Photoshop Retouching - How Much Is Too Much?
We live in such a dangerous world of Social Media where everyone we see looks like a celebrity with perfect skin, barbie doll bodies, symmetrical features etc. All the pictures we see have been put through some kind of filter or retouched in some way.
This is highly dangerous because our kids end up thinking this is in some way, normal and if they don’t look like that then they must be ‘not normal’. Is it any wonder that so many teenagers have eating disorders and grow up feeling inadequate.?
Do you remember Kate Moss, the supermodel? She was the one out partying all night with Johnny Depp and only those who have actually gone out partying all night and smoked like a chimney will actually know that you will certainly not wake up the next day with flawless skin. At some point you need to put the work in with exercise, lots of water and less cigs. The rest is amazing hair and make-up.
Of course that was in the days before photoshop and now we have a tool that can pretty much do anything you want. Now we’re in total fantasy land regarding looks.
The women you see in these photoshopped images are NOT real people. The ads and commercials that you see set dangerous standards for ourselves and others that are totally unattainable!
This video below is an amazing example of the photoshopping lengths that the beauty and fashion industries go to when they create their ads and content. Watch it and weep! It’s less than 2 minutes long.
Once you’ve seen that video, it’s difficult to ‘unsee’ it.
Photoshop is a powerful tool and as a boudoir photographer and as parents of teenagers, we have a great responsibility to use it properly . At Madison Bou, we believe there is a big difference between helping someone to look like a glammed up version of themselves and warping their body into something that it’s not.
For us, the art of boudoir is about showing clients a version of themselves that they don’t see everyday, but a version that is still them. This is what’s so empowering.
It’s more about great hair and make-up, perfect lighting and posing which makes the difference. Then when we show you the pictures on the back of the camera and you start to gain more confidence you start to radiate a new kind of inner beauty. I know it sounds a little unbelievable, but it’s true. YOU really can become more beautiful just by gaining more confidence.
Of course, we do use Photoshop to remove lines left by tight clothing and straps and we’ll clean skin from uneven spray tan or spots when you’re having a bad skin day. We never want you to look at your tiny flaws on the day and let it spoil the whole picture.
We stand by our mantra which is that you are ‘perfectly imperfect’, meaning that you and all your little imperfections make you perfect just as you are, right now.