Skin Deep

Or maybe, not so deep

by j. brotherlove

I don’t know if this will boost or lower your self-esteem, but FluidEffect has an interesting gallery of 38 retouched photographs featuring celebrities. Personally, I am blown away by the Photoshop skills and giddy to see Hollywood’s oily skin, baggy eyes, cellulite and the like. However, I am disturbed at how the retouched photographs destroy any sense of pores, contort the body’s natural body stance, and make slim women even slimmer.

Craziness!

I’m not blaming FluidEffect, mind you. They are just providing the service (and they are excellent at what they do). But it’s a sad state of affairs, nonetheless, for a celebrity-obsessed culture aspiring to look like stars who fairly resemble their own images. On a positive note, I am delighted to report that Djimon Hounsou is just as beautiful “before” as he is “after”.

See for yourself. (You will need to click on portfolio, agree to the copyright notice, and then check out the “before/after” and the “composite/manipulation” galleries).

[via Antipixel]