A few days ago I was sorting through some pictures and placing an order for some prints. I use Picmonkey to do any editing that needs done. I’ve never used it for anything but the basics like cropping and fixing exposure and stuff, but I was playing around with one of my dogs’ pictures and found a whole mess of features I’d never paid any attention to.
It’s truly amazing how much you can do to a photo! I decided to try it out. It was early in the morning and I was still sitting around in sweats, face and hair completely undone. I snapped this selfie.
Then in literally like three minutes, with a few clicks of self-tanner, airbrush, blemish eraser, tooth whitener, weight loss, eye brightener, lip color, eye liner, etc. I turned that plain Jane into this.
If I can do that with a completely bare face in just a couple of minutes, if I’d been made up to begin with, I probably could have created a pretty stunning head shot. I think everyone knows how much editing and photoshopping is done in magazines and other media, but with software like this so readily available to absolutely anyone, can you really believe ANYTHING that you see anymore? I’m not saying this to sound jaded or anything. I just know how we girls tend to compare ourselves to other women who we think are prettier or thinner or younger looking than we are–even our Facebook friends or bloggy buddies. I mean I sure as hell don’t have the time or the give-a-damn to do this to every photo that I post, but you know what? I’d be willing to bet that some of those bigger bloggers that do this for a living do. This just served as a really good reminder to me, and I hope to you too, that you just can’t compare yourself to someone else’s photoshopped version of reality!
I think you look JUST fine in both photos, and while I can see small differences, it’s definitely not like those airbrushed magazine photos!! HOWEVER I see your point. 😉
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Haha Thanks! You so cray, but thanks!
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 2015 14:25:43 +0000 To: pamfrench@hotmail.com
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I wear makeup maybe once every six months. Screw that! Way too much effort.
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If I had your skin I would do that too!!! 😛
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 2015 14:49:36 +0000 To: pamfrench@hotmail.com
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Why’d you remove your cute freckles?!
I edit ALL of my photos in Photoshop before I post them. I crop them and sometimes change the color and lighting and will remove any hideous zits. LOL. Oh, and this pic? http://www.ilaxstudio.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/150723RAGRBAIDay5-36.jpg I took away all my mosquito bite scars! LOL. But I am just taking away the gross stuff 😉 I would get those scars removed in real life if I could.
I don’t understand the people who compare themselves to others (to ANYONE!) and especially to photoshopped models. LOL. That shit ain’t real.
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haha! Yeah, I would get rid of my crow’s feet, freckles, and ginormous pores in real life if I could too! I used to joke and say I was getting myself botox for my 35th birthday. Only I really wasn’t joking. lol But I got myself a half-marathon instead. There’s always 36. lol
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 2015 17:47:58 +0000 To: pamfrench@hotmail.com
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I think you look fabulous in both! But yeah I pretty much assume that everyone in magazines and probably most big blogs are photoshopping! I have no clue how to photoshop but I do enjoy a good Instagram filter!! Haha
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Oh totally! I love me some IG. 🙂
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 2015 18:38:41 +0000 To: pamfrench@hotmail.com
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I really don’t see much difference. You look great in both! I think you are right, though. I believe some people do tweak all of their photos. So what are we comparing ourselves to? An app? A computer?
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Hahaha you’re too kind. Dark circles and crow’s feet anyone?
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 2015 20:09:42 +0000 To: pamfrench@hotmail.com
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It’s pretty amazing what a photo editing app can do. Altho I think you look great in both photos!
Will this app take my wrinkles away?
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LOL YES! There was an anti-wrinkle feature. lol Too bad they don’t make an app like that for us in real life. Oh wait, they do–botox! lol I joke, but I really do want to do that.
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 2015 01:17:22 +0000 To: pamfrench@hotmail.com
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Well you certainly do not need to waste your time because your before pic is even better…but…I am glad you gave me the tips. I’ve seen those features on Picmonkey but have yet to try them. I know that wasn’t really your point but I wonder if it has a stretch feature…I’ve always thought I’d look better if I were just a couple inches taller 🙂
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HA! Thanks, but HA! lol It seemed like that’s what the weight loss feature did–stretched you out and narrowed you down! Date: Thu, 30 Jul 2015 01:20:27 +0000 To: pamfrench@hotmail.com
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Its always interesting to see what photos actually looked like before all the editing that gets done! I rarely take the time to do much editing to my photos, just a filter and some cropping if needed:)
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I never knew there was a program to make changes like that! All I do is crop, size down, and occasionally adjust the lighting. I have belly scars and stretch marks from my heavy days, but they stay in the picture because that’s who I am. Besides, just cropping & sizing down takes too much time! Cute doggie pic. 🙂
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Ditto! I’ve got them on my hips and inner thighs. They used to bother me a lot but not so much anymore. Definitely not enough to take the time to airbrush them out. lol
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 2015 13:40:46 +0000 To: pamfrench@hotmail.com
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