I have a family member that takes photographs for advertising and packaging for national brand toys and baby items. He's been photoshopping the babies for years. He tries very hard to minimize the changes but expectations for perfection are very high.

The irony is that if "real" photos were used, there'd be a bunch of disgusting people commenting on every flaw. Angeline Jolie is lovely before and after.

Honestly, I think most the celebrities in the beginning - looked pretty good without photoshop and only more polished after.

Of course there were a few towards the end that were a little over the top.

I think photos have always been retouched. Maybe not so easily but studio head shots from way back are all touched up. I remember my senior pictures in HS were all touched up - back then it was a laborious process, but still done. Today, it's just much easier and quicker!

Most of the ones shown are for correcting facial tones (and wrinkles) and I really don't have a problem with those. It's the Candie Huffine pictures that I have problem with where the bodies are so sculpted through photoshop that there is no resemblance to reality.

That is what sets the rest of us up for trying to reach the unattainable. Too bad we can't walk around in real life all perfectly sculpted.

My niece is a model and although she is truly beautiful without any makeup, with makeup and her hair styled, she's breathtakingly gorgeous. I sometimes wish I had my own personal make-up artist and hairdresser on call for special events. What's even more amazing is that Lauren can and does do her own makeup and hair for some of her shoots. Oh, to be that talented . . . and gorgeous (LOL)!
Lynn

Lynn, she IS gorgeous - wow!

She is gorgeous Lynn. Very regal. I was supposed to look just like her except with dark hair but ended up looking not at all like that. I was also supposed to be tall and thin not short and dumplingy!

OMG, Lynn. She is beautiful.

Thanks, yes, and she's the sweetest, kindhearted person, too. Funny thing is that almost all the girl cousins on my side of the family look very similar to her, including my own DD, with natural blond hair, most with blue or green eyes and are 5'7" to 5'10". It's uncanny how strong those genes seem to be! Sadly, Lauren's mom (my sis), another sister and I did not inherit the blond hair, light eyes, their height or their seemingly natural ability to style hair and makeup so well (sigh)!
Lynn!

When I discovered that they photoshopped Jasmine
it was more then I could handle :)

LOL forboystoo!

Lynn, your niece is stunning!

This post was edited by cat_mom on Sat, Nov 15, 14 at 11:37

Has anyone seen the Kardashian photos on papermag? They are ridiculously photoshopped to make her derrière larger and waist smaller. Having once performed the role of human toilet (sex tape with former boyfriend in which he urinated on her), her backside is now serving as a table for drinks. I kid you not.

A court should force the Wests to put aside money in trust now for the child for eventual long term therapy.

Lynn,
She is stunning. But I have to ask, was her neck elongated by a photoshop type program? Maybe you could ask her, as a model what does she think when she sees altered pix of herself (if not this one surely others have been altered in some way). It's part of her business, of course, but is it odd to see yourself changed?

She's still young, I assume, but I was thinking about the Kim Catrell and Clooney pix in the link. When a person is older and maybe has a few lines on their face, how does it feel to see a flawless pix of yourself knowing that's not what you see in a mirror?

Maybe I should have some glamour shots taken and find out, lol. I don't look as good as some of the before shots from that link.

I saw the pic of Kim.
Prior to Kanye and North she did "tasteful" playboy
with pearls strategically placed ~
Now shes full frontal .
So sad.
Most men would prefer to keep their wives privates private.
It wouldn't be so sad if it were for the money...
This is something else.

I think Kim had no choice but to go full frontal. It would seem like the most logical direction for her "career." However, the timing was probably wrong. She should have waited until after her divorce from K West. You know, right before she became irrelevant.

Kim Kardashian needs to fade into oblivion. STAT.

+1, polly!

Some of you may have seen this already, but still eye opening.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dove evolution

This is a great one too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Body Evolution

This topic actually makes me very angry---what in the world are we doing to our young girls?

I was outraged when my beautiful, thin 7 year old granddaughter told me she hated her thighs, and patted her little skinny leg saying, "Look". Not outraged at her, but outraged at our society where 60 year old women have to look 40, even if they have no resemblance to their former selves, like Melanie Griffith or Meg Ryan. And, even when they are perfectly content with themselves, like Diane Keaton, we are shown them looking like this:

I agree with you deeinohio. As we all know, in the sixties, "women's libbers" protested against being objects. We're still objects. Even more so than in those days. At least back then the ideal women had their natural bodies (Elizabeth Taylor, Farrah Fawcett). Now the ideal is an extremely thin body with big fake implants (as we all know). It's so sad. I feel so angry too.

The Jasmine one makes me especially mad. Why does a kids cartoon character have to be sexy?

I agree with Dee. It's surprising to me how many people of all ages don't realize the amount of altering that's done in these photos. Of course I understand kids aren't going to know unless an adult explains to them.

I really don't like to see newborn and kids photos/portraits flawless.

This post was edited by sheesharee on Sun, Nov 16, 14 at 12:12

If you remember the controversy when Merida (the one from Brave) was first "turned" into a Disney princess -- she was VERY "fine-tuned" (ahem .....) to be a thinner princess with far more controlled hairstyle ..... but the fans protested .... and her doll and merchandise was kept "as-is" (sort of ..... kinda ..... maybe .....)

BUT when the two gals from Frozen were created -- Disney made SURE that their newest princesses were very thin with VERY nice hair and outfits and accessories etc. --- better for selling merchandise .....

Our perception of beauty is literally being manipulated with the digital age. Sad, because I quite often find when left alone, photos so often capture the inner beauty of ones soul that all the manipulating in the world will ever be able to show.