I Beautify Your Pictures

The Plastics, The Bare-Faced & The Deluded

2012-04-04T16:56:00.000+04:00

Flicking through You-Tube, like you do, I came across a massive amount of vids showing various ideas of beauty and theories on how to achieve it. Or rather, how it was supposedly achieved. Now, as beautify is of interest to my image enhancement and therefore, this blog - I thought I'd share a few of the videos with you.

THE PLASTICS: First up for scrutiny are the following before and after shots on those celebs we all want to looks like, who've allegedly had plastic surgery (though most of these refuse to acknowledge or admit this, even now). What do you think - agree with all of these? Who looks better before - who is the biggest kidder?

THE BARE-FACED: And the next video for your consumption is one showing us the power of make-up, hair stylists and no doubt stylists. When a celeb isn't ready for that picture, she can look pretty .... average! Like you or me. Or pretty gruesome (it has to be said). I love these kinds of things - trashy comparisons of real and fake celebrity beauty. :P

NOTE: I did spot a few comparisons in this video where the without make-up shot is a fib - they're actually wearing day makeup, rather than glamour makeup. Still, there is makeup (to even out skin tone, pop those peeps, gloss those pouting lips) - so don't assume they're more perfect than they are.

Of course, there are also some who genuinely seem to be bare-faced, and look all the better for it. Grrr! That would be true beauty (external at least).

THE DELUDED: This next video shows us mostly deluded women, some celebrities, some not, losing way too much weight to be healthy. It's a sad indictment of the society in which we live, to see how ugly we think beauty really is.

*There are a few on this video who have lost a lot of weight to go from obese to healthy-slim - which is very cool - but all according to how they lost it. Healthy weight loss is due to exercise, portion control and varied diet of healthy food, containing all of the food groups and five fruit/veg per day. Consult your doctor before making any drastic changes to your diet/fitness regimen.

So, what are your thoughts on these videos? Any one or all three. Please do comment before you leave. :)

Buffer : Thank you for your visit, if you enjoyed the post please do share it and come back soon :)

NOTE: Please ensure I can connect with you if you leave me a comment. Sign in with any account or feel free to leave a link to your blog. Thanks! X

My Other Blog:

ShahWharton'sWordsinSync
Writer/Publicist/Blogger/Reviewer

Subscribe by Email

Follow @shahw1

How Is Beauty Created?

2012-03-29T14:57:00.000+04:00

Hello everyone. Today I came across this great video all about a photographers perspective on how models are made. Or rather, how seemingly magical and inaccessible beauty is created in magazines and media in general. Don't compare yourself to models and superstars - check out the reality here.

This is the reality behind the image. There is no magic involved - its all down to talent (hair/makeup/photographer - oh and of course Photoshop) Enjoy!

Thank you for your visit, if you enjoyed the post please do share it and come back soon :)

NOTE: Please ensure I can connect with you if you leave me a comment. Sign in with any account or feel free to leave a link to your blog. Thanks! X

Shah Wharton's WordsinSync Writer/Publicist/Blogger/Reviewer Author
I Beautify Your Pictures
Image Enhancement

Subscribe by Email BMPics@mail.com

Airbrushing: Enough to improve, but not to distort, is my philosophy.

2012-03-01T17:04:00.003+04:00

Wondering what you could possibly gain out of getting your photo's retouched? Check out the following images.

It's always good to remind ourselves that retouching/airbrushing and image enhancement, happens everywhere, every day. Every poster, glossy mag and newspaper. Online and in your mail. None of the 'perfection' you see in the glossies is real and I don't dispute the errors in some of the OTT retouching which goes on. However, the photographer might argue that it is his right to make the image as beautiful and aesthetically pleasing as he can. He's an artist. The publisher would almost certainly argue that they want their magazine to be better than anyone else's, featuring the bold and beautiful on each photo-shopped page. And the super-star who has been photo-shopped to death might argue that its their reputation and earning potential on the line in an ever competitive land of surgeons and celluloid. And then there is us, the People. Some do argue that the fake images are simply wrong and potentially breed insecurities at best, debilitating and even terminal eating disorders at worst.
But they still go on. It's a case of looking at the perfect images and instead of comparing yourself to it, imagining what the reality of the image actually was. Almost certainly it will not be the same at all. We must maintain a balance; an appreciation of natural beauty and an understanding of the what is real.

