Demi Moore Needs Photoshop? Are you kidding?

 

 

 

Demi Moore. She is a celebrated actress, mother, and cougar. She works out, eats right and has an amazing body.

So why did the editors at W Magazine feel the need to photoshop one of the world’s most beautiful women?

If you look at the cover shot above, you can see that part of Demi’s hips seem to have gone missing. The model on the right is wearing the same dress and you can see her beautiful curves. Looking at the cover again, Demi is incredibly lopsided!

On the left (her right) she has a curvy hip and thigh. The other side? It is just a straight line. Normally if a person was photographed at an angle this could be plausible. But this is a straight on facing forward picture. Her hip has just been removed. Or in this case, photoshopped out.

Retouching pictures has been going one for years. No one would argue the merits of correcting some flaws. But this “correction” is actually offensive.

Magazines have come under fire often in recent years. Most notably recently Shape vs. Kelly Clarkson (covered last month on this blog). But W has gone to an extreme here.

Demi Moore is a beautiful woman. Why did the magazine need to mess with virtual perfection?

Did they just need to create a headline? – DEMI MOORE HAS HIP REMOVED!

I’d read that.

The Laws of Physics vs. PhotoShop

Everybody's Fine - someone missing?

 

Brothers & Sisters - Look ma, no legs!

T3 - Vampires have no reflection

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It would seem that talented computer artists don’t have to be worried about the laws of physics. They just have to be sure the image looks good.

Well, they may want to re-think that position when you consider the images above from some recent media outlets. People are missing legs, have disappeared and more.

1. Everybody’s Fine – This movie poster promoting the new Robert DeNiro / Drew Barrymore movie appears to be a beautiful family photo moment. But look closely. Who is holding the camera? It would seem at first that someone is meant to be holding the camera. But um…if you notice, there is no way anyone in the shot could be holding it with an outstretched arm.   Hmmmm?

 

2. Brothers & Sisters (ABC) – If you look to the left side of this image, you will see the young man standing behind actress Sally Field. However, if you look below her, you will actually see that this guy isn’t standing. He is floating because the artist forgot to put his legs in the shot.  Oops!

 

3. T3 – The cover shot featuring this beautiful model is everything a cover should be. Sexy, exciting, and beautiful. Problem? Well, TVs are naturally reflective. It would seem this woman is a vampire because she has no reflection in the television glass.

 

Arguably, most people in the public are not going to notice minor points like this. However, in this digital age when one person can alert thousands, it becomes a major issue. Digital artists have amazing tools at their fingertips. But they should still make sure the laws of physics & nature are respected in any photograph they alter so as to spare themselves from embarrassment.

 

Tsk Tsk. Et Tu Seattle U?

Blogger / student Joshua Lynch is taking his university to task for photoshopping an image posted to its arena’s website.

Apparently, Seattle University is only guilty of trying to market the arena in  the best light possible. But, the best light includes altering the jumbotron’s scoreboard image, and of course replacing the actual court with the version that has yet to be installed.

The image on the left is on the website, while the one on the right is by the blogger’s friend.

It seems photoshop can make buildings “more pretty” just like the ladies in prints ads. Now, maybe they can enhance the cheerleaders look? I’m thinking bigger pom poms.

Image is Everything: Oscar De La Hoya

If you are a celebrity, or another public figure, your image is everything. Celebrities get paid millions of dollars to sell any number of products. With high pay dates in the horizon, you will do anything you have to protect your image in the public.

Celebrated champion boxer Oscar de la Hoya came under fire in 2007 when some “sexy” photos of him cavorting in ladies’ lingerie were released by his then ”friend” Milena Dravel.

The problem, de la Hoya claimed the pictures were fakes, digitally altered to put his face on someone else’s body. After much public arguing, Dravel signed an agreement that said the pictures were fake.

The back and forth on the credibility of the pictures took up entertainment & sports journalists time for months, and de la Hoya was very vocal about his position.

