, a little makes everybody look better. But go too far and you feel like puking." (Williams). I thought that it was the perfect blend of truth and humor. She also uses more casual humor in another paragraph where she directly calls out some of her readers. She writes, "For one thing, unless you’re blatantly faking your looks for a dating profile (PS don’t), chances are whatever altering you do of your photos isn’t in the service of selling somebody an unattainable bill of goods." (Williams 1). The main target audience for this piece is probably people in their teens or 20s, but older people could probably enjoy it as well.
http://www.salon.com/2012/02/10/making_the_perfect_cover_girl/
Photoshop should be banned from its use in commercials and photo advertisements.
ReplyDeleteIt is banned, to an extent; companies may not run ads with more than a specific percentage of retouching done, and if weight and the like IS taken from a model's image, there MUST be a disclaimer at the top or bottom of the ad, noting how much retouching has been done. Something along those lines; my research paper for Sophomore Year was all about models and how the idea of thin perfection is killing the self esteem of teenaged girls. Also, a timely article to have considering it's SADD's eating disorder awareness week, right?
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