Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Hot on Facebook
Guy Buys $123 Safe on eBay, Finds $26,000 Inside Seller tries to get half the cash back, fails »

Even Babies Are Airbrushed

Babies subject to the tyranny of Photoshop, too

By Jen Paton,  Newser User

Posted Nov 16, 2009 8:03 AM CST

(Newser) – Even babies can't meet the media-industrial complex's exacting standards: Baby photos are airbrushed before making their way to magazines, to tweak skin tone, swap eye color, and airbrush fat lines and creases, reports the Daily Telegraph. While many are riled, to some, this is not news: "You kind of know that they do it because if you look at the front cover of magazines, most of the images don't look really real," notes the mom of a child model.

Most magazines and catalogs had excuses. Said one editor, "Babies are not like adults you can't stop them from dribbling, so you might remove that bit of dribble from the chin. Or if the baby has just been crying, and their eyes are red, we might lighten the eyes." A photo retoucher, when asked about removing fat rolls, raised more existential concerns: "This sounds like very dangerous territory. You will have parents thinking, my baby isn't attractive enough, how do I make my baby more attractive?"


Are those bags under your eyes? We might also 'debag', to make the eyes look a bit clearer if they are looking tired, said a child modeling agent.
Are those bags under your eyes? "We might also 'debag', to make the eyes look a bit clearer if they are looking tired," said a child modeling agent.   (Shutterstock.com)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
A snapshot of the day's best news stories.
 
COMMENTS
Showing 2 of 2 comments
JChron
Nov 16, 2009 3:18 AM CST
Babies without touch-ups is like just having a stupid NORMAL looking cute babies.
Janniel
Nov 16, 2009 2:06 AM CST
I'm getting kind of cranky about seeing all the photos of plastic looking people.

More Newser Stories

New Tool Reveals, Ranks Photoshopping

For That Photoshopped Look: Airbrush Yourself at Home

Arizona Bill Would Expose Airbrushed Ads

There's Nothing Wrong With Retouching

My Baby's Too Boring to Blog About


NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   Betty Confidential   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Fark   |   Timelines   |   The Frisky   |   Geek Sugar   |   NewsOne