The art of retouching

Interesting link I found this afternoon, showing the degree to which photos can be retouched and improved.

Basically, this guy is showing off his portfolio of work, in hopes that others will hire him. Click on the thumbnail, then mouse-over to see the "before" picture.

Of course, many of the changes are subtle. But added together, his correction of skin tone, butt lifts, breast enhancement, and tummy tucks transforms the women from above-average bodies to rather attractive. But I think the most startling change is in the faces, where he transforms many of the faces by smoothing lines and erasing blemishes to create the illusion of a perfect face.

I think it's just good to keep in mind because it's so easy to see pictures of models in magazines and think, "Oh, she's so beautiful." Maybe she is, but you can bet you're not seeing what she really looks like, but an idealized version of it.