I’m French, so excuse the mistakes in English! I’m not a photographer I used to be a fashion designer and had to make choices in the work to be done on the catalog pictures with my partner and our graphic artist.

We used retouching to take off a few scars, a crooked toe, even to take a face from a different photo to put it on the body and outfit we NEEDED. Why? To sell our clothes, obviously.

The graphic artist was named at the end of the catalog as any member of the shoot crew but we never explained how heavily the photos were retouched, the same way we didn’t explained that the make up artist had to hide a pimple on the model’s face or that we had to put a pin on the back of a dress because it didn’t exactly fit the model!

As professionals who deal with all the tools available to manipulate what we see (as well as what we hear in other types of media) we are undoubtedly more aware than the very target of those manipulated images out there. And this is of course why we have to set the limits of those very manipulations.

However, to me, PSing a photo is part of the creative process as much as picking the model or the landscape, the lighting and every aspect of the pre- and post-prod. Whether you see it as a simple tool to use or as a proper part of the result you seek (for self or client), I doubt any professional can consider it a way to dupe the audience.
Not that I want to be naive and think that professionals are not aware of the illusion people don’t see (it is still part of why those pictures sell), but the photographer/retoucher is still a creative, therefore an artist, and their responsibility can only be limited to the point/opinion/purpose they express in their creation: the interpretation is the responsibility of the one who looks at the image!

I completely agree with you RC and Terry on these two necessary things: education and vulgarisation (I don’t know if the term is right in English. In French it means “making something more common and accessible to the greater number of people”)! The more Photoshoppers and aware peers out there, the better the process of Photoshopping will be understood!

And the more tricks will be unveiled to the public! BONUS!!!

I tried to limit what I wanted to say as much as I could but it’s not always easy to be condensed when you express your opinion!
Again, RC, thank you for this great article and many thanks to everyone who gave their input! It’s a passionnating subject!

I do more landscape photography than portrait, yet no one seems to have a problem if I increase the color saturation of a sunset photo just to increase the impact of the picture, or take a color photo and make it Black and White, or add Sepia or Blur or any number of other things. But put a person in the photo and trim their waist or smooth out their skin then be prepared for the angry mob…

I think as photographers, we are more focused (pun intended) on dissecting published images than the general public, but I think also that we do that to better our own work. If we see an obvious Photoshop giveaway, then we become more aware of it when working on our own photos.

Admittedly, I’ve got mixed feelings about retouching, as Scott Kelby said, retouch to recreate what you saw (okay I paraphrased) but it makes sense….if it didn’t stand out to you in person, then why must it stand out to you in a finished photo?

Do your retouching in a moderate way…don’t try to make a new person.

I have deep-set eyes and a big nose. Unless I’m staring right into the light, my eye area is going to be dark; conversely, my nose is going to pick up the highlights, which makes it look even bigger.

I took one of the photos my daughter shot today and brushed lightened exposure around my eyes and darkened the exposure on my nose. I lightened the whites of my eyes since they were shadowed (like I said, they’re very deep-set).

Do I feel bad, sneaky, or deceptive about the changes? Not one bit. Maybe one reason I never liked having my picture made is that I always disliked the end result (and yes, I have one of those chicken pox scars, too).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnEvudXqP-w

I think if it is a portrait then you do what the client wants and that goes for any sale. But I think that the rags should add a caveat that these images are heavily retouched or slightly modified depending on what has been done. Newspapers should only allow the type of stuff that can be done in the LR2 Develop Module to be done and then limit it to the top portion of the module without using the brush thingy. Same for News shots. perty soon the videos we see will be PSed on the news before we are shown them if we do not put some universal guidelines in place.

On the topic of retouching itself… it is a touchy topic because of that whole negative self image thing. But you are absolutely correct when you say that the problem is not simply because society uses Photoshop on every image to massively manipulate the pixels to tell society what is pretty and what isn’t. It is massively widespread across many different areas and it isn’t going to be fixed. Look back in history and you will see that every culture had what they believed to be beautiful as found in the art and stories of these cultures. This is not a problem that arose when Photoshop was released… it was a problem the day humans came into existence either by *poof* or by a shaved ape realizing it could think.

So why all the fuss about it now? Because that is what the human race does now. We don’t pull together to solve problems. We complain and whine about anything we can possibly think of even if we are guilty of doing that same exact thing. I don’t know how many parents I know that started putting make up on their daughters at a very young age and told them it “makes them pretty”. Not only that, but I bet a huge percentage of them would mock any star or model that appeared on the cover of a magazine with pimples or other skin flaws even though they are the ones complaining that society is giving their kids the wrong message.

Its a mess. Its just like talking about our insurance system, medical system, educational system, political system, etc. Its flawed and it will always be flawed because we are human and we are far from perfect. Until we become perfect, I am going to continue using the tools at my disposal to sell more prints.

I haven’t read the other blogs yet, so maybe this is addressed there.

I worked for the State of Cal in a department with people who were always ’speakers’ at meetings or in the media and each year a brochure was done showing their pictures with a write-up about them. While the photographer did a great job – no one was happy with their picture – pointing out all the ‘flaws’ they saw. One gal came to me and asked if I could fix her double chin. I did, and sent the pic back to the photo dept. The next day everyone else put in their requests. (smile) Each picture still looked like the person – with the majority being small touch-ups – with a few double chins removed, or slimming of shoulders. Was it worth it? Yes. Where they once moaned about mailing brochures they were now excited to. It made them feel more confident when they went before the cameras, or spoke at conferences. They got compliments on the photos – which made them feel good – and no one made mention that they looked any differently in them. They ’saw’ themselves as those pictures. They would see casual pictures taken at conferences and ‘joke’ about getting me to retouch them – but they never asked me to. It didn’t matter anymore. The brochure pictures reflected to them ‘who they are’ and they had the confidence to be ‘who they were’ without worrying about how others saw them.

