I think there are a lot of examples of the un/natural body... here is one I found on Youtube that I thought I'd share... maybe some of you have seen it before.
I think what the point may be is this is what the software 'can do' and not that it is the process in which all images for media or entertainment consumption do. The production cost alone would be enormous. I did find it interesting that the author or creator of the video was trying to achieve a standard of 'natural' beauty. There were stages were they could have stopped at which point there were only tweaks to the original model's body. I am not saying that she looked better at that stage than the original image, because that would make an assumption that a degree of 'natural' was becoming closer into focus. What I am saying is depending on many people's POVs (points of view) the image could be considered natural or beautiful at any stage. Speaking from someone who has issues with body image, I have taking my own images and have done the same thing (far less risky images, though). I have played with that fantasy of 'what if...' and altered my appearance to conform to 'the' ideal more. The issue becomes that it needs to be viewed as just that 'a fantasy'. What things in my physical body would actually have to alter in order to acheive the photoshopped image? Ribs removed, bones shaved, things implanted, a time machine. None of which would be any fun or possible. And to who's ideal would I be chasing? Who's ideal or version of natural is the correct one? Perhaps it is the author of the video, perhaps it is 'western' patriarchs, perhaps it is the fashion industry, or perhaps it is a cerebral influence from an alien race hoping that if we all feel bad enough about who we are, we will eventually annihilate ourselves and they can finaly get the planet. (too bad we are destroying it day by day)
The way the video is handled makes me think that it was done somewhat knowingly. It reads more like an exercise in demonstrating the degree to which photos can be faked than like a tutorial on how to do it. Very slickly done.
There is nothing wrong with it. A photoshop work or a surgery, they probably do the same thing. The truth is, we'd like to believe what we want to see.
6 comments:
yeeesh. what's the point?
-ed k
I think what the point may be is this is what the software 'can do' and not that it is the process in which all images for media or entertainment consumption do. The production cost alone would be enormous.
I did find it interesting that the author or creator of the video was trying to achieve a standard of 'natural' beauty. There were stages were they could have stopped at which point there were only tweaks to the original model's body. I am not saying that she looked better at that stage than the original image, because that would make an assumption that a degree of 'natural' was becoming closer into focus. What I am saying is depending on many people's POVs (points of view) the image could be considered natural or beautiful at any stage.
Speaking from someone who has issues with body image, I have taking my own images and have done the same thing (far less risky images, though). I have played with that fantasy of 'what if...' and altered my appearance to conform to 'the' ideal more. The issue becomes that it needs to be viewed as just that 'a fantasy'. What things in my physical body would actually have to alter in order to acheive the photoshopped image? Ribs removed, bones shaved, things implanted, a time machine. None of which would be any fun or possible. And to who's ideal would I be chasing? Who's ideal or version of natural is the correct one? Perhaps it is the author of the video, perhaps it is 'western' patriarchs, perhaps it is the fashion industry, or perhaps it is a cerebral influence from an alien race hoping that if we all feel bad enough about who we are, we will eventually annihilate ourselves and they can finaly get the planet. (too bad we are destroying it day by day)
we don't quite beliefve what has just been presented, but are willing to indulge in your idea of obesity being solved by photoshop.
ali & ali
The way the video is handled makes me think that it was done somewhat knowingly. It reads more like an exercise in demonstrating the degree to which photos can be faked than like a tutorial on how to do it. Very slickly done.
There is nothing wrong with it. A photoshop work or a surgery, they probably do the same thing. The truth is, we'd like to believe what we want to see.
Shenghao Xi
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