The Pros and Cons of Digital Photo Enhancement
Wed Sep 13, 2006 2:12PM EDT
See Comments (155)
Did you catch the story about Katie Couric's slimmed-down look in an airbrushed photo in a CBS promotional magazine before she took the helm at CBS Evening News? Lots of folks were upset by it, and Katie and CBS execs mostly laughed it off.
But reader Lisa K. had a different take. The story inspired her to have a recent photo of her taken on the beach touched up to slim and shape her arms. She sent it off to PhotoChop.com (screenshot), and for $5 she has a digitally enhanced photo more to her liking. She's gone back with some more business, once to remove a fresh scrape from her son's nose. Â
Lisa writes: One could argue that we are misrepresenting ourselves through these modified pictures, but the reality is that it can change a picture from something you dislike to something enjoyable. I have no moral hang-up in giving myself a little "enhancing" on my personal photos while celebrities every day are portraying themselves to the public this way.
Good point, Lisa. But I've got two girls, and I don't want them getting more messages that women should be thinner, wrinkle-free, and perfect—whatever that is. (PhotoChop's motto: With PhotoChop, you can be flawless.) So I'm not going to be spreading that message by altering my suspect photos. But, hey, there are lots of times a little blemish removal, stray hair fixing, and other enhancements just plain make a photo better. And the tools are available, so go for it.
Lisa asks if there are other services besides PhotoChop that digitally enhance photos. Do birds fly? Sure there are. Local camera stores can do the work. You can also try some basic photo editing tips and techniques with whatever photo editor you prefer.
But if you want to make finer enhancements, more advanced photo editing software such as Adobe Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro may be the way to go. Here are some tips for using Paint Shop Pro, and a PhotoShop help site. I also found this popular step-by-step "How to Airbrush Your Photos in Photoshop" tutorial on Digg, though the result is a bit too plastic and unreal for me.
Got more tips for online or do-it-yourself photo enhancing? Please share.
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Comments on The Pros and Cons of Digital Photo Enhancement
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47 Posted by miglia04@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:19PM EDT Report Abuse
I hope this people are joking, is our society that desperate to impress people who we shouldn't be impressing. Give me a break, if need to enhance your picture, you should even take pics. of yourself, your defeating the whole purpose of the real meaning behing a picture! Thats sad....maybe for a joke, but thats about it!!
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48 Posted by joanvixen on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:37PM EDT Report Abuse
Look folks Digitaly altering a photo is the trade mark of a rank amatuer. Before you pick up a camera and expect Photshop to bail you out take a series of classes on basic photgraphy. All the manipulation inthe world won't help you if you have no basic skills. My work shows in Galleries all over NH and Maine and retails for a minimum of 400 dollars a shot and not one is diditaly altered.
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49 Posted by car2ner on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:18PM EDT Report Abuse
My friends don't mind me taking pictures of them at events since they know I will post them in the best way that I can. I took a zit off the middle of the forehead of a groom (20 years from now, he isn't going to want to see that). I take that bit of shadow out from under eyes so folks don't look so tired. And sometimes, just cropping and warming up the fleshtones is all a portrait needs!
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50 Posted by d_macias3 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:50PM EDT Report Abuse
Not everyone is an expert at photo re-touching. If you're gonna do it, take it to a pro lab. Even some pros do a job that has this make up, faky look. This article makes people belive that photo-retouching can be done at any photo lab, or a one's personal computer. Photo re-touching is a craft.
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51 Posted by mikegillerman on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:19PM EDT Report Abuse
As someone who does graphic design and photo-manip for a living, I can tell you. It's not the easiest thing in the world. Celebs get professional makeup and stylist help, and then they get any stray blemishes removed through digital editing. I recommend leaving it to the pros who know Photoshop. Just like everyone thinks that because they own Word/Publisher they are a graphic designer, people seem to think that with photo editing software they are a photographer or retoucher. It takes time and experience to learn and implement, and the results show if you don't know what your doing.
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52 Posted by bulletsgirl1000 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:15PM EDT Report Abuse
Whatever happened to being grateful you have legs and/or arms! Why would you want to enchance or subtract what your parents gave you in some non-reality forum. I edit pictures by removing the background to add designer text, I do not edit the weight or imperfections of the people, because then they wouldn't be the people who were in the picture to begin with. Be grateful for the opportunity you went to the beach, many people never get that chance. As far as the adds for beauty and the touch ups done there it is up to us parents to teach our children to know the difference between reality and fiction, after all we all can't live in a soap-opera or Harry Potter Magical school.
