What does beauty mean to you?
Before I dive right into this topic, quick disclaimer. I sometimes use Lightroom and Photoshop to edit my photos. I never alter my figure or features. All I do with these photo editing tools is to improve the lightening in my photos. So I play around with the exposure, contrast, vibrance and saturation tools in Lightroom. And I mainly use Photoshop to delete names, numbers and other personal information I don’t want showing in my photos. I never use these tools to alter my body and any of my features. Having said that, I do like playing around with filters for dun, especially those on Snapchat.
It’s getting increasingly difficult to tell what real beauty actually means. Women are getting carried away with the by-products of filters and photo editing apps that they’ve lost touch with the beauty that they already are. And by “beauty” I mean the real, unedited, no-filter kind of beauty.
You hardly see pictures on the internet or in your favourite glossy magazines that don’t go through some level of editing or the other. Editing your picture immediately after taking them has turned into second nature for many of us.
More women have had their self-esteem bruised when they see edited pictures of other women online. They no longer see themselves worthy because of the beauty that came through a filter. It sounds ridiculous when you think of it, but it has been causing a lot of damage to women and young girls today.
More women think that they have to go under the knife, get on extreme diets and buy expensive products just to attain that perfect flawless look that they see on social media. They rather put their lives in danger than to learn to love themselves for who they really are.
Fortunately a lot of women are being more conscious of the black hole Photoshop and other photo editing apps and filters are sucking us into. Such women saw that if they didn’t speak up, more women will be in danger. Consequently, they became advocates of banning photoshopped ‘beauty’.
Recognizing the true beauty behind the filter
The idea behind photo editing apps may have been a good one – to enhance one’s beauty. But the overdependence on those apps is creating a misconception of what real beauty is.
No one is born with the perfect skin, the perfect figure or the perfect complexion. And beauty is far beyond all those. You are beautiful for simply being you. You are a true beauty and you need to embrace it. The minute you recognize that you’re more beautiful than what any filter will make you, that’s when you’ll be able regain the self-esteem you lost to the pressure that comes from viewing airbrushed or edited photos.
So should photoshopped ‘beauty’ be banned?
I don’t believe it should be banned. I don’t think photo editing apps and filters will ever go away for good. But I think we should take these perfect photos we see on social media and on the pages of magazines with a pinch of salt. Don’t take them too seriously because 99.9% of the time, most of these photos have been seriously edited to look perfect.
Many women are being misled and now teenage girls are being affected. It’s disheartening that we are slowly losing our sense of true beauty – the one that is authentic and the one that embraces our imperfections. Instead, women are going through complex and oftentimes life threatening cosmetic procedures just to measure up with the mirage they see when they pop on a filter or have their photos airbrushed.
There’s nothing wrong with imperfection or blemishes. It shows that we are human. We need to learn to fall in love with ourselves and truly appreciate the awesome person that we are. That’s what should shine through every picture we upload. This is how you can become more self-confident and self-assured.
That’s why you need to take a stand and be you. You’re truly a beauty.
What do you think of filters and photo editing apps?
Nothing wrong with them used in the right context as you described.
I don’t believe anyone has never deleted a photo of them they don’t like. I know I certainly have. That’s the same sort of thing. Same sort of thing.
Beauty as you say is far more than what you see on the outside. It is very much what is inside too.
I agree. Thanks Carol 😊
Hi Stella,
to me it’s an interesting topic because most of the time I am taking photos of other people.
Most of the time I’m in tricky light situations which is why I mostly need Photoshop to make the people look a little bit like what they really looked like. On one hand I do sometimes want them to look more extreme – more details as you would usually see (I am thinking of catwalk photos with models) – on the other hand – when I take portrait photos of friends – I do sometimes conceal monster like pimples and not only correct the light. But I never change more. My friends hate me for that while I don’t get why they want to look like someone else. This is also the reason why I don’t like most of the app filters for Instagram. If you know the photographer Martin Schoeller – I like his style of photography.
Best wishes,
I get tricky light situations too which I correct but I don’t do anything else. I understand how it can be hard for you when your friends want more. I will be checking Martin Schoeller photography.
I don’t think that it should be banned. It’s just a matter of choice. Anyone who doesn’t like to photoshop can avoid doing so bit that’s just my point of view.
I agree. Thanks for reading.
This is a really interesting topic – I think that it’s all about consent. I’m not one that wants to be photoshopped (other than the occasional insta filter), but if you do, good for you, and that’s your choice! I think the problem is that many women in the media end up photoshopped or airbrushed without their permission, so it’s unfair to hold them up to those beauty standards… But if it’s what you want then why not 🙂
I agree. Many editors don’t ask for permission.
My hope is that eventually people will start to reject these filters in favour of individuality and self confidence.
I hope so too. Many people take them way too seriously.
I mostly crop photos rather than use filters! I don’t mind edited pics but think there should be a disclaimer
I do crop photos sometimes too!
Playing with snapchat filters is entertaining- something I like to do, just like you! Mostly I’m too lazy to make myself into someone else completely in my photos online. People can get bad reputations for “catfishing” or making themselves out to be someone completely different. The line is when people are purposely misleading about it.
I find them really entertaining. Thanks Jess.