Photoshop is Affecting People Today PDF

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Photo shop effects have many outcomes...

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Photoshop is Affecting People Today

Photoshop has become a well-known topic especially when it comes to social media and magazines. Photoshop is when a picture has been digitally altered on a software program to distort reality. According to Beautyredefined.com, “Whether or not a person is aware of the possibility of image alterations, not everyone realizes exactly HOW MUCH these images are changed to fit some seriously un-human and unrealistic ideals that we view over and over” (“Photoshopping: Altering Images and Our Minds”). Many celebrities and young people use photoshop to enhance the image. Many people believe that photoshop affects people negatively. There are still some people that believe it has positive benefits. Photoshop is affecting people negatively because it portrays a false body image and has a lasting impact on society.

First, photoshop has changed over time and had a different use then compared to what it is used for now. It was created by Thomas and John Knoll and they originally created it to edit photos. According to Nikol Safronova, who is a reporter for statesmanshs.org, “while the purpose of Photoshop back then was to alter images by cropping them or changing their color effect, now it has progressed into some companies using it to completely alter facial and body features” (Safronova). In 1988 editing photos use to be simple and known of as grayscale images on a monochrome display. However, now 33 years later photoshop is used as creating the perfect picture. Today the photographers can change the lighting, background, body size, and body parts.

Second, many celebrities and young people use photoshop constantly just to make their appearance seem “flawless”. This is because society has put labels on what is an acceptable body type. Also, some of the celebrities do not have an option but to have a photoshopped image because the photographer will change it without giving them the choice. According to Glamour, a beauty guru website, “over the years celebrities have begun calling out various outlets and photographers for their unrealistic portrayals of their bodies, and lately, they've been more outspoken than ever” (“9 Times Celebrities Have Spoken Out About Being Ridiculously Photoshopped”). Society thinks that the perfect body type is to be skinny and that you can not have any curves. They also believe that if you have any acne or wrinkles then you need to have it fixed. This is one reason why so many people feel the need to wear lots of makeup, use corsets, and go on those special diets. Younger generations see all of the celebrities getting photoshopped and believe that in order to fit society’s standards and to get the likes on social media then they also need to alter the images. If more celebrities and public figures can promote body positivity then other people might realize that there is not a perfect body.

Third, many people believe that photoshop affects people negatively. The reason for this is because out of all the commercials and advertisements people see in their lifetime they end up comparing themselves to those. According to Amy Roeder, who wrote for Havard School of Public Health, says “the American ideal of beauty has become so pervasive that 50% of three- to six-year-old girls worry about their weight” (Roeder). Kids should not be worrying about how they look and how much they weigh because their bodies are still developing and will continue to change for a while. Most of the time those people that are super concerned about weight end up developing eating disorders or going on super strict diets and exercise plans. Photo editing

shows an unrealistic image of what beauty is and people around the world will do anything possible to fit that image. Some ways that people will change themselves to fit this image is by having botox, injections, implants, weight loss surgeries, laser removal operations. Many models and celebrities who are often photoshopped develop eating disorders to help fit society’s “flawless” image. This is not acceptable because people already can be insecure about other things regarding their bodies. Most of the bodies that photographers produce in photoshop are physically impossible to have no matter how had they try and compared to Barbie-like bodies. Many people will not use the photo unless it has been altered in any way, especially young people.

Next, there are still many people who believe that photoshop is a good thing and has positive benefits. Most of the people who think it has positive benefits are the photographers. They believe this because it tends to catch people’s attention. Another reason they like it is that they may not have noticed little blemishes or acne until after the picture was taken so then they want it covered. Photoshop might be able to make the pictures look professional if it is used correctly otherwise it can look sloppy. According to Frank Multari, a photographer that focuses on street and portrait photography, “Photoshopping imperfections is not always about making someone appear perfect, it’s often a matter of being as faithful to what you saw as a photographer and human in the first place” (Multari). This is still wrong because even if they are not trying to make them look perfect then they are still wanting them to be “flawless”. Photographers should just keep the images as they were taken in order to somewhat help with the negative impacts.

Altogether, photoshop is affecting people negatively because it portrays a false body image and has a lasting impact on society. Photoshop has become a well-known topic especially when it comes to social media and magazines. Photoshop is when a picture has been digitally altered on a software program to distort reality. According to Beautyredefined.com, “Whether or not a person is aware of the possibility of image alterations, not everyone realizes exactly HOW MUCH these images are changed to fit some seriously un-human and unrealistic ideals that we view over and over” (“Photoshopping: Altering Images and Our Minds”). Many celebrities and young people use photoshop to enhance the image. Many people believe that photoshop affects people negatively. There are still some people that believe it has positive benefits. Therefore photoshop should be limited or not used anymore.

Works Cited

Glamour. “9 Celebrities Who Have Spoken Out About Being Ridiculously Photoshopped”

Glamour, www.glamour.com/story/celebrities-speak-out-bad-photoshop. Accessed 20 Oct

2020.

Multari, Frank. “Why I'll Photoshop Your Face and Why I Believe It's Okay.” PetaPixel, 15 Sept.

2014, petapixel.com/2014/09/14/ill-photoshop-face-believe-okay/. Accessed 14 Oct

2020.

“Photoshopping: Altering Images and Our Minds.” Beauty Redefined, 27 Apr. 2017,

beautyredefined.org/photoshopping-altering-images-and-our-minds/. Accessed 12 Oct

2020.

Roeder, Amy. “Advertising's Toxic Effect on Eating and Body Image.” News, 28 Mar. 2020,

www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/advertisings-toxic-effect-on-eating-and-body-imag.

Accessed 18 Oct 2020.

Safronova, Nikol. “To What Extent Does Photoshop Affect Society?” Statesman,

www.statesmanshs.org/1016/features/to-what-extent-does-photoshop-affect-society/. Accessed 18 Oct 2020....