Should magazines use "real" photos of models?

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loseweightjames
loseweightjames Posts: 365
in Chit-Chat
http://now.msn.com/living/0501-seventeen-magazine-petition.aspx

Girl petitions teen mag to stop printing 'fake' photos only
43 mins ago

She's still years from legal voting age, but 14-year-old Julia Bluhm is already trying to make her voice count. The Maine teen has launched a petition asking Seventeen Magazine to print one unaltered, un-Photoshopped, unairbrushed photo spread in every issue. "To girls today, the word 'pretty' means skinny and blemish-free," she writes, noting that impossible media-set standards of beauty may prompt girls to "try to 'fix' themselves," leading to "eating disorders, dieting, depression and low self esteem." Many girls don't realize the images they see are "fake," she says. Bluhm is asking the magazine to offer a helpful dose of reality -- blemishes, back fat and all. So far Bluhm has collected more than 14,000 signatures.

Replies

  • loseweightjames
    loseweightjames Posts: 365
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    I completely agree. There's a good portion of girls on my friends list that have eating disorders and I can't help but believe these teen magazines have something to do with it.
  • lorac321
    lorac321 Posts: 627 Member
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    I would sign. My niece has an eating disorder and I know a lot of it is society. She is 16 and so thin that when she turns sideways you can hardly see her.
  • HorrorChix89
    HorrorChix89 Posts: 1,229 Member
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    Would people even buy them if they were so called "real"?

    I mean I personally don't read mags for the women in it, that's what Play Boy is for...but honestly I don't think they'd sale as much if they didn't edit the photos. I mean sure they could search for years looking for models to fit their image without altering them but who has that much time
  • honeysprinkles
    honeysprinkles Posts: 1,757 Member
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    I'd support that. When I was younger I had no idea that magazines photo shopped everything...I thought that people really looked like that. And I thought I was fat when I wasn't because I didn't look that way.
  • thunder_dan
    thunder_dan Posts: 44
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    Magazines that photoshop models should have a surgeon generals warning stamp.
  • bikinibeliever
    bikinibeliever Posts: 832 Member
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    When these young girls (even grown women) see images of people that they can never be, and then starve themselves to achieve it....yeah they need to use real photos!
  • Bentley2718
    Bentley2718 Posts: 1,690 Member
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    I applaud the thought, but a good photographer and an anorexic model can do just as much damage as photoshopped or airbrushed models.
  • daveclrk58
    daveclrk58 Posts: 258
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    I think magazines should have a clear disclaimer if they use photoshopping. They are promoting images that really aren't real, thus ruining many girls self image. Very sad.
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
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    I think it's great. I think it would be really popular to have a "reality" magazine that was actually real.
  • HorrorChix89
    HorrorChix89 Posts: 1,229 Member
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    I think it's more of a learning thing, like people should know not to shoot for everything they see on TV or in magazines. Ever hear of "Don't try this at home"? Same thing applies to what you see/read/hear.
  • strongformygirls
    strongformygirls Posts: 8 Member
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    Agreed!
  • PapaverSomniferum
    PapaverSomniferum Posts: 2,677 Member
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    I applaud the thought, but a good photographer and an anorexic model can do just as much damage as photoshopped or airbrushed models.
    add to that good lighting and a good make-up artist
  • loseweightjames
    loseweightjames Posts: 365
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    Magazines that photoshop models should have a surgeon generals warning stamp.

    ^^^^^^^ THIS
  • Mom2rh
    Mom2rh Posts: 612 Member
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    Great idea.

    I think there is more attention on this subject...Glamour magazine has written about it. I think photos should be labeled if they are altered.

    What I would really like to see is Shape and Self and those magazines use unaltered photos on their covers and in their editorial content.
  • Jersey_Devil
    Jersey_Devil Posts: 4,142 Member
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    great another thing we should regulate
  • loseweightjames
    loseweightjames Posts: 365
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    great another thing we should regulate

    yeah.... see, i dunno, i hate to see the govt get involved with whether photos in magazines or ads are photoshopped, but unfortunately people are seeing these and thinking "oh i should look like that" and it's impossible to ever look like that so it is actually hurting a lot of people..... shame they can't just regulate themselves
  • Jersey_Devil
    Jersey_Devil Posts: 4,142 Member
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    i get your concern, but its a slippery slope 1st amendment wise...where does it end, you know? i think supporters hearts are in the right place...but think its a bad idea.
  • christine24t
    christine24t Posts: 6,064 Member
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    I don't think it should be a regulation, per se, but I think it is a great idea!!
  • getskinnyby25
    getskinnyby25 Posts: 27 Member
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    I'm sorry, but who is going to buy a magazine or a product if the model on it has blemishes or is overweight?

    I work in the fashion industry and there is definitely photoshop involved, but it is more about hair, makeup, styling, lighting and the photographer. if you have a good team then less photoshop is needed or used. Models that I've worked with are already tall, skinny, with perfect skin and hair etc...that's why they are models.

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