In the end, de la Hoya had to protect his image, but some people doubted that the pictures were fakes, the work was that good.

Ultimately, it seems celebrities are bound to have more incidents like this. It’s no longer about discrediting people with a negative or false story, it’s about the pictures too. After all, in Hollywood, image is everything.

Kodak Says Goodbye to Kodachrome Film

Now would a blog about digital images be concerned about film? Because digital imaging has finally put the nail in the coffin of the medium of film.

Kodak built itself on the quality of the pictures photographers & filmmakers took. They moved into the family arena by capturing memories for all time, and thus, the photo album bloomed. For a century, we sent film roles in for developing, eager to get the images back in an hour. But alas, digital photography made that hour seem to long. Why wait when you could have your pictures instantly on your camera or computer?

As a result, Kodachrome, Kodak’s superior film format is now being shuttered. Simply put, consumers have spoken.  Digital photography & imaging has become the norm and consumers are moving to a digital platform.

For the concerns of this blog, it is the passing of an era. I remember getting pictures back from family vacations and always being excited about holding the prints and looking at the memories therein. But I also being yelled at saying, hold them by the sides and the popular…”don’t get your fingerprints on them.” Not anymore Dad…HA! I can touch my screen all I want. And…I can even change the picture to add extra eyes, a third leg, or any number of things to the picture. I can change it quickly. I can do it subtly so no one knows. Oh…the nirvana!

Don’t get me wrong, I am sorry to see film start to leave the shelves. Taking pictures with those cameras represents some very happy memories for me. But truth be told, I am excited to see what new endless possibilities there are with my new digital camera. It’s time for a new chapter for families…and business.

Classic Media Fakery – Fox News

Looking back at how Photoshop has been used, I cam across this nasty piece of altered images courtesy of Fox News Channel.

Fox News Channel altered pictures of two NY Times reporters in a disgusting segment aimed at discrediting the paper.

In July 2008, the morning show did a story about “attacks” on the network via the New York Times. To illustrate the New York Times staff, they showed two head shots of the reporters that were drastically altered.

Apparently, the producers at the network felt what they were doing was all part of the “fun.” The problem, Fox News bills itself as a news network with the slogan “We report, you decide.”

In order to be a news agency, you must present the facts as they are without changing them. The same goes for the people associated with the story. Here, Fox News’ altered images were not presented as altered but as representing who these New York Times reporters are.

The altered images distorted the reporters features drastically for comic effect. In effect, this was wrong and a disgusting ploy by the network.

Responding to criticism is nothing new. It is a necessity in today’s media landscape. But these kind of alterations are nothing short of juvenile and make the network appear to be run by a bunch of fraternity brothers.

Breaking News: Altered Images Harming People

Filippa Hamilton was fired after being photoshopped for a new Raplph Lauren ad

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/liberaldemocrats/6516537/Airbrushed-images-harming-girls-and-boys-experts-say.html

 

The Telegraph in London is updating its reports on the digital altering of images in the media as now having medical proof that these images “promote unrealistic expectations of perfection, encouraging eating disorders and self-harm.”

The debate on what the media advertising & editorial) world should and should not do with regard to the images it projects is rising into a fever pitch this year.

This new paper, now goes so far as to endorse the labeling of ads with digitally altered pictures as well as taking things a step further. Providing exercise classes & possible gym memberships to the teens and young adults affected by these images.

I do believe that advertisers have the right to alter images as they see fit. It is part of their creative capability. But I think government intervention is officially headed in the wrong direction.

Warning labels and bans are not effective. Education is. As they say, knowledge is power. And if we can not educate youth to know what is real and what is not, then we have done the next generation a complete disservice.

Arguably, there is some good coming out of  this. Telling the public an image has been altered may actually help people realize the unrealistic dreams they have of achieving a certain look. And, the idea of encouraging exercise is a wonderful side effect of all this. Let’s get people to lead healthier lives.

But in  the end, we still need to get people to realize that they can achieve any goal or body they wish, as long as the lines of reality or no longer blurred before them.