On Living By Learning
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Real Photos, Real Fiction
Author: Sandra Foyt8 May
My daughter has been thinking of starting a new business using her new Photoshop skills to eliminate blemishes on her middle school friends’ pictures.
But, why stop there? There is a ton of money to be made creating fairy tale photos. Pascal Dangin, the “premier retoucher of fashion photographs,” has made an artform out of cleaning up and enriching images. In his work, some of the world’s most beautiful people get airbrushed. Now, Dangin is claiming that he applied his magic touch to Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty.
Big Surprise. Real beauty is real fake.
So, why shouldn’t she indulge her creative impulses to produce photo fictions?
Well, I’m sure we can all come up with a long list of reasons to stop this venture before things turn ugly.
Perhaps, I’ll suggest that she stick to pet photography. Yoohoo, our Chocolate Lab, could use some airbrushing of his robust physique - and it won’t damage his self-esteem one bit.
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2 Responses for "Real Photos, Real Fiction"
I know this article is about something else all together, but since I have family ties to her, I thought I would put in my two cents.
There are many wonderful things that come from her Photoshop experience. Just because she starts out fixing blemishes does not mean she will end up becoming a graphic artist in the print industry. She could very well apply her skills to photo restoration.
I do not think it will matter anyway since I see her entrepreneurial spirit to be more of the focus rather than what she is currently interested in now. Today she wants to start a small business as a freelance photo editor and tomorrow she will be doing something completely different because her entrepreneurial spirit will lead her away from this industry, that and the creative (& entrepreneurial) minds that she will find when she attends college.
Dan,
I totally agree with you. As her mom, I don’t want to squelch that creative, entrepreneurial spirit. At the same time, it’s my job to point out potential pitfalls.
That said, I don’t really have a problem with her eliminating blemishes on photos. But, first, we have to talk about what’s OK, and what isn’t.
Sometimes our kids need a little guidance learning how to be sensitive to the needs or concerns of others. It’s not always obvious, at least not to my children.
Sandra
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