Most people in the glamour industry have been upheld it a severe and unusual standard of physical appearance and beauty. People look up to models and actors as highly fit and fashionable people who have to remain prim and perfect all the time. These unmatched beauty standards are not only prevalent in the screens and runway but are widely represented in magazines, newspapers and articles. In such daily publications (be it online or offline), their appearance is often altered digitally with the aid of mobile applications and computer software.
One of the most prominent software used for this purpose is Photoshop. With the help of this device, one can alter an image in any way or manner they deem fit. Be it a simple manner of fixing some tiny freckles with over laying with an small tool like an airbrush or altering the whole muscle structure or a person by adding shadows and over layers to the pre-existing form.
These processes generally involve the removal of an imperfection and retouching and adding on the desirable features.
Most widely known as Photo Manipulation, this is generally the art of altering a photograph, so as to achieve a pre set end. It can either be used to edit pictures ethically or it can be used to wield unnecessary and elaborate set of adjustments to completely after a celebrity’s appearance.
Spot Healing tools
These are used to get rid of slight acne, blemishes or wrinkle that might be present in an image. Acne is present is often seen in the faces of teenagers and wrinkles are a normal part of ageing but with the use of Photoshop the natural processes can be completely done away with, by using the spot healing tool. One simply has to upload the picture and remove the undesirable portions. The spot healing tool assures fast and easy retouching.
Face - aware Liquefier
This is a filter that is used to either magnify or reduce the shape or size of a form. With the application of the face tool option. This tool comes with of complete array of settings like eye settings, mouth settings, nose settings and face shape settings which can be appropriately used bring about the alterations that would be gratifying for the face that is being edited. Besides, the liquifier tool can also help one magnify certain areas of the body and restrict others in order to achieve the preferable result. This faces, structures and lengths can be corrected and perfected, be it the curve of a hip or the measurement of a muscle. The measurement of cloth and garments can also be differentiated for similar effects.
Blur
Blurring a few areas in the image can be used in the photo make the background and the thickness of the hair to enhance the photograph. Blurring background and overlaying them makes it believable and reasonable.
Overlaying
This is done with the help of a overlaying brush, used to highlight areas of the face, to make them appear brighter and radiant and to flick the light in and around areas that are to be showcased.
Scaling
Scaling is used to increase and decrease the proportions of the image to manipulate the length, breath, width or height of the portrait. This can help it achieve an optimum level in order to resize areas and images. It can be used to alter the proportions of areas to make a area look more stereotypically desirable.
Other than this several other tools and filters might be used to alter the lighting, source of shadows, exposure, dark spots and others to make a portrait, typically beautiful or handsome.
As a matter of fact photo manipulation when ethically taken through can make a picture look brighter but in the day and age we live it is used to drastically improve upon faces and body structures. Such photographs are then used on front pages or advertisements where from they can instil insurmountable and obscene standards in the minds of the general public.
When we use technology, we must remember to use it from the a positive and prosperous points. So as to make the social structures stronger. Creating an augmented pedestal of beauty serves no one in the long run.