I was talking with a non-photographer friend recently, and we were debating the merits and downfalls of editing. She argued it was fake and unrealistic. I argued it was fine, and allowed everyone to be seen at their best. Without going too much into specifics, her argument was that editing made people too different, and that if I edited a picture of myself, it’s not what I really look like. I said ok, and asked her what she thought she herself looked like edited vs non-edited. This stopped her for a second, and made her think. She didn’t know. So, we had a bet. I would take a picture of myself (or in this case my husband was camera operator, and I set the camera and lighting), edit it, and she could choose the one that looked most like me.
Well dear readers, here you are! These pictures are a before and after of a self-portrait with and without editing. What did I do? Not as much as you think. I added a little light under my eyes, to get of the shadows there (from both a long day and the angle of the lights), I took out a little redness in my chin, took out a few eyebrow hairs, smoothed my skin a tiny bit, made my teeth a little whiter, and brightened my eyes a bit. Oh yes, and did a little with the hair. Honestly, I think the biggest difference was the hair. That’s what I get for having lots of hair with all this humidity. Fashion photographers do a LOT more with skin, and blemishes, and make-up, and skin tints, and light reflections, and contouring, and a TON OF OTHER THINGS.
But a lot of the things that are part of me are still there, and I didn’t change them, not even with editing. My scar from when I had chicken pox as a kid is still there on my forehead. The slight discoloration from when I broke my nose playing softball (wear a face mask kids!) is still there, and the fact that I can’t figure out how to get my eyes even after having Bells-Palsy a few years ago when I smile is still there.
All humans are made in the image and likeness of God. And because of that we are beautiful. As a photographer, I try to reflect that in the pictures I take, so your beauty is shown from the inside and the outside. So what do you think? Which one looks like me? I think it’s both. I am frazzled with kids, and work, and life, but I can look presentable at times. But the most important part of who I am is made in His image.
Oh, and that friend? She thought the 2nd one looked like me. :)