Friday, July 11, 2008

Photoshop and Its Effects On Society

Hey everyone, I wrote alot but it would mean so much to me if you read it all. Trust me, its pretty interesting in my opinion.

Okay so I was browsing the web when I stumbled on this:
Jennifer Hudson, debuting her new album which is to be released in a couple of months
(September 2008).


And of course, the first thing I noticed was woah, since when was she that skinny! So I did some snooping, and I found that she was at the BET awards a month ago. This is how she looked like then:


And I am sorry, but I cannot believe that is the one and the same Jennifer Hudson. They made her look at least 20 pounds lighter! I can't believe that they could possibly release this album cover and expect the public to believe that she's actually that size. Definetly an abuse of photoshop. You may say that its not photoshop, just really really good technique use of lighting. Well you know what I say? Same thing. Who cares if the culprit is photoshop or a thousand high-tech lights, the point is that she doesn't look like that in real life. I mean, what message were they trying to send? Did they seriously think that by her being skinny and a size everyone knows she isn't, they could sell more albums? What were they thinking? "Oh its okay that everyone knows she doesnt look like that in real life. They'll still be more people buying it if she looks skinny, who cares if its fake". NOT okay.

Which is why I think our society has some serious issues.




(notice the tiles behind her are curved, not straight- they must have messed them up when they were making her thinner...and isn't the qoute next to her ironic?)

The fragrance "Believe" was launched in August 2007...mind you, this was post-baby-britney spears, which is why the ad for this fragrance of hers (which doesnt even look like her) came with alot of people saying that it was obviously photoshopped. The company in response told the press that this was in fact, not photoshopped, but a product of expert lighting. Chyeah, okay.



I am by no means saying that all models are photoshopped. But many magazine are guilty of models that have extreme lighting techniques, and are touched-up; I just really don't like it. I feel likewhen I look at a model in a magazine, what I'm looking at isn't a beautiful girl- its what the people in an office working for the magazine want me to think is a beautiful girl. They want people to think that a certain type of beauty exists, when its really doesn't.

I know that its because they want to sell their product. And they want girls to feel like they will be beautiful if they buy that product. But it has gone past a point where everything, everything is fixed, twisted, distorted, all to make us believe in their product! I want to know that if I see a model on the streets, she'll look at least somewhat like the cover she's splashed across.

It's not even just in magazines...in this day and age, everything is distorted. Do you watch fox news? Well don't trust everything they say. This is what I learned at the beginning of this year, it was something I really didn't know or realize before, but when I did, it was frightening.

You probably already know some of this, but for those who don't:
In the United States, there are about five huge companies. They practically own all of the media. For example, the News Corporation is a company that owns FOX, The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones, The New York Post, MarketWatch, and a whole lot of other publications and forms of media, not only in the US, but also in australia, the uk, and in other random places. My point- say it was for some reason profitable for the company to sell grey jeans from one of these huge companies instead of blue. Then the company would put ads up in the New York Times for grey jeans, put an article of it in the Style section, then tell yet ANOTHER newspaper to put up an article about grey jeans to make it look like it was really a growing trend, and tell FOX news to report that all the latest celebrities are wearing grey jeans. The average joe american would see grey jeans everywhere in the media, and be like, "Wow its everywhere, everyone's probably using them, I'll buy them too."

This was just a made up example, but I just find it so scary that everything is owned by these huge companies, and news, ads, and the media can be distorted to the companies own will. Even things like the History Channel and all the news channels- someone owns them, and is probably telling them "Psst you better not publish anything bad about Obama its bad for our advertizement buyers" or turning to the other and saying "Make a big deal about the A-Rod and Madonna fling, Madonna wants the media attention". I remember I read an article that talked about a Colombian politician that had been held captive for seven years. When she was rescued, the article translated (she speaks spanish) it saying "I was so happy. It was like seeing a plane falling to rescue us" Or something to that extent. On the news on a spanish channel, I watched her speak and what she had actually said was "I was so happy to have been rescued, we were all jumping on the rescue plane, and for a moment were afraid it would fall down". As minor as that mistake was, it just shows you really can't always trust the news.