Overall, the images (not just the person in them) have improved. But the women did not require manipulation in
either. Lengthening and slimming waistlines on already slender women is a distortion too much.

Mostly I see the thighs have been improved: smoothed out and contoured. Nothing massive though.

We all know the image on the right is photo-shopped before seeing the original. She still looks incredible for her age, but
I see why Maggie would want to be re-touched. She is competing in the pop industry and her image is of
a strong and powerful woman: She's always been all about image. But the photo-shopping is too much for my tastes.

She looks far better natural, although this is not a direct comparison.

A hip line removed? Face lightened? Why - she looked great!

The colour of the original bikini needed changing? Why didn't she just wear white in the first place?
And then there is the controversial removal of the signs of being a mother. They even slimmed her bent arm?
I'm not sure about this. Its clearly a promo shot and she is an actress, but still. Mmm?

Even little Avril can't escape photo-shop crazy guy. She didn't need a thing doing. She's not even twenty yet is she?

I personally don't want to see up the crack of someones ass and if we can make it look less yuk I'm all for it.
This is cellulite removal and contouring all over. But seriously, who honestly thinks any woman has a butt and thighs as perfect
as the picture on the left? It looks like an animation :P

I won't lie, she looks better for losing the eye-bags. She is on the cover of Cosmo ladies! And don't we all
apply concealer when we get a blemish, highlighter to brighten a tired complexion? But nothing else was really required.

Personally, I think both pictures are vile. The pose, the outfit everything. Why?

This picture is quite well known now too - Jenny needs to stay out of the sun by the looks of it. A hairbrush maybe, but the OTT
airbrush was not required.

The highlighting of the original adds drama and style. This is more about the picture as a whole, rather than an air-brush
issue. This is more about art than retouching. I love the RT version.

Clearly this is ridiculous. Unless she wanted to show her grand-kids what she looked like forties years ago.
And even then?

Absolutly no need for any changes here! They even slimmed down her arm? And back?

What was the point of this? She looks animated in the after shot?

Oh look, she lost a few stone during the commercials! :P

Looks far better untouched!

Far better before retouching - her gorgeous skin is now featureless. And those eye-lashes look ridiculous!

This guy will look great in his coffin - Leave him alone.

She loses her features in the second shot, and in so doing, her individual beauty.

None of the 4 original images above actually had issues in the first place.
Why mess with genuine beauty? Enhance it yes, like one would do with make-up and a great hair cut,
but don't distort it or cover it up beyond recognition

Wowza! Kate Moss:Top model? This shows the realities of the partying life-style of fags, booze and late nights!
Of course, her beauty is her livelihood so I imagine she'd prefer us to see her as the second image and not the first.
I like both for different reasons :P

I like both, though removing freckles was unnecessary.

I see very few changes here - more a photographic colour wash, a mood enhancement if anything! Nice.

This Irish actor is pretty hot in either. One is brighter, making up for the bad lighting in the other. His skin looks
smoother and tanned. Nothing offends me here. What about you?

Famous and we've all seen this. The major difference is the reduction of thigh muscle and cellulite.
We all know she had thigh muscle...and we all have cellulite, like it or not. In all honestly,
if I have pictures taken in anything showing my ass off, and it was going to be shown
on Face Book, I will certainly be looking to RT a little. She's braver than me here, but there's twenty years between us.
And the amount of RT here is too much in all honesty.

The beautiful Keira needed boobs according to the promo department of this movie (load this movie BTW). I heard she was pissed about
this, bless. I empathise. When I weighed as little as her at her age (less actually because I was a few inches shorter
then her) I also had zero boobs too, I've added a stone and half and earned myself a B cup since then though.
She looks better
untouched.

See, even tiny skinny young girls have blotchy cellulite. Hurrah! But it's not news really is it? I see some
of these images as less airbrushing and more image enhancement - this is one.

this is another...

