I love it when other people make my points for me!!
While doing some internet research, I stumbled across a blog for Shape Magazine with the headline “Why magazines should never change the size of a cover model’s body.”
Well, anyone who’s followed me for any length of time knows that I believe it’s a waste of time and energy to fight the use of Photoshop. I’ve written extensively about how “digital retouching” is simply industry standard and that it is no different than using the photo editing filters and apps on your smart phone.
Magazine covers (as well as every other form of visual advertising) are crafted by teams of highly skilled artists. The art department’s purpose is the same as yours – to produce an awesome picture. And just like you – when you consider lighting and composition and use your cell phone filters to “enhance” your photo – the creative teams are producing works of art.
Photoshop is the patsy – not the problem.
So what is the problem? I’m going to let the blogger for Shape Magazine address that. Let’s hear what she has to say…
“A star’s body is on the cover (or at least on the Shape covers) for a reason: to inspire all of us struggling with our weight (me included) that we, too – through hard work – can get a body like hers.”
And there is it… “to get a body like hers.”
The blogger did not say:
“to inspire all of us struggling with our weight – that if she can do it, we can do it too.”
The blogger did not say:
“to inspire all of us struggling with our weight – that if she can overcome obstacles, we can too.”
The blogger did not say:
“to inspire all of us struggling with our weight – that if she can create a body she loves, we can create a body we love too.”
This blogger said that the reason the star’s body is on the cover is to inspire us to work hard so that we can get a body like hers.
Hard work or no – Photoshop or no – the problem is that we buy into the belief that we can get a body like hers!
We will never get a body “like hers.” We will always have a body “like ours.”
But that’s not to say that our body cannot be beautiful (regardless of the shape or size). And it’s not to say that our body cannot – through conscious effort – be fit and strong and look its best. And that’s not to say that we cannot – through conscious effort –create a body we love. We can do all these things. The only thing we can’t do is get a body like hers.
But that’s what the magazines are selling. The magazines use this idea of “getting a body like hers” to sell their publications – and they’ve done such a good job at it that their own bloggers have fallen victim to the mindset!
Photoshop is not the problem. Even advertising is not the problem. The problem is that we – as a culture – lack perspective. We lack basic, fundamental media and marketing literacy. We lack critical thinking skills. We also lack connection. We lack a connection with our bodies. And we lack a connection with ourselves.
But all of these issues can be addressed. And when we address them, we find that we ourselves are the solution.