A number of authors, scholars and medical professionals have considered how the manipulation of digital images in the media affects society; namely the use of Photoshop and other editing software to create unrealistic ideas of the human body. The American Medical Association has brought the issue to light and has said they are going to be ‘taking a stand against image manipulation in advertising, stating that alterations made through processes like Photoshop can contribute to unrealistic body image expectations, eating disorders and other emotional problems.’ Krawitz (2014) claims that for the Western World in the past 50 years ‘thin’ has been the ideal body type and considered the most attractive, this is due to a model’s weight generally being ’20 per cent lower than a healthy person’s weight.’ Krawitz (2014). Both of these are factors for women today believing their own body is ‘fat’ and ‘unattractive’ but as well as this having an impact on ‘real’ women; the models themselves are under the most pressure with a large majority admitting to eating disorders and sadly a small amount dying from anorexia caused by extreme dieting. However there are people who have a different view on the whole issue, photographers and artists such as Jeff Schewe of Photoshop News “We have wonderful tools to create images, new digital cameras and photographic digital printers and powerful tools such as Photoshop and we are expected to do what – nothing? I don’t think so”. People should be educated on what is real and what is not. Krawitz (2014) says that readers cannot tell what has and what has not been Photoshopped – a lot of people believe everything they see to be factual and real.
There are a number of questions to be asked regarding this issue: Should unrealistic Photoshopping of people be banned? Should there simply be a warning on any doctored images so that the consumer knows? Should there be laws in place to stop models with eating disorders being able to work – forcing them to get help and be healthy? Well in Israel they decided to step up and do something about the growing numbers of young girls being unwell. Krawitz (2014) ‘In Israel, doctors diagnose over 1,500 new people with an eating disorder annually and ten percent of Israeli teenagers suffer from eating disorders.’ Their Photoshop law came into effect early 2013 and it is designed to ‘Minimize the negative impact of exposure to advertisements depicting models as extremely thin’ in turn avoiding the development of eating disorders in people from the media. The law states that all models over the age of 18 must provide a doctor's note dated back no more than 3 months proving they have a healthy BMI before they can appear in adverts, commercials or other media. This would force the models to eat a healthy balanced diet in order to stay above the 18.5 ideal BMI number. Another point of view to consider is that of Rogers (1999) not directly related to the Photoshop argument however very relevant to the issue of eating disorders; Barbie ‘the ideal woman’ described by Mark a white male in his forties “perfect hair, shapely legs, faultless breasts, an hourglass torso. For many years this was how I perceived what an ideal woman was supposed to look like – the notion was planted in me from an early age, perhaps 5 or 6, when I got my first glimpse at an unclothed Barbie” The fact that the Barbie doll not only affected how young girls thought they would grow up to look like, but young boys believing this is what women were supposed to look like is deeply concerning. Before girls are old enough to idealise people such as models, actresses and singers they are given dolls to play with, that symbolise “ageless puberty, anorexia, fixation on appearance and clothes, and high heels” says Madeline, a university faculty member with another claiming she is the ‘cosmopolitan woman, a male pleasing woman’. The ideas sent out to the young by the whole Barbie franchise is that of a lie – Barbie can have any career she wants as long as she looks good; which is certainly not the philosophy you want to be teaching your children and spending money on.
Following on with messages received through products and advertisement Arnold (2011) argues that there is very little if any scientific evidence for media exposure leading to eating disorders, comparing the accusations to “ads for disinfectant somehow promoting OCD or Bluetooth headsets promoting schizophrenia because it looks like you’re talking to yourself”. Not everything we see and read must be taken so literally however some people don’t have the ability to filter. For these people the solution could be to add a warning to publications and advertisements to make everyone aware that some of the content isn’t necessarily realistic – a French Parliament member, Valerie Boyer tried to implement a law that would fine any advertisers up to 50 per cent of the cost of the campaign if they failed to add a warning that read ‘Retouched photograph aimed at changing a person’s physical appearance”. However the bill was not successful as the President and First Lady had both been Photoshopped in the past. Some blame editors at high fashion magazines for the use of skinny models and photo manipulation however Clements (2013) former editor-in-chief Vogue Australia claims “Most people accuse editors of photoshopping images for the girls to look slimmer, on occasion we had to do it the other way round”. I believe these standards come from the root – being the fashion designers themselves and those who cast for the shows. Lagerfeld (2013) “No-one wants to see curvy people on the catwalk” the head designer and creative director of Chanel is known for saying controversial things and heading one of the biggest brands in fashion a lot of models are influenced. Another part of the industry to point the blame towards is the agencies with a survey by Model Alliance (2012) showing that 64.1 percent of models had been asked to lose weight by their agents, with a further 30 percent admitting that they suffer from an eating disorder.
In conclusion with all evidence and opinions under consideration a lot more research must go into the claim before any legislation about the use of Photoshop is put into place whether it be in the US or UK, however there is enough evidence to introduce laws about whether models can work or not under a certain BMI. Photographers and editors should have full creative rights but people need to be educated on their work and how it is art, not real life. It isn’t possible to stop all unrealistic media out there as it isn’t just professionals, but everyday people on social media using apps to make themselves look better; it is a part of the Western world today and it must be accepted whilst educating the young.
Bibliography:
F Rogers, M (1999). Barbie Culture.
M, Krawitz. (2014). Connection between eating disorders and media images.
Diller, V (PH.D). (2011). Is Photoshop destroying America's body image?
Stewart, D. (2009). France Proposes "Health Warning" Label On Photoshopped Images. Available: http://jezebel.com/5365104/france-proposes-health-warning-label-on-photoshopped-images.
Arnold, C. (2011). What's Photoshop got to do with it?. Available: http://edbites.com/2011/06/whats-photoshop-got-to-do-with-it/.
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