This is unfair really. It looks like Maria is two different people. But she's in harsh lighting in the first and totally unprepared
and the second photo is staged and posed for, etc. Complete with wind machine.

Too much has been changes in this one. Again, it screams animation.

This needed nothing at all changing in my opinion. She looked better before and in the second she has been stretched
upward to create a thinner waist. She looks deformed.

She looks quite different - but I do think the second picture is better artistically for those changes.

The image required changes, for background and mood. But the pose is different and well, I preferred the first.
What about you? And leave her already slim hips alone.

No need for anything here, but its clear to see Selma has not really changed, only lightened up a little.
So the overall is more an enhancement than a photo-shop guy gone crazy.

Ah...This is where that photo-shop guy did go crazy. These look entirely too different. Wrong!

There was no need for any kind of enhancement again here. They only succeeded in making her look
almost deformed? What is it with the need for elongated bodies and waist-lines which look unreal? This is
the kind of image which promotes weight=loss and body dysmorphia - no ones body could naturally be like this. Regardless of how slim one gets.

If I went to get my pictures taken professionally, as a bio pic or to hang on my wall, this is what I'd expect them to do.
It enhances her natural
beauty, rather than erasing it. Only I'd want to keep those cute freckles :)

The first looks better to me. Although the overall colouring of the photo has been improved, her skin didn't need to
be so messed with. Any blemishes she had were part of what made the first image beautiful.

Only very slight changes were made here, mainly around the knees as far as I can see, She's beautiful in both.
But I like the highlights in the picture as a whole in the RT picture.

Way too much and too fake.

Again, too much! The image on the left almost looks like a different woman.

Way too much! And I know which woman I'd run from if she approached me. And whats the beef with freckles?

The lighting is better in the image overall, but again with removing those gorgeous feckless? But the changes are
reasonably subtle

She's beautiful in both, but as this is clearly a promo shot, I prefer the second. It wipes away a general look of fatigue
for one and evens out skin tone. Yes, I know this may give off the illusion that a woman in her forties should look
in her twenties, but if it were you and you hoped to land another TV gig after being ditched from Desperate Housewives,
wouldn't you? She's competing with twenty tear olds every day. I would HATE that. But we all lie on our C.V's and first
dates don't we.
Or is that just me? :P

Nothing to say or really see here? Too bright on the first. Contrast and definition on the second. Nice!

Why have the 'real' photos tweaked? This was clearly taking at some social engagement. Leave as is people.

Both pictures are stunning. No argument. But the original didn't need anything doing in the first place and could be
considered far more beautiful.

I think Penelope might have benefitted from some subtle tweaks as she just looks a little tired in the original. But the photo-shop geek
went a little crazy again here.

Nothing was needed here. She looked cool before.

Leave the freckles! I may have to start a campaign for freckles!

Oh come off it. Did he commission someone to remove a spare tire but make turn him into a beetroot?

Younger, slimmer nose, bluer eyes. It's not reality but if a model is selling something - An image - then
its not reality we are buying into. I prefer how he looks after crazy photo-shop guy. Sorry!

WRONG!!!

Pam is known for her boobs, but also her quirky nose and freckles. Leave them alone

This little collection shows what make-up, hairstyling AND photoshop can do. We allude the public every day
ladies. Whenever we colour our eyes, cheeks and lips. OR wear big elasticated pants! But we don't expect women to stop wearing make-
up or colouring our hair so that other's don't feel awful about themselves.

I apply it so I feel less crappy about myself. We all buy into elusion of some kind - we always have. The airbrush industry
buys into that and can be OTT - but we must all be responsible for our own sense of what we accept to be real.

This is another overall photo enhancement more than photoshop crazy guy.

Two different images so one cannot compare. She's a beautiful woman there is no denying.
I prefer the image in the left with ELLE in the background by far though. The one on the right has lost
something incredible about her eyes.