The other big thing that year was one individual who weighed 300lbs asked if there was any way to adjust a picture to show him what he would look like if he was in shape. He had never been thin. Yes, there was a lot more work involved but after seeing the ‘retouched’ picture he started biking to work, running, eating right, etc. In a year he lost 100lbs and today (10+ years later) he is still in shape, healthy, and active. He said he could never vision himself being thin because he didn’t know what ‘in shape’ looked like – and everyone in his family was overweight. He said the picture was like an acknowledgment – telling him that he wasn’t born to sit on the sidelines, but to live life.

Retouching – and the amount – all depends on what the photo will be used for. Scott is right about how there are facial ‘flaws’ that are passed over. The skill is looking at a photo and removing the things that no one would ever notice. But, there’s also knowing that maybe the scar across their forehead needs to remain – because to the ‘model’ it might be ‘a badge of courage’ that they do want others to see.

The retouching moto can be ‘do no harm.’ It requires the photographer to get to know their subject. It’s very easy to ask questions during a photoshoot – “We do have the option of making small touch-ups to the final photos. While I like my freckles (scar/mole) some people don’t like theirs and ask me to remove them from their pictures.” Always choose something that you do not notice on them. They will then openly tell you if there is something they would like ‘retouched’ or they will comment that they like freckles (scars/moles) and can’t understand why people want them retouched.

A severe Streptococcus-A bacteria caused a brain hemorrhage and a series of other life threatening complications. I went into a coma and was put on life support for two months. My family knew it was bad when the head of the largest Intensive Care Unit in the southern hemisphere said I was “By far the sickest person there”. Shortly after, my parents were told they may have to turn off my life support.

Today, at age 28 (photographed above), I’ve undergone over a dozen operations, including heart surgery, a total hip replacement and the amputation of nine fingertips, all my toes and one leg. Yet despite all the ‘missing pieces’, life now feels more complete than ever before.

So why am I telling you this? Well, it’s certainly not for sympathy or pity. I’m hoping that sharing my story and the lessons I’ve learnt might encourage you to find more perspective in your own life. I simply ask that you have gratitude for what you do have and what you can do. Rather than worrying about what you don’t have or can’t do.

I frequently hear women whine about the size or shape of their legs. I think to myself, “you have two legs and you’re walking so what are you complaining about?”

Last year I was asked to speak at a dinner about overcoming challenges and why, after everything that’s happened, I still feel like the luckiest girl in the world. However, I never made it inside the venue and woke up in an ambulance. A seizure diagnosed epilepsy. But weeks later I returned and gave the same speech. Nothing had changed and after yet another stint in hospital, I still felt like the luckiest girl in the world.

The brain hemorrhage also caused irreversible damage to my sight – I’m 25% blind. But the fact that I can see at all makes me extremely grateful. Even if, when I look down, I see scars and ‘missing bits’, I’m so happy that I can see at all! If crows feet or dark circles were the biggest ‘problem’ with my eyes, I’d be very happy.

I frequently hear and see women validating their self-worth by the reflection in the mirror or the dress size in their wardrobe. Even more disturbing is the young age of our image obsessed culture. Recent studies reported that the incidence of Primary school children being diagnosed with eating disorders was increasing at an alarming rate.

The media’s flooded with statistics about poor body image. However, turn the page or change the channel and you’ll see images that only perpetuate the problem for the estimated 90% of women who are unhappy with their body.

‘Blame’ can be laid in many areas but in my experience, education is the best prevention. There is also a large onus on us to be responsible consumers. That’s why I’m currently using my professional background and personal experiences to promote a healthy body image and a positive role model for others, especially for young women. Because, nothing will change unless we do.

Combining a decade of professional experience in the media industry; two university degrees specializing in advertising and media; my work as a model plus my more recent medical challenges, I’ve certainly learnt a thing or two about body image – from both sides of the camera lens.

Ironically, I had my last modeling photo shoot just days before I went into a coma. The glamorous photos are a stark contrast to photos taken shortly after in hospital.

It’s incredibly gratifying and rewarding to be thanked and congratulated for presenting a stronger role model for women than many of the ones we usually see in the media.

My first-hand experiences and unique background give me an added credibility that I find really resonates with my audience. Through my work, I educate others about the realities of the unrealistic messages we are exposed to on a daily basis. Importantly, I remind my audience not to wait for something negative to happen in their life before they choose to develop a positive body image.

I’m on a one-woman mission to create a generation of media savvy youth whose body image and feelings of self-worth are not at the mercy of Advertisers, for example.

Last year I launched my website: http://www.LisaCoxPresents.com and hope to reach a wider audience base with my story. I have spoken at corporate dinners, Business Seminars and Health Clubs about pursuing goals and overcoming challenges. However, my real passion is speaking with young people about the smoke and mirrors in popular culture and the detrimental effects this has on body image.

There’s an undeniable need for stronger, healthier and more positive role models for young people in the media. So in the famous words of the great Gandhi “Be the change you want to see in the world”.

To contact Lisa Cox email lisacox@mail.org or visit http://www.LisaCoxPresents.com