Airbrushing School Photos
I love all things technology, especially when it comes to digital photography and editing. Working as a newspaper photographer, the digital era makes it remarkably easier to get the best photo or fix a photo that wasn't quite right. It saves time and money, even for the non-professional photographers among us. If you've ever snapped 82 pictures of your children just to get one acceptable one for the annual holiday card, you know how it saves money. Imagine how many rolls of film that would have been. I shudder at the thought.
I am disturbed, however, at a recent trend that I was informed of by a friend with a daughter in Kindergarten. Her daughter's school pictures came back less than perfect. Her hair was a bit messy and she had a tear stain on her face. Her smile was a fake, strained one as well. Who doesn't have one (or ten) of those pictures in their school picture history? What alarmed my friend, however, was the fact that she had the option to have her child's picture airbrushed for any blemishes or out-of-place hairs and what have you.
Excuse me?
I edit my photos when they need it. I'll bump up the levels, adjust the tone for brighter colors or turn them black and white when I'm feeling extra-artsy. I have cloned out a garbage can in an otherwise perfect family photo. I like a certain look in my photos and will edit as I see fit to achieve that look. While I may have adjusted the color on a photo that featured my (very cute) children, I have never altered their faces. I didn't remove the mark on my son's head in our Easter photos from his fall. I don't get rid of my younger son's perpetual "black eyes" that are a result of super pale skin and his dad's eye shape. I don't fix their messy hair. They're kids. They get bumps and bruises. Their hair gets messed up when they hang upside down from the monkey bars before school pictures like I did in first grade. Isn't that what pictures are really supposed to document?
I'm not the only one who thinks that the practice of airbrushing kids' photos is somewhat worrisome. In fact, All Diva Media talked about her disgust about the process awhile ago. Last fall, a discussion at iMommytalk hit on the issue, claiming that it's out of control. Last week, a psychologist out of Brisbane said that the trend may be contributing to body image problems. In fact, I learned while researching this piece that baby photos in magazines are airbrushed. My heart kind of breaks when I think about that fact.
As my friend said, I won't be airbrushing my kids' school photos. Even if my oldest son, who tends to be a bit clumsy at time (which he inherited from me), falls and has a rug burn on his nose, I won't erase it. Photographs are part of our memory process. Looking at any of my school pictures, I can tell you what a scratch, scrape or sunburn was caused by and the memory associated by it. I want to do the same with my kids. I want to look at the picture and say, "Oh yeah! That's the picture when you were balancing on your brother's back and fell even though I told you eighty-two times that if you didn't stop, someone would get hurt!"
What are your thoughts on using technology to alter your child's school photos?
re: Airbrushing School Photos
I agree that they shouldn't be airbrushed but sometimes I wonder why the photographer didn't go smooth down the alfalfa sprout hair that is sticking straight up or why the teacher didn't get them to wash their faces before picture time.
re: Airbrushing School Photos
My daughter has a pea sized birth mark on the side of her nose. I was asked by a photographer once if I would like it airbrushed out. Um, NO. That's part of her face! It's like asking if I'd like one of her eyes removed. I've also been asked if I would like them to add in missing teeth (for my adorably snaggle toothed 1st grader). Again, NO. Her teeth have already grown back in and I love that her school picture documented that cute time in her life!
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I had a long discussion with my teen about school photos. You can select the retouched option or the unretouched option. She was arguing for going with he retouched option BEFORE her photo was taken. I told her we always buy the unretouched option. She was not happy. She wanted to retouch any pimples, etc. I like photos that show how we look. I like the photo where my toddler has a tear-stained face and is holding a bag of fruit snacks. My little guy has a scratch underneath his nose on his 18 month photo -- it makes him look even cuter.
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I think you already know where I'm at on this, but I probably take it a step further than just Photoshopping. Not only will I absolutely positively never Photoshop out the hemangioma on Alexis' forehead, I also have never made her wear a hat to cover it, or adjusted her bangs before a photo to hide it, or anything. If it's there, it's there. If it's not, it's not. It's part of her and I love all of her parts. Period.
If only I were so accepting of my own "flaws . . . "
re: Airbrushing School Photos
I'll be honest: When Flora had molluskum contagiousium on her face, we asked for a retouch on the church directory photo. She was experiencing a terrible flare up. Also, I had my BIL photoshop a band-aid out of Kate's Christmas pictures — it was right on her forehead. (I also printed some with it because it was so Kate.) Flora's molluskum is gone now, so it's not an issue anymore. But, yeah, those are two examples I used technology to alter their photos. Those are the only two examples I can think of, and I don't think I'd do them for school photos. Those are supposed to be a little embarrassing. :)
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I hate the airbrushing- it makes me think "pageant photos" which makes baby Jesus cry and kills kittens. Some of my favorite photos are the not quite perfect ones. I have an "old-time photo" of my son as a toddler dressed up as a cowboy and he had a scab on his nose - it only enhanced the cuteness of his tough cowboy face.
I will have to dig up my kindergarten photo to illustrate why we should never photoshop them - it's too funny.
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I would definitely not agree to air brushing. That is not the "real" child.
re: Airbrushing School Photos
Seems a little dramatic. I'm right there with you with enhancing photos by cloning out nonsense clutter in the background or running cool color effects -- but I also think it's ok to clone out a drool here and a scuff mark there. I personally don't think it alters the appearance of my kiddo or the level at which I will cherish the photo. People get dressed up for picture day - why wouldn't you want your kids to look their best? And what in the world is the difference between the teacher washing your little one's face and smoothing his hair BEFORE the picture and a photographer editing it that way AFTER?
Note: I agree with not editing out birthmarks, moles, etc. My high school senior pictures were "retouched" and they smoothed out many of my freckles - which bothered me a little. But if they wanted to clone out a big zit on my chin - I wasn't about to stop them!!