The image above is an example of great photography, makeup, and lighting. This should be all you need. This blog has been brewing in my head for far too long. Photoshop is killing our Beauty Power. Let me explain…
Don’t get me wrong…Photoshop has its advantages. Like when we shot my book cover. Our chosen shot had my arm at an unflattering angle. I had been working out and my arms were looking good, but not in this one picture. A little slimming effect and we were ready to rock and roll. Other than that, I was proud to say that we used great lighting, flattering angles, and talented makeup artists. I think that when we allow our REAL images to be cleaned up to the max, to the point that we are unrecognizable and we look like plastic supermodels, that’s just not good.
I was sent three versions of the back cover of my book. One was the natural me, standing proudly, smiling and putting out the “this is me” vibe. The second one was a slightly taller version with a modestly whittled down waist and thighs. The third was definitely Wonder Woman with blonde hair. I stared at this image for quite a while..thinking Wow! This is what I would look like if I was 6 foot tall and never knew what a cookie was. It’s very seductive, this Photoshop thing. It shows us in our fantasy self. But honestly, how can this be good for us, and what does it show to the next generation? When I see images of my beautiful entrepreneurial friends totally computer generated, I feel cheated.” That is a beautiful woman. Why did they do that to her?”
Can someone explain to me how these fixed images help us with our ‘Beauty Power?’ A photographer friend told me once that a woman he photoshopped after a session was so amazed at how he made he look that she went out and got cosmetic surgery and joined a gym, transforming herself into the image she saw in the picture. That’s great, but I would highly doubt that this is the norm. I feel that overly adjusting our real images makes us feel extremely flawed and invisible. I tell my clients that what I’m putting out, the Beauty Power message, isn’t a cure for cancer but it’s an absolute need for us ladies.
How can you help? The next time you have pictures taken, show a few of those beautiful lines around the eyes that you have earned in your full life. Allow a little extra curve in your body. Do you really look like that? Let’s go in a new direction, ladies. Can we be real? Aging is inevitable. Be happy and proud that we got this far, so far. It’s Not Over Yet!
