Is that Really You, Sharon?

The keyword search for this week is photo retouching. We all associate this modification to celebrity magazine portraits. We may even associate it with programs like Illustrator and such. However, for a price, these photo retouching secrets are now being circulated among the masses; this includes the popular online tutorials like Adobe Photoshop Photo Retouch Tutorials and the ever famous line for dummies: Photo Retouching and Restoration for Dummies.

What is the purpose behind these infinite tutorials and numerous applications on the internet? Is the desire to perfect photographs really this common and demanded that there is an entire global market for it? And if so, are we really that shallow or is it simply the false image that celebrities in the media portray that motivates us?

Lee Edward McIlmoyle, author of the article “On the Issue of Photo Retouching,” touches (not intended as a pun…but I think this is the most appropriate word) on the argument for photo retouching. He explains that through photography restoration they are simply expressing themselves as artists; to limit their use of retouching would be like censorship. He alludes to the Declaration of Independence’s pursuit of life, liberty and happiness as “the pursuit of beauty” and how this quest is not only reasonable but admirable in present-day culture.

“It doesn’t take brains to see through the lies on the page, but if someone lies to you enough times, it gets a little hard to ignore. And the retouched fantasy of human physical perfection is everywhere.” Photo retouching is brainwashing. Perfection is seen constantly and is accepted as a reality on the glossy surfaces of magazine covers. Maybe magazines should try not to exaggerate and promote the impossible, physical perfections of celebrities. However, magazines fear that this would in turn make the general public realize that there is nothing special about the celebrities that appear in their photos and therefore nothing special in the magazine. Maybe if photo retouching was simply an aid or a boost to beauty and not the standard or minimum, magazines might sell more. Of course, I’m only one of billions of consumers; magazines could care less if I buy their product.

Of course, I’m glad to know that some celebrities are trying to fight this accepted fantasy of photo retouching media. Kelly Clarkson spoke to a group of pre-teen girl scouts during a self-esteem workshop sponsored by Dove and focused on disputing the common-held belief that celebrities are flawless. She claims the practice is universal; it doesn’t matter who is being retouched. I hope this generation can find a way to modify this modern customary practice. Andy Roddick, professional tennis player, also refuted the images that Men’s Fitness Magazine used in its cover. Roddick claimed that his biceps were clearly altered. If celebrities know that this isn’t reality and themselves question the restorations, why do magazines continue to portray false images to the public?

Well, the response is that ordinary citizens want to retouch their photos as well. And now they can. PhotoHand.com is a web site that offers professional photo retouching to anyone at the low price of $3.50 per photograph. The press release vows to perfect photographs from special occasions and fond memories, but we all know that this will not be used only under these specific circumstances.