You may have seen the dust-up over Redbook’s creative Photoshopping of Faith Hill. It should come as no surprise that the magazine/fashion machine does what it can do present its stars as flawless. It seems that celebrities can never be too perfect for public consumption.
Which is why this site is so interesting. Click the “portfolio” button and marvel at the before and after shots (mouse over the picture). Kelly Clarkson loses her entire jawline, Julia Stiles loses an arm muscle, and everyone’s complexion takes on an eerie, inhuman glow.
It goes without saying that you shouldn’t always believe everything you see in print. But it’s always nice to be reminded that even people we’ve been conditioned to think of as looking perfect are, in fact, quite human, down to their veins and eyebags and stray hairs.
[Via the indispensable Women’s Health News]
Responses to “In pursuit of perfection”
August 19th, 2007 at 10:36 am
WOW…They whittled Penelope’s waist, moved Cameron’s boobs and tiny Eva seems to have instantly lost a few pounds. How unfortunate that someone saw the need to re-touch the photos before they were deemed “acceptable” for viewing by the general public and fans. But, we mere mortals do tend to expect more from celebrities, right? I’m going to TRY to stop hating pictures of myself, or at least stop focusing on my crooked smile and the wrinkles around my eyes.
August 20th, 2007 at 11:54 am
Although I know that all these pictures in mags are retouched. It’s nice to see the before photos of women my age (ie Faith Hill) and see that she has the same wrinkles that I have. I would love to see more pictures in the mags that are not touched up.
August 21st, 2007 at 12:49 pm
Well, I knew about this long ago but never really had any experience with it until I did a photo shoot with a commerical photographer out of Nashville back in May. We took over 400 photos over the course of two days and in all I counted ONE body shot that I thought was publish-worthy without any photoshopping. I was constantly reminded during that shoot that my V-Neck shirts showed my wrinkled neck. In return, I reminded the photographer that I was indeed a 36-year-old and not some teen anymore.
August 22nd, 2007 at 3:39 pm
If I were a celebrity I would be very careful about how much photoshopping was done to my photographs. When you are seen in public and your neck is drooping, there are bags under you eyes, etc…you only make yourself look bad. Because the general public is so used to looking at glamorized pictures of you…some tend to think that is the REAL you…but then they see you in the flesh and see the for REAL you…it is not a pretty site. We can’t be glamorous all the time.
August 23rd, 2007 at 3:07 pm
It’s funny. I think a lot of the pictures look better before they were retouched. They look like real people. They’re still beautiful women, bags and all.
August 19th, 2007 at 8:17 am
Thank you for the compliment and link, Lindsey.