WHEN GRAZIA MAGAZINE appeared to whittle Kate Middleton’s waist via Photoshop in May, it was the latest in a long line of dodgy manipulated press images.
Whether it’s missing arms, strange legs, or too-smooth skin, Photoshop has been used to make celebrities look like rather different versions of themselves.
- For starters, there’s that Grazia cover, where chopping Prince William out of the wedding photograph and then mirroring the Duchess’ left arm to create a new limb ended up leaving her with a teeny-tiny waist.
Readers complained to the Press Complaints Commission in the UK, and the magazine came forth with an apology – saying it was all a big mistake.
- Country singer Faith Hill was pictured on the cover of Redbook magazine in 2007 looking fresh-faced and impossibly beautiful.
Turns out it was impossible – as the already gorgeous star had her skin lightened, her arm thinned out and all wrinkles removed from her face. See an animated illustration of the differences on Jezebel.
- Magazine ads for beauty products are another offender – Lancome had to pull an ad featuring Julia Roberts and Maybelline had to pull an ad of Christy Turlington after Britain’s Advertising Standards Authority stated that they had mislead consumers.
And there we were, thinking it was possible to use foundation to give us the skin of an angel. Sigh.
- The quirky, elfin beauty of US actress Zooey Deschanel is not doubted – so why does she look like Rimmel had deconstructed her face and then put it back together again using computer trickery in this ad?
Answers on a postcard.
- We don’t know if you knew, but Sarah Michelle Gellar had something terrible happen to her arm once. Oh, wait – it’s just something odd going on in this Seventeen cover. Maybe strange arms are in this season?
- And finally, Christina Aguilera is famous for her curves – so where did they disappear to on this W magazine shoot? We’re not sure, though there’s always the chance we’re being distracted by her enormous hair.
