Photoshop- Before & After

When you meet a person, you don't (I hope) fixate on just the flaws...

My photos are retouched, but I don't think they're anything like the before and afters on that site. Originally Posted by Carrie Hillcrest

When I meet a lady, I'm actually stunned that she was willing to meet me, and I relish her presence. Flaws? What are those? I'm enjoying the presence of the lady, not being a critic of her looks. When it comes to looks, we are what we are, and we should accept it unless pics misrepresented things drastically.

Carrie, your photos are attractive and tasteful. Your website (which I reviewed again just yesterday) is, I think, one of the finest on the web. And even though I do get to Dallas from time to time, we will never meet. It's like shopping at Nordstroms on a Wal-Mart budget. LOL

I photoshop my pix but not by smoothing skin or removing wrinkles, but I'll take me out of the background and put me somewhere else... does that bother some guys? Originally Posted by Amillia_Winter

The fireworks background in the attachment you used for an example is a bit too busy for my taste, but the picture of you in the foreground appears to be real. If it's you, and pretty accurate, I wouldn't hold the fireworks (or other background) photoshopping in any of your pics against you.

The main thing for me is that the pic is a reasonably accurate representation of you here and now. If it isn't, I'd want to know that upfront. This doesn't apply only to photoshopping; if your pics are you but older, and you've lost/gained a bit of weight, you should probably think of getting new pictures, but at the very least until you do give me a head's up that the pics are older and there's a weight change issue...

Any obvious photoshopping to protect identity (blurring face, or cropping so that the face isn't visible) is perfectly kosher as far as I'm concerned. I understand the need to preserve your incognito.

Cheers,

bcg

I for one know that if I were to shell out the bucks for good quality professional pics they would be FLAWLESS! Whether or not I would ever use them for business purposes, I don't know.

From the get go I made a conscience decision to go for the "truth in advertising" stance of "what you see is what you get" with my pic's. The absolute last thing I want is some guy arriving at my door and being disappointed with me. I dress to "hide" what I perceive to be my flaws or pose in ways that accent my assets. There are also pics on my site that I do not like but feel show the potential client exactly what he is getting. Definitely Not a spinner but not exactly a bbw either.

Another question... What if she had professional pics up on her site for illustrative purposes with a footnote telling you that they were retouched but also had current, realistic, point& shoot pic's in her gallery? Acceptable?

I was trolling through the Dallas P411 listings today. Clicked on a link to a provider's website. Her pics on the website were from 2006. Hell, it's more than half way through 2010 right now. Four years can make a big difference in a lady's looks. And if she looked better today than 4 years ago, I'd bet a fair amount of money today's pics would be posted.

Carrie, your photos are attractive and tasteful. Your website (which I reviewed again just yesterday) is, I think, one of the finest on the web. And even though I do get to Dallas from time to time, we will never meet. It's like shopping at Nordstroms on a Wal-Mart budget. LOL Originally Posted by charlestudor2005

Thank you. And I have resolved never to let my good looks incite a war, act of God, or financial disaster/budget strain, so no worries.

Another question... What if she had professional pics up on her site for illustrative purposes with a footnote telling you that they were retouched but also had current, realistic, point& shoot pic's in her gallery? Acceptable? Originally Posted by April Showers

Hmmmm... I'm not a professional photographer, but somewhere along the way I've gotten the impression that pros do retouch just about all the photos they shoot. Mostly in the area of removing blemishes, maybe soft-focusing the subject... not stuff that is tremendously misleading. I'd assume that professional photos you've had done have been so retouched, and I wouldn't expect a disclaimer unless you believed that the pro's photos were in some way misleading in such a way that you think clients might be disappointed when encountering you face to face.

Am I making sense?

Cheers,

bcg

Thank you for your honesty... I don't photoshop my pix for the simple fact I think I'm too pretty, never use fake pix for that same reason... all my pix are of me 1000%, but I always wondered about the backgrounds stuff cause I do it alot if I don't like the background of my pix. I feel like everything I am is what GOD made me and if you don't like it take it up with him.
I'm starting to like this site more and more... expecially when you guys are respectable and honest. It gives me great joy to know that if I want to ask a question or need advice about the industry I can always rely on the lovely ladies or the gentleman here for your honest oppinion and for that I THANK YOU ALL!

Amillia... I like changing the backgrounds too! As was said earlier it's pretty obvious that you are not changing your body just the background. ( and dammit girl you are most definitely pretty... HOT!)

A little touching up in Photoshop is fine. Removing a blemish or bruise here, applying a little soft-focus there, all expected.

But totally changing someone's appearance seems to leave the realm of photography and enter the world of illustration . . . depending on the photo's purpose, this can be acceptable or not . . .

In general, I favor accuracy in photography . . . those freckles or a beauty mark are part of who you are, and thankfully everyone's unique, or this world would get pretty boring fast . . .

but I always wondered about the backgrounds stuff cause I do it alot if I don't like the background of my pix. Originally Posted by Amillia_Winter

I don't think anyone dates a background so not to worry luv. Glad you like the place. You seem to fit in very well.

Amillia... I like changing the backgrounds too! As was said earlier it's pretty obvious that you are not changing your body just the background. ( and dammit girl you are most definitely pretty... HOT!) Originally Posted by April Showers

WHY THANK YOU APRIL... YOU HAVE A GREAT BODY!

Very nice touch-up job by that photographer.........

I crop my pictures to remove unsightly hotel room backgrounds, I add color borders, sometimes I like to take it down to grayscale (because I love black and white pictures hehe)...but I would never alter the picture to represent myself as something that I am not.

To photoshop out stretchmarks or a belly, that is not okay, at all. If you want to hide your flaws, hug a teddy bear in your picture or wrap yourself in a bath towel and make it look sexy, but don't photoshop the stuff out.

For wedding pictures or pictures that you are sending to family or something, yeah, I can understand why you would touch things up. But not for providing.

I, personally, do not care for too much retouching. I do tend to be very physically active and bruise easily so touching up an ugly bruise is a standard in my case. Leaving the bruise in the picture might make one believe it is always there. Bruises come and go. I have always been told that I am much more beautiful than my pictures would lead one to believe. I cannot think of a nicer compliment! I would be sad to think a gentleman felt as though I mislead him....... I would much rather him be pleasantly suprised. Just my opinion though......

Just to clarify-- I am sure that most of the women on this photographers site are just wives, gf''s and brides to be that wanted to do the pic's as a gift for their SO's and are not actual providers. But I did get the link from a providers pic's. Originally Posted by April Showers

If it's being done to remind a loved one about the minds-eye beauty from one lover to another, great, no harm no foul.

I don't have any tattoos, but if I did I would remove them to protect my identity. Likewise a big pimple on my ass would definitely disappear!

But for a provider to go through some of the extreme Photoshopping in some of those example??!? BAD business!!!

Otherwise why bother putting myself through the grind in the gym to prevent my trunk from falling off the chassis??? LOL!!

kisses, Alex