The most photoshopped cover on stands
Get ready for this little day-brightener, folks. The website jezebel.com held a contest for industry insiders to submit images for their unretouched cover-image contest and the winner is truly jawdropping: Faith Hill, on the cover of July's Redbook. Faith is one of those women who I normally look at and think, "Wow - gorgeous, supreme, flawless." Well, apparently when it comes to magazine covers, she is considered wrinkled, hunchbacked and flabby. You NEED to check out the before and after. (Scroll down a bit to see the animated version flash between real and airbrushed for the full effect.)
I urge you, show this your daughters. Share with your friends. This is the kind of information/education that can help us finally realize that "perfect" is not good enough and that what we see truly is not real.
Just a few of the things that were altered on beautiful Faith:
Her hair - she was given more.
Her eyes - her well-earned wrinkles were wiped away.
Her arms - check out how STICK THINK they were made. (You can really see the difference at the elbow)
Her face and cheeks - narrowed.
Her upper back/shoulders - gone.
Her waist - cut in half!
Her right arm - went from not being there, to being there!
Her thigh - narrowed.
Her overall skin tone - lightened.
My stomach - churning.
Comments
I think she looks even beautiful before they applied the edits.
This is so disappointing for a women's magazine. She is such a beautiful woman, its completely unnecessary. The original photo seems much more approachable. I hope women make a point not to buy the magazine and let Redbook know why. I expect something like this from Cosmo, but not a well regarded mag like Redbook.
I think she looked awesome before the retouching. Jeez. If I were her, I'd be offended that they did this. It would make me feel like I wasn't beautiful enough to be on the cover of their magazine.
I'm not a fan of Faith Hill's music though I do admire her on the whole. And quite frankly, the untouched photo just made me appreciate her more. Kate Winslet sued the UK version of Maxim for re-touching her photo once. Gotta love Kate. But I agree... I didn't expect this from Redbook. Especially given their readership is more aimed at the 30+ crowd.
Which brings me to a question for everyone else: as you've gotten older, have you noticed yourself reading more "my mother reads this" magazines? I've noticed I'm more inclined to subscribe to Redbook nowadays than I am Cosmo. Anyone else going/gone through this or am I just experiencing the sands of time filling the bottom of the hourglass?
they removed her freckles, too!
hey, monique, i know exactly what you're going through! although it seems like my mom and i have switched places - i'm more likely to read redbook or oprah's magazine or more, and my mom reads glamour and cosmo!
Why? Why? Why?
She is so beautiful!! Ugh, they made her look skeletal!
RE generational switches: Yesterday, I woke up to my radio alarm clock playing INXS "I need you tonight" and it was on "The Oldies" radio station! That threw me for a loop. I remember that channel as what my mom would listen to Elvis on when I was growing up! Now, I do find myself steering away from magazines that make me feel badly about my figure and definitely flip through home-type pubs, articles about improving your health and living space, etc. My mom started taking more than just a sip of wine with dinner so I now can watch her enjoy a mojito...meanwhile I cut myself off at half a rum-and-diet Coke because "I have so much to do tomorrow!"
Thanks for sharing this important point: real women don't have Photo Shop artists on hand everyday! Real women do have wrinkles and skin!
xo
beth
