Upclose, Personal and Totally Photoshopped

Most of us have seen the Dove “campaign for real beauty” video where they document the entire process of lighting use, make-up, hair styling and Photoshop touch-up sessions that models go through for print campaigns (see here).  While it is alarming (and the melancholy background music certainly builds the ambiance), I’m not sure what to think about it.  By the way, their alternative offerings of depictions of “real beauty” is just a tad ironic in my book…I mean they shouldn’t marginalize all the beautiful models out there (boo-hoo! hehe).  I mean if we all realize we’re “not good enough,” doesn’t that unite us all in our failure? Boy, it’s fun to play devil’s advocate!  But really, their “real” models’ photos are still doctored anyway. I’m just sayin’…

Anyhow, a new video commentary from NY Times discusses the same topic – magazines touching up photos of women and how this affects women’s perceptions of beauty and their self-esteem (or does it?).  Should magazines disclose that they’ve touched up photos and how much? It raises interesting questions of beauty, perceptions of beauty and why the hell we have to Photoshop models to the extent that their beauty is unnatural and unobtainable (then why do we find it beautiful? why do it at all?).  But — one could argue that if we have to disclose that magazine pictures were photo-shopped, “regular, run-of-the-mill” girls should disclose how much make up they wear and how long it took to do their hair so that people don’t assume they roll out of bed looking that way.  I’m not arguing that – but one could argue that (except that models tend to be viewed as benchmarks from which the rest of the population gauges their beauty).  What do you think? What is the alternative?  Do you feel insecure after skimming through chick magazines and seeing all the bony 12-year-old-boy-looking chick models with plump lips and perfect lashes? Not gonna lie…there was a time when all I wanted was to be as skinny as a 12-year-old boy! (Don’t use that against me!)

See NY Times video here.

Tags: Dove, Dove Campaign for Real Beauty, hair styling, magazines, make-up, models, NY Times, Photoshop, Self-Esteem