Two Worlds Collide

I hate to admit this but I would rather read a book with pictures. Pictures open your imagination and allow you to see things around the world you would never see. During my years in the Coast Guard I took pictures of my voyages. Those pictures will be with me for the rest of my life. When I see pictures for advertising I know they have been altered. A few semester ago in my English 1A class, I wrote a paper about advertising and altered images. While doing my research, I was amazed how advertisers manipulated pictures to make women and men more beautiful and sexy. After reading the lecture, The Collision of Two Worlds: The "Truth" factor of Photographic Images in a Digital World, I learned more about Digital manipulation. I was shocked to that a publication like "National Geographic" would alter its images because their images are world renowned. I've been reading the National Geographic ever since I was a young boy, the pictures in the magazine are images of real places around the world. Now I wonder how many of those photos have been fixed up? What doesn't really bother me about digital manipulation is the art side. Artists like Keith Cottingham, Aziz and Cucher's works have an artistic view point. They are not promoting the images as real. I don't feel there is an ethical dilemma when it comes to artistic photo manipulation. I don't particularly care for these styles of work but I do respect them. For example, Aziz and Cucher's Dystopia series freaked me out. Skin hanging over peoples eyes, ears and noses just doesn't please my eyes. The work is original though and the images look like they belong in a museum or art collection. These artistic type of photo manipulations do not bother me but advertising manipulation does. The evolution video on the Dove web page sums it up; all photos are fake. The business has no morals and it's all about the money. I don't let the images I see everyday affect me to a certain point. Of course when I see a billboard of the latest fashion it makes me feel like, wow that would be great to own. But I'm not looking at the model and admiring his touched up calves and arms. I think women have it worse than men when it comes to competing against digital photo manipulation. Especially young women ages 16-25. According to the world there suppose to be 5'6-5'1-, 100-120lbs and have permenant made-up fases. This stereotype will never stop because people want to be like this image, it's ingrained in their heads. I will remind my daughter when she's that age not to look at those pictures and ads and believe them!