Celebrities vs. Photoshop

We have all edited a photo here and there, maybe more often than not, but why? In the media sometimes celebrities are put under a microscope being ripped apart, and others are being perceived as perfect. Not all celebrities want to be viewed as this "perfect" person all the time. The tabloids/the media use Adobe Photoshop and many others to fine-tune everything. Recently, celebrities like Colbie Caillat, Lorde, and Ashley Benson speak out against photoshop/the tabloids by showing their "real" self. It is so important that these women in the light of media are stepping out of the "Hollywood bubble" and speaking up for what they believe in. These three artists and actors are just a small part of a bigger movement to make a difference in what society makes us perceive as a "perfect life". 

Colbie Caillat 
A pop singer and song writer that embraces and likes change (Republic Records). The artist has always created different messages with her music that go viral more often than not. In 2014, Colbie Caillat released her song, Try, that received many reactions in the media, most were positive. She opens the song with what society and the media have created as the "norm" by saying: "Put your make up on, Get your nails done, Curl your hair, Run the extra mile, Keep it slim, So they like you. Do they like you?" (Caillat/Google Play) By just saying this verse at the start of the song she set a tone for her intentions which are clearly shown in the music video. Throughout the video Colbie along with all the other women in her video start off all dolled up and fake so appear in society as "normal" and end with all natural beauty. Caillat sings the whole song and ends with: "Take your make up off, Let your hair down, Take a breath, Look into the mirror, at yourself. Don't you like you? Cause I like you" (Caillat/Google Play) The artist made a large positive impact on women and girls everywhere showing that you can be all natural and you will be loved and cared about. 

Lorde
Colbie Caillat is not the only celebrity to speak out against the tabloids and the media editing everything to the point that it is not even real anymore. Lorde, an 18 year old pop singer, has unfortunately gotten her fair share of the media editing photos of her already! The last thing an 18 year old needs that is already in fame is shaming on her acne, a natural occurrence, and for the tabloids and the media to edit it out. (Lorde) Instead of the pop star sitting back and letting the media control her looks she decided to take it into her own hands. Lorde saw a photo of herself performing that was touched up to make her skin appear "perfect" she knew this was not the real photo. Lorde decided to put the edited photo side by side with the real one and tweet it. 17 years old in the photo to the right, Lorde wanted to remind young women that imperfections are ok. In my point of view she almost empowered every person that does have imperfections to show the real them. There is no rhyme or reason to look perfect all of the time, or ever for that matter. Too often now, people feel the need to even photoshop/touch up photos of themselves before posting them on social media. This is a real problem that I am so happy the younger generations celebrity "idols" and the people they look up to are making this amazing backlash. 
Ashley Benson
Someone that many girls will be familiar with is the ABC Family's Teen Drama, Pretty Little Liars, star Ashley Benson who plays Hanna Marin in the show. Beginning in 2010 the show launched its Pilot episode, there were campaign launch photos taken for the promotion. (ABC Family) 4 years later, those same photos were edited to make the girls appear as though they were 4 years older... How do we think this turned out? Ashley Benson made a statement on her Instagram account calling out the media and PLL for editing these. "Saw this floating around.... hope it's not the poster. Our faces in this were from 4 years ago....and we all look ridiculous. Way too much photo shop. We all have flaws. No one looks like this. It's not attractive. (2 x Monkey with hands over mouth emojis)" (Instagram/Benson) This celebrity mind you playing Hanna in the show has suffered from an eating disorder, Bulimia. Throughout the progression of the show it is how she has gotten past it and all the hard times that come along with an eating disorder. I admire Ashley Benson for taking this step to bring up the real problem with the media/the tabloids and the exploitation that is achieved with the use of photoshop on innocent people as the victims.
None of these celebrities including Ashley Benson, Lorde, Colbie Caillat, and many more ask to be majorly touched up and photoshopped in the media. It is just done "naturally" how ironic, that it is something as normal in society that it is done without a blink of an eye. It is so important that stars like these women continue with the backlash against Adobe Photoshop, among many other editing applications. These small steps on social media such as music videos on YouTube, photos comparisons on Twitter, and photos on Instagram continue. With the increase of technology I worry that a natural photo that has not been touched up won't even exist. Showing your real self is something that is hard with the media and tabloids at your every turn but love yourself and your fully natural beauty.

 I dare you, women mostly, to just wake up one morning and walk out the door without a drop of make-up on, you will truly feel self beauty and I promise, someone will love you just the way you are!

Works Cited

ABC Family. "Launch+of+pretty+little+liars - Google Search." Launch+of+pretty+little+liars - Google Search. ABC Family, 8 June 2010. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.

Ashley Benson. "Ashley Benson on Instagram:." Instagram. Instagram, 16 Dec. 2013. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.

Caillat, Colbie. "Try - Colbie Caillat." - Google Play Music. Google Play, 2014. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.

"Google." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.

Lorde. "Lorde - Pure Heroine." Lorde - Pure Heroine. Lorde, 2015. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.

MacNeil, Jason. "WATCH: Pop Star Takes On Cult of Photoshop." The Huffington Post. Huffington Post, 14 July 2014. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.

O'Rourke, Jill. "8 Celebrities Who Have Spoken Out Against Photoshop." Crushable RSS. Crushable, 2013. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.

Relsurg. "Pop Singer Lorde, Tweets Untouched Photo of Herself After Seeing Photoshopped Image Posted Online." Relationship Surgery. RelationshipSurgery, 01 Apr. 2014. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.