babies are having their images retouched to make them look slimmer
It has been discovered that supermodels are not the only ones getting the airbrush treatment in their photographs.
A documentary reveals that some babies whose photographs appear in magazines are having their images retouched to make them look slimmer, according to Britain’s Sunday Telegraph.
In the documentary, “My Supermodel Baby,” a director at a magazine photography session explains how a five-month old boy with some folds of fat on his arms, had his photograph manipulated.
“We lightened his eyes and his general skin tone, smoothed out any blotches and the creases on his arms,” said the casting director. “But we want it to look natural.”
The Telegraph report says that it is the first time the industry has admitted changing photographs of babies, although this practise commnly occurs in pictures of adults.
According to the Telegraph, the editor of Practical Parenting and Pregnancy magazine has admitted that photographs of babies are sometimes airbrushed, but usually to remove spittle from a baby’s chin or to whiten red eyes after they’ve cried.
The editor, Daniella Delaney, said:
“We’ll remove things and even-up skin tone, that sort of thing but very little is done, in fact, because obviously babies are beautiful the way they are and that is what we went to get across.”
M/s Delaney would not deny that photographs of babys were being altered to remove folds of fat, saying:
”I can’t really comment, but we don’t have a hit list of thing we look out for.”
Liberal Democrat MP, Jo Swinson said:
“People will be appalled that a magazine would not think images of beautiful healthy babies are alright as they are and instead have to conform to some standard
“The idea that babies must look more perfect - that they can’t have creases in their skin - shows the obsession with a particular ideal. Where does this end?”
