This has been photoshopped...

Recently I got into trying to figure out just how much photos I see have been photoshopped. I was inspired by a UK newspaper article (don't think I'm actually in tune with world news, someone forwarded it to me here is the article). It talks about the United Kingdom's "Self Esteem Act" that makes advertisements label when they've photoshopped images.  I did this partly so I could learn about photoshopping and mainly because I wanted to know how much of what I see is real. In doing so I came across a few photos that genuinely shocked me. Here they are:

These images frustrate me because I feel like the first image isn't bad looking! Well, I don't really believe Madonna should be strutting around in lingerie that doesn't really flatter her but that's beside the point! The point is, why can't Jessica Alba have hips? And why can't Kim Kardashian have a real woman's skin tone on her thighs and normal sized thighs for that matter? She's a real person, no?

I'm showing you these images in the hopes that you and I will be better able to recognize what is real and what has been altered. When I get behind the wheel of photoshop I admit I use things like skin smoothing and brightening eyes and such. But what makes my approach different than these advertisements is the recipient. I know that these photos are going to a woman who wants to feel good in her own skin (and who is already gorgeous), so why would I alter it to make her see something different than she sees every day in her own mirror? What does that tell her? I use photoshop to make you look like you would on your best day so that when you look at them you'll feel good about yourself, not worse.

Anyway, I know this was a bit long but in writing this I'm reinforcing my own ideas in my own brain that what you see isn't always what you started with. It makes me a little less hard on myself.

Have you seen any photos online or in a magazine that you could swear have been photoshopped? Link them in the comments section, let's compare notes. :)

Live, love, and take pictures!

Kirsten

Jump into bed and find out what we're all about

Since this will be my first blog post on my new website I thought I’d take a post to tell you a little bit about Pink Dahlia Photography and what it stands for.

PDP is about relationships.  How we relate to one another and how we relate to the world.  Photography is, to us, a way to showcase our relationships, whether it’s with a boudoir session between the happy couple or a family shoot with a small or larger family we want you to look at our photos and see your love for one another in the way you are looking at each other, looking at the camera or just the relaxed nature of your pose. 

We want to capture what you only see in rare photos in every shoot we do. 

Looking at it written out like that kind of scares me, scares me because it’s a tough goal to live up to every day, it’s a touchdown at every game, a half-court swish at the buzzer, a perfect over-easy flip at every breakfast (or brunch, or lunch, or dinner, who are we kidding?).  We know it’s a lot to live up to but the truth is we are pretty patient photographers.  As long as you have a moment when you let your guard down and feel comfortable (we’re good at helping with that too) we can capture that beautiful shot.

These are a few of my favorite shots because I had to be patient, I had to wait for a connection and it worked out.

Right before she said, "Yes."

Right before their daughter said, "I do."

This was just after a joke about being new parents.

Right before she stopped spontaneously spinning

     That’s what sets us apart from the rest, we will wait for that one special moment and SNAP! It doesn’t come around very often in a shoot but when it does it’s almost transcendent. When I see it later on a computer screen it almost makes me want to leap out of my chair (and sometimes I do).  It’s a great combination of feeling like you did a good job and the joy of being able to give that back to someone, proof that you saw what they see every day: love and adoration. 

That’s why I’m a photographer. That’s why I love what I do.

-Kirsten Filonczuk

Creator/Photographer

Pink Dahlia Photography