We all know that most images of celebrities and models are Photoshopped in one way or another. But whilst some of us dismiss these idealised images as unrealistic nonsense, others are greatly influenced by them and can suffer from low self-esteem as a result.
These images permeate most aspects of our lives, from the adverts on television to the covers of the magazines we read. And with the rise of social media platforms such as Instagram, there’s a chance we can be subjected to a modified image with every swipe of our screens.
We’ve all seen the comically ridiculous mishaps where models are accidentally made shoulder-less or are suddenly left missing a thigh. Far more disturbing are the images that involve alterations to already slim and beautiful models, which renders them impossibly thin and too perfect.
An example of this can be found on a 2011 Grazia cover, displaying an absolutely tiny Kate Middleton in her wedding dress. Her waist has been slimmed down so much that it’s completely out of proportion to the rest of her body. Photoshopping a woman already known for her slender frame was not only an insult to Kate, but an insult to readers, as it appears Grazia was trying to dupe them by presenting Kate’s figure as reality.
Let’s have a look at the typical features we can expect to find from these images: unbelievably thin waists, huge thigh gaps, razor like cheekbones, enhanced cleavages and flawless complexions are just the tip of the iceberg. The more familiar aspects of the feminine body- lumps, bumps, cellulite, blemishes and freckles- are nowhere to be found.
It’s a phenomenon that’s spreading as image-altering technology is available to amateurs via the app store. With the rise of social media, celebrities now have the opportunity to control their image by editing their own photos. The Kardashian/Jenner clan, Miranda Kerr and Beyoncé have all been accused of altering their images before uploading them to Instagram. Despite seemingly having all the money in the world- or at least, enough to hire the services of a professional retoucher- these celebs often give themselves away by the odd distortions in the backgrounds of the photos.
Take, for example, the following photo of Beyonce from her Instagram account. At first glance nothing seems amiss (except for the fact that she’s waltzing around a yacht in nothing more than a bikini and body jewellery- but hey, she’s Queen Bey). But eagle-eyed fans noticed the distortion of the step in the gap between her thighs, which led many to believe that her wide thigh gap was in fact created by Photoshop.
So with the combination of advertisers and celebrities altering their images, the idealised female body has become inhuman and unattainable. This can only have a detrimental effect on self-esteem levels; a huge 71% of girls aged 11-21 are unhappy with their weight. Furthermore, 75% believe that boys expect them to look like the images they see in the media. And worryingly, 87% believe that women are judged more on their appearance than by their personality or abilities.
Fortunately, movements such as Dove’s Real Beauty campaign have come to the fore in recent years. These movements are important as they demonstrate real and unaltered bodies, as opposed to a picture of female beauty created on a laptop. Of course, it’s important to remember that we shouldn’t consider smaller-framed girls to be ‘unrealistic’ and not representative of ‘real womanhood’- Dove’s aim is to show their customers that women of all shapes, sizes and skin tones are beautiful.
Although Dove’s movement is an incredibly positive one, it represents the minority in terms of attitude towards body image in the media. It’s an uphill challenge to try and prevent advertising companies and magazines from the excessive use of Photoshop. But what we can do is highlight the unattainability of these images and emphasizes that they were not a true representation of reality.
Edited by Nicole Jones.
Sources:
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/mar/20/girlguiding-body-confidence-badge-guides
http://www.beautyredefined.net/photoshopping-altering-images-and-our-minds/
https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/default.aspx?page=8003
Image Sources:
http://www.beautyredefined.net/photoshop-phoniness-hall-of-shame/