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53 Posted by mreynolds1957 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:27PM EDT Report Abuse
DO NOT click on the LookWow.com link in the article. I don't know who wrote this article, but I can bet you dollars to donuts they are now the proud owner of a trojan on their machine. As soon as the link took me to the web page I was bombarded by some program trying to download a trojan to my PC by the name of Trojan.Goldun.K it tried twice to download it. Once in the form of a file called Bl4ck.com and the second time in a file called file[1].exe. Thanks a bunch Yahoo for instilling yet more confidence in your abilities to keep us safe from the baddies out there. Next time try clicking on any links you let people put in articles BEFORE you put them out on the web for others. Thank God I had Antivirus protection.
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54 Posted by jomelli2000 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:40PM EDT Report Abuse
As I look back at (film) photos of when my hair was fuller and darker and my eyes just a little brighter, a touch of sadness briefly wells up. How much sadder still it would be to look back and see prints of myself as I wished I could have looked! "Gee I wasn't even thin enough then and now I am even farther from that view of acceptable." It is however cheaper than actually paying a visit to Doctor 90210. Perhaps next I can print my own local news reviews of how I scored the winning touchdown in 44 straight varsity games and saved the local convelescent home from a flood by diverting the deluge with two tanka trucks and an old parakeet cage.
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55 Posted by londonobelin on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:56PM EDT Report Abuse
I don't think posting photoshop tips is wrong at all, if you don't know how to use some version of Photoshop by now late 2006, you deserve to pay for it. "get with the program".
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56 Posted by lilcutie12342000 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:51PM EDT Report Abuse
WOW THIS IS CRAZY!! OUR WAY OF LIFE IS SO OUT THERE NOW ADAYS WHY MAKE OURSELVES TO BE SOMETHING WE ARE NOT?? GOD MADE US THE WAY HE WANTED US SCRAPES BRUISES AND SCARS IF WE ALL LOOKED ALIKE WHO WOULD WE ALL BE?? WE WOULD BE EVERYONE!!AND WE ARE ALL INDIVIDUALS NOT THE SAME NORE THE BEST NOR THE WORST WE ALL HUMAN AND WE SHOULD BE US NOT WHAT SOMEONE WANTS US TO BE...
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57 Posted by gizzard100 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:09PM EDT Report Abuse
Forget paying for photoshop or doing a crapy job yourself with photochop.com an artist does the work and you only have to buy it if you like it.
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58 Posted by radtapper on Sat Sep 23, 2006 9:21PM EDT Report Abuse
I have a professional dance company and photocrop.com has been a dream come true. They have help me so much and the turn around time and price have been really great. I can add light to a dark stage or change the quality of the photo to allow for publication and so much more. It is great how I can see the result before I buy it. Photocrop also has an old fashioned style of customer service...they always get right back to me with a real human response and an answer to my question.
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59 Posted by boonemurphy@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:11PM EDT Report Abuse
I like the touch ups for vacation pictures. If I want to edit out someone walking in the background, it's just a click away.
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60 Posted by wahoo2co on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:38PM EDT Report Abuse
to each their owne when will we learn that is the only way, then angin that is my own view
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61 Posted by vegas_king@prodigy.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:33PM EDT Report Abuse
if you don't like the way you look, why not spend time at the gym and eat better?
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62 Posted by kenneth.fuller@sbcglobal.net on Mon Sep 25, 2006 11:48AM EDT Report Abuse
Instead of taking a Photoshop class, I think a lot of the respondents need to take a spelling and grammar class! Education - or the lack thereof - is the downfall of our society - not photo-editing!
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63 Posted by muffinsplash_85 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:30PM EDT Report Abuse
Personally I think we should stop being so focused on beauty. We should love our flaws and embrace them. Who cares if were not perfect,no one is.
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64 Posted by seventhsight on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:14PM EDT Report Abuse
With Microsoft Picture It 10 premium you can go to restore old picture and repair scratches,remove dust and several other functions under "Touchups" that enhance photos.It has been a lifesaver for digital photos and old poloroids that were too dark and grainy or had scratches and other damaging cosmetic flaws.
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65 Posted by smosesly on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:30PM EDT Report Abuse
there is nothing wrong with touching up a photo I think that is great as long as it isn't drastic like the katie couric episode 20lbs is a lot but to trim ur arm whiten your teeth go for it .... Who doesn't want to look great in pictures it just a matter of taste.
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46 Posted by jgreimer on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:34PM EDT Report Abuse
Are there any others out there old enough to remember the Twilight Zone episode about the society in which at a certain age, everyone was required to choose among a number of attractive bodies. One not so attractive girl tried to resist but eventually succumbed to overwhelming pressure to be beautiful. Are we becoming that society? Could Rod Serling really have been 40 years ahead of his time?