Now, it's all down to personal taste of course, but I see a little re-touch the same as changing an image from colour to black and white, or brightening it or adding colour to it. I see it the same as applying make up or doing the models hair before a photo is taken. Its all about the image, the mood it creates and looking the best you can in the image. Lets face it, if its a character shot, all the lines are great, but a personal shot for your own wall or a glom our shot to sell your face cream, and it's a different matter.

I don't compare myself to air-brushed images or believe that any woman truly exists without cellulite. I can admire the beauty of an image without reducing it to a political argument. Educating our daughters about the reality behind any image and raising them to be confident in their own skin is the only true way to fight insecurities, certainly as deep as those which lead to eating disorders. However, I do believe some of the OTT airbrushing and distortions are wrong politically and artistically. I'm learning this myself as I navigate the business of retouching. Some ask me for a little tweak and look great. Others want to look like aliens. I think the danger is there when we look in the mirror and want to erase everything which makes us beautiful.

I would have had a boob job and nose job years ago if my husband hadn't threatened to leave me if I did. :) I've grown to love them through removing them on screen. At first I looked at the OTT airbrushed pics of myself and thought, "Wow, if only." Now they look so awful. I prefer the ones I RT only slightly. Enough to improve, but not to distort, is now my philosophy. :)

I got the images from a great article I found today HERE. Check it out.

Enjoyed the article? If you've found this post useful or fun to read, please share it. Many thanks for stopping by,

I Beautify Your Images - Let me make the very best of your pictures.
BMPics@mail.com

My other blogs...

I'm on Bloglovin!

2012-02-10T16:02:00.002+04:00

Just to let you know I'm on bloglovin now, so you can Follow my blog with Bloglovin :)

Thank you for your visit, if you enjoyed the post please do share it and come back soon :)

NOTE: Please ensure I can connect with you if you leave me a comment. Sign in with any account or feel free to leave a link to your blog. Thanks! X

WordsinSync Writer/Publicist/Blogger/Reviewer Shah Wharton's Author Blog Author
I Beautify Your Pictures
Image Enhancement

Subscribe by Email

BMPics@mail.com

A Photo-Essay of Our New York Trip

2012-01-20T18:20:00.003+04:00

I took loads of pictures throughout our recent, week-long New York vacation (over 300) and what follows are just a few with commentary. Enjoy and please let me know what you think of them, of New York and whether you have been yourself. I haven't edited any of these yet, but will bring some back edited/enhanced in the future.

We did the compulsory boat trip to the Statue of Liberty and Elis Island, though it was too cold and windy to go upstairs so the pictures were all taken through the grubby windows of the boat. They aren't too bad considering.

Ellis Island

Central Park was lovely, although cold and windy.
I can imagine it looking beautiful in the
Spring or Autumn and very vibrant in Summer.

I always do a point shot or two in any set of pictures. I don't know why? I did it once and it became a prerequisite thereafter. Here I'm in the Carlyle Cafe pointing at a hand painted china cup which contains the only decent coffee I had the whole trip. It wasn't cheap at $20 a pot but it was so yummy and the warm atmosphere was extremely welcome as it was literally freezing outside. Brrr!

Here I'm pointing at a huge burger. On our first night we popped into Planet Hollywood as it was on our doorstep, practically. The fries were cold but burger was nice enough. However, the place itself was busy, irritatingly loud (dance music?) and unclean. The money that place makes, yet they can't afford to keep the walls painted or the carpets clean? Needless to say, we didn't return.

My hubs is the figure in the background. He was waiting for me to take pictures again - he is getting used to this part of any holiday now. :) I absolutely have to mention that this place - The Carlyle Cafe - is where Woody Allen plays jazz weekly right now.

I don't know if it's a permanent thing or not. I adore him and would have loved to have seen him but we flew back (well, spent 24hrs int eh airport hoping to fly back only to get refused - then having to fly the following day: standby sometimes sucks!) so I missed him. :( I recommend the place however. Its gorgeous and classy, although also expensive.

Times Square: Our hotel - The Paramount - was on Broadway, just off Times Square which was a great location. The hotel itself was expensive for what it was. Our hotel room was the smallest I've ever seen.