You may not want to believe what I say or think this is complete rubbish, but I thought I should say it because I believe it and it scares me to death that nothing on tv or in newspapers is the plain old black and white truth anymore. Its not only in the fashion industry, its everywhere in our society. Sorry if this came out to be a rant, I really did write alot (thanks if you read it all!), but I hope it maybe informed you a little. Or made you think.

Oh and on the brighter side, i was tagged by la femme chic =]



The Rules:
1) When received, you may post the premio on your blog.
2) Link to the blogger you received from.
3) Give it to 7 blogs
4) And link to those blogs
5) Also, leave those seven bloggers a comment about receiving the brilliant premio.

So, I'm going to tag cheapskatechic, icon, littlepinknotes, adele joanna , vintage vinyl, its called style, and too haute to handle, because they're all wonderful blogs.


EDIT: Here's the famous Dove film that covers the photoshopping problem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U

Thanks for all of your patience with this monster post,
-New York Chique

37 comments:

Adele said...

hey!! Thanks for tagging me! I'll link you because your blog is deffently one of my favourites! & yes! 8i read ALL of this fantastic post! Very interesting. I'm not going to lie, I'm very influenced by perfect images in magazines.. Influenced to loose weight, buy certain products.. So their plan is working! Thinking about it, I think they have actually brain washed us all to think that that is what celebs look like constantly, because when I think of britney I imagine if I ever met her to look as beautiful as the edited pics... Hmm I've lost were I was going! Haha great post

Anonymous said...

I read every word! Very true and very interesting. This could make a good human interest piece but I'm not sure the newspaper owners would allow it. I have added you to my blogroll! I look forward to your next post. Hopefully I won't become completely brain washed before then as I do love my magazines. Keep it up!

Guirec Munier said...

U r a fashion addict ! If u want, I invite u to come to see some of the most beautiful heels, dresses and bags of the Paris fashion weeks and many more...!

Unknown said...

Thanks so much for tagging me! But I don't quite understand it yet...

Unknown said...

How did you make their blog titles "clicky" LOL...this is hard. Plus I CAN'T concentrate. I am sick today. I JUST threw up a couple of minutes ago. Will you please visit my blog and tell me what to do? :)

Princess.Maria said...

Love your blog !!! and i so agree with the photoshop ... i dontk now if you read about Karolina Kurkova the victoria Secret model that was called fat in Brazil bcuz she has back fat and cellulite , to me she looks fine but you how they want their models super skinny scary looking ...

xoxo

Maria

starbrained said...

I read all of it and I totally agree with everything you wrote. With all of the retouching and photoshopping, I feel that the only way to fight against it is to be educated, open our eyes and understand that it's all an illusion: the models and celebrities do not look like that in real life. I think that the sooner we all figure that out, the sooner a lot of other image problems will decrease.

Anna Shapiro said...

I think its horrible as well.
I'm always looking at models and such in magazines,
and even though i know it isnt real, i can't help but feel pressured to look like that,
i mean, who doesnt?
They have these standards set,
which are unattainable.

grrr.

your a great writer, btw

la said...

nice examples and pics given for this post and thanks for tagging me :) although ill be honest i havnt an idea what to do and everyone i know has already been tagged so i wouldnt have anybody to tag...

giggleness said...

I read it all! :D
i totally agree with you, its scary of how much impact the media has.
the whole photoshopping and lighting thing totally annoys me. for once just show a picture of a normal girl as she is iwthout tweaking the picture.

Anonymous said...

This is a great post...very true...i think the effects of photoshopping on young girls are something very important to keep in mind
-Amy
(nycynicist)

style marauder said...

i'm linking you as we speak =)
and thanks!

Unknown said...

I still don't get the whole clicky name thing. Like I copied and pasted but it showed up as the whole website. GOD...visit my blog again please and help? LOL :(

Couture Carrie said...

I totally hear you! We are a hypercritical, perfectionist society when it comes to image. And despite Dove and others trying to convince us otherwise, I don't think it's likely to change... But our awareness of our potential tone manipulated is a coup in itself. We all just have to try to stay informed and not believe what we see and hear without questioning it. A thought-provoking post!

Julia said...

People who say it's lighting clearly know nothing about photography. It's clearly photoshopped and our society is all about selling sex and a look that's become acceptable. Sadly I add to this look by retouching girls to be 3+ more inches thinner when they already are so thin. It's just an aesthetic I've grown up with and like to see. I don't think it'll change any time soon.