I dragged my poor hubs to the flea markets - I like this picture - check out the sleeping market trader in the corner :) Hubs bought me a crystal necklace to match the earrings he'd bought me for Christmas. There were designer handbags which looked brand new

and the usual fur/denim/knitwear stalls. Then bric-a-brac and word carved items form all over the world. Fabulous. My hubs calls it junk, I call it treasure :)

Yes I know I look a tad ridiculous in this hat, but the wide rim kept the rain and snow off me and the attached under chin tie kept my ears warm and it on my head. Hubs laughed his head off when he saw me leave the shop in it, until I gave him the 'look' and he desisted. :P

On our honeymoon we went to Koi in Los Angeles for some superb sushi. We've longed to go to another Koi since then so hubs booked us into the Nw York Koi as soon as he found out they had one, months before we got there. I have to say we were really

disappointed. The food wasn't anywhere near as fantastic as the previous Koi experience we'd longed to repeat, so we were a bit gutted.

Above is one of the many exhibits hanging from the Guggenheim Museums ceiling in the lobby.

The Guggenheim Museum outside - the famous architecture

Another hanging exhibit

And another - this look so real t freaked me out.
It actually looked lie a dead dog, which it probably is!

Grand Central Station

This is a beautifully designed and maintained building and absolutely the most aesthetically pleasing station I'll ever see. The pictures below need some light so I'll do that when I get a moment.

Overall, our New York experience was not as good as it could have been. The weather wasn't conducive with happy faces or lingering romantic walks. But it wasn't totally off-putting. The architecture was outstanding in places and we adored Central Park, the Carlyle Cafe and Grand Central Station. The boat trip would be much better in the sun, but it was still lovely.

We did way too much in the week we were there. Now we've done the tourist sight-seeing things, next time we go it won't be as hectic. We will research where to eat instead of popping into places off-spec. And we will do the same with hotels! It's the same as anywhere; you need to know where to go and what do before you go there. It's too late once you're there. In our defence we did take the iPad to do a little surfing on just that while there, but hubs forgot the charger. And anyway, we really wouldn't have had the energy or time to fit in anything else. Next time :)

Have you been to New York? What was your experience like? Would you go back?

Enjoyed the article? If you've found this post useful or fun to read, please share it. Many thanks for stopping by,

I Beautify Your Images - Let me make the very best of your pictures.
BMPics@mail.com

My Other Blogs:

↑ Grab this Headline Animator

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Why enhance my photographs?

2012-01-02T22:15:00.005+04:00

With years of airbrushing in magazines, there have been some celebrities who've loved it (most of them it seems) and some who have have spoken out against it, such as Kate Winslet. The use of images that seemingly represent 'perfection' can even have been seen to undermine women's self esteem and encourage women to attempt to become some unreal and unattainable version of themselves.

Some believe that seeing images of perfect models used on magazine covers makes us all doubt our own image, making us want to look perfect too. This may be true of some, but most are no longer so naive as to accept these falsehoods as realities.

Women these days are mostly aware that the images they see are not always true-to-life, as airbrushing has become the norm in media. Whether this is essentially a good thing or a bad thing is clearly debatable. What do you think? I think this...

Jessica Alba ...................... Before and After

I think its ART!

Sorry - but yes! For example, there was uproar over these Jessica Alba images, but I think the image on the right is not a big con which might potentially lead to a woman's breakdown. I think it's an artistic manipulation of the original photograph. Jessica Alba simply provided the muse, the inspiration and the source material to create something beautiful.

The creators even tried to stem the abuse the received (unfairly in my view) by providing a behind the scenes look at the photo shoot. But it didn't work. Seriously?

As long as there is transparency over the airbrushing, I really don't see the reason for all the negativity. Just because the main item in the photograph is human, doesn't mean 'it' cannot be subject to the same manipulation and artistic licence as the rest of the picture. Notice the background is different too. Sure it's an 'illusion' but isn't hat the point?

As long as we see it as such, see all of these perfect images as such, we can stop feeling pressured into imitating them in physical form and just get on with enjoying them.