Just so I don't seem like a total horribly contributor to the problem, I do work on projects critiquing and pointing out the over use of photoshop and the holding it has over what our ideals how now become.

Seriously said...

I totally agree with you!
I think with models who aren't so famous, it's ok to photoshop them slightly of imperfections.
But with someone like Jennifer Hudson, who is known for her full figure and womanly curves, it's preposterous! And I can't believe she went along with it too!

I think it's a bit of an insult to our intelligence...as if we wouldn't notice she looks around 2 or 3 dress sizes smaller!

It's ridiculous. We know her for her curves as well as we do her talent...what icon to curvacious and full figured women is she now? A lie...that's what.

Awesome post, well written, and good photos. I loved it! It makes a change from the crappy articles we see in Vogue.

Linda said...

Thanks for tagging me! <3

I completely agree with the Dove commercials. They're amazing. I especially love one of the Canadian ones with the little boy standing outside the house, looking for this girl.

Sammie said...

I'd love to trade links. Lovely blog and great post. This would look fantastic in a newspaper or magazine, but most mediaheads and large companies wouldn't allow it.

AlexMac said...

Thats a really interesting article! I agree with you completely.

Anonymous said...

yep, we live in a mad world

Pamcasso said...

wow, great great post. It's atrocious how fake these pix are.

STYLE AND THE CITY . COM - PARIS said...

my dear stylish friend

before i go to bed, i wanted to warn my friends : be aware ! my last photos could give you the desire to fall in love with Paris and move in ! lol.

cheers from Paris

Kamel
STYLE AND THE CITY . COM
PARIS

Wendy said...

Its true that the majority of covers and photos are photoshopped a alot or little. You can really tell!

Jen (MahaloFashion) said...

Jhud has cute style but that album cover is so photoshopped!

A Black Tie Event said...

Very interesting post. I once found this website where they showed the final photo, and you could scroll over it and see it before photoshopping. It's so hard to have a healthy body image when all of what you see in magazines is unreal.

Anonymous said...

yeah! you´re so right... i´m a graphic designer and i know what photoshop almighty can do... it´s all a lie... you can be thinnier or more beautiful in secs.
If the media would say the truth about people this world would be a better place, because everyone want to have a perfect life... but perfection doesn´t exist in human nature so we´re trying to reach somethind unreachable and that´s where we are all wrong!

uf! it´s seems a little long... but this is something i can talk all day! :D
sorry to boring you!

xoxo

Guirec Munier said...

I luv Jennifer Hudson !

Unknown said...

i read all of it.
and it is very interesting.
i agree with you that people are abusingg the powers of photoshop.

AusAnna said...

your post is fab babe.
a real issue esp in this industry.
x

Dana (MODAna) said...

I remember back when I didn't know what photoshop was and everyone started talking about how pictures were being distorted in magazines to make people appear perfect
I remember thinking - WOW good make up artists; and now it's WOW good photoshop artists.
I think it's fine, it's just like putting heavy make up/shooting from certain angels/with certain lighting; except when the person ceases to look human (IE Gwyneth in VOGUE! OMG! AWFUL)

we wear things said...

great blog! and yeah i think everything is photoshopped.. but it does still sadly influence self image..

Clare said...

this post is quite good. i like that you gave some specific examples to back up all you said.

Richel said...

photoshop is definitely getting out of hand. I take everything with a grain of salt just because I don't really think that magazines or media is very reliable, the whole credibility gap is coming into play,once again.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad that you brought this up. The fact that global corporations have so much control over things is quite scary. And the worse part is the homogenization--or "McDonaldization"--of society. People became mindless robots--slaves of huge corporations that dictate what people should think, eat, and do

Caroline said...

this is such a great read. i enjoyed it. have you ever seen that Dove commercial? if not, search in youtube dove beauty commercial or something along those lines. it shows the before and after of a photoshoot. its ccccrazy.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Deanna said...

Wow, im doing a research paper on self image and i needed a personal story, i think this might actually be helping in that area.
Not only that but its so true and so scary that theres so many truths hidden. Thank you for your opnions and ill be sure to give you your credit :]