The images you see in the media are NOT of perfect people. Nor are they perfectly built. I could even be philosophical and ask: "What is perception anyway? Isn't it all subjective nonsense?"

We all know this deep down in our hearts anyway. But even those who look pretty close to perfect will have arrived there via plastic surgeons, make-up artists, personal trainers and the like. Oh, and lets not forget the image enhancers/airbrushing technicians. And before them, the brilliant photographers with their artistic flare.

So how about we accept our own limitations, love ourselves anyway, and make the best of our genetics and our pictures. Lets make ourselves look like the superstars! I know if I could have done this as a painfully skinny teenager, I'd have realised that the airbrushed picture of myself above my bed is only as fake as the gorgeous airbrushed images in my magazines. It may have reminded me that beauty really is in the eye of the beholder, or the make-up artist or the photographer, or.... You get the idea. :D

For our special pictures; the ones we choose to hang on our walls or upload to C.V's, our profile pictures on social networks; and of course, selected pictures taken at special occasions like a wedding or birthday, we can make a little 'extra special'. Or at least I can.

Check out what I can offer or send me your pictures with your own ideas - I'll send you a quote. I do give discounts for a bundle :)

Enjoyed the article? If you've found this post useful or fun to read, please share it. Many thanks for stopping by,

I Beautify Your Images - Let me make the very best of your pictures.
BMPics@mail.com

My Other Blog

Graphic Art and Software

2011-12-28T00:01:00.002+04:00

Graphic art software uses either raster or vector graphic reading and editing methods to create, edit, and view art.

Creative professionals today use personal computers rather than traditional media. Using graphic art software may be more efficient than rendering using traditional media. However, this means that advanced level computer styles, effects and editing methods require computer technical skills rather than traditional hand rendering and visualization skills. The potential of this kind of software to enhance or hinder creativity may therefore depend vastly upon the ease of it's interface.

Most art software is designed to enhance an image or sets of images. Specialized software packages may be discontinued for various reasons such as lack of appreciation for the result, lack of expertise and training for the product, or simply not worth the time or financial investment, but most likely due to newer methods, or a newer more complete software packages. The search engines are full of them.

Graphic design software

Graphic design professionals favor general image editing software and page layout software commonly referred to as desktop publishing software.

Image development software

Image development professionals may use general graphic editors or may prefer more specialised software. Although images can be created from scratch with most art software, specialised software applications or advanced features of generalised applications are used for more accurate visual effects.

Here's some they made earlier....

Traditional medium effects

Non-photorealistic rendering - Vector editors are ideal for solid crisp lines seen in line art, poster, woodcut ink effects, and mosaic effects.

Some generalized image editors, such as Photoshop are used for digital painting (representing real brush and canvas textures such as water-color or burlap canvas) or handicraft textures such as mosaic or stained glass. However, unlike Photoshop, which was originally designed for photo editing, software such as Corel Painter and Photo-Paint were originally designed for rendering with digital painting effects and continue to evolve with more emphasis on hand-rendering styles that don't appear computer generated.

Photorealistic effects

Unlike traditional medium effects, photorealistic effects create the illusion of a photographed image.

Specialized software may contain features to make images appear photographed. Some software is for general object modeling, whereas other software is more specialised. Software such as Photoshop may be used to create 3D effects from 2D (flat) images instead of 3D models.

Hyperrealistic effects

Specialized software may be used to combine traditional medium effects and photorealistic effects. This allows artists to apply unique styles to 3-D models or photographs. Some styles of hyperrealism may require motion visual effects (e.g. geometrically accurate rotation, accurate kinetics, simulated organic growth, life-like motion constraints) to notice the realism of the imagery.

All information from here:

Many thanks for stopping by

I Beautify Your Images - Let me make the very best of your pictures.
BMPics@mail.com

Just coz it's Christmas...

2011-12-26T16:50:00.004+04:00

I love this song at this time of year. It reminds me of my dear old dad because it was probably the only Christmas song he really liked. He also loved the Pogues. He was a little like the singer actually ;). He died 2005 and left a young son and myself to miss him dearly.

These images below are of our Dad, taken the day my brother was born, over 18 years ago.

Before and after RT of course :D

I wanted to make their faces pop
and for their emotion to exude.

Before

Enjoyed the article? If you've found this post useful or fun to read, please share it. Many thanks for stopping by.

I Beautify Your Images - Let me make the very best of your pictures.
BMPics@mail.com

My Other Blog:

Photoshopping Images

2011-12-24T00:01:00.005+04:00

So, what exactly is Photoshopping?

Photoshopping is slang for the digital editing of photos. The term originates from Adobe Photoshop, the image editor most commonly used by professionals for this purpose. However, other programs now exist for this such as Paint Shop Pro, Corel Photopaint, Pixelmator, Paint.NET, or GIMP.

Adobe Systems, the publisher of Adobe Photoshop, discourages the use of the term "photoshop" as a verb out of concern that it may undermine their trademark. Despite this, photoshop is widely used in this way to refer to retouching, compositing (or splicing), and color balancing during graphic design, commercial publishing, and image editing.

My own examples (check out the Gallery page)

Below is an incredible photomontage of 16 photos which have been digitally manipulated in Photoshop to give the impression that it is a real landscape.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Photomontage_(Forggensee_Panorama)_-2.jpg

Information taken from here.

There are many photo editing tools other than Photoshop and the like (come back in a few days for the low-down on some of those), however. And Photoshop is not the easiest or cheapest to manage. But it does allow for some amazing results, I think you'll agree :D

Many thanks,

Shah Wharton

I Beautify Your Images - Let me make the very best of your pictures.
BMPics@mail.com

Types of Digital Photo Manipulation

2011-12-21T14:37:00.008+04:00

In digital editing, photographs are usually taken with a digital camera and input directly into a computer.

Transparencies, negatives or printed photographs may also be digitised using a scanner, or images may be obtained from stock photography databases.

With the advent of computers, graphics tablets, and digital cameras, the term image editing includes everything done to a photo, whether in a darkroom or on a computer. Photo manipulation now means more than subtle alterations to color balance or contrast, involving for example, overlaying a head onto a different body or changing a sign's text. Image editing software can be used to apply effects and warp an image. The image may have little resemblance to the original photo (or photos in the case of compositing). Today, photo manipulation is widely accepted as an art-form.

There are several subtypes of digital image-retouching

Technical retouching - Manipulation for photo restoration or enhancement (adjusting colors / contrast / white balance (i.e. gradational retouching), sharpness, removing elements or visible flaws on skin or materials, ...)

Used as an art form or for commercial use to create more sleek and interesting creative images for advertisements.

Creative retouching, which could be manipulation for fashion, beauty or advertising photography. An important discipline in creative retouching is image-compositing. Here, the digital artist uses multiple photos to create a single composited image. 3D elements are used more frequently to add extra elements or even locations and backgrounds and is widely used when conventional photography would be too difficult to shoot.

Information from here.

For a superb example of Creative retouching using 3D elements, check out the post 24th December right here.
Many thanks,

Shah Wharton

I Beautify Your Images - Let me make the very best of your pictures.
BMPics@mail.com

Aesthetic Beauty

2011-12-19T21:13:00.006+04:00

We all want to make the best of ourselves and we all want to look beautiful in our pictures. We compare our picture with those in magazines and it drives us crazy, right? How come their skin looks so perfect? Where are their spots and wrinkles, their enlarged pores? How come they look so much younger than their real age?

Airbrushing. Retouching. A generalised falsification of the original image - Thats how.

Now, this is nothing new. We all know this. But wouldn't it be nice to have the same details removed from our own pictures. Not all of them, that would be extreme. But a special portrait picture you want to hang on the wall. Or for a Christmas card or a profile picture.

Well, I got to thinking of this and decided I could offer this service to those who couldn't do it for themselves, and to do so a lot cheaper than the Hollywood pros.

Welcome. Take a look around and contact me with any queries.

Many thanks,

Shah Wharton

I Beautify Your Images - Let me make the very best of your pictures.
BMPics@mail.com

Follow my blog with Bloglovin