There’s a movement gaining traction in the French Parliament to require advertisers who use Photoshop to enhance a photograph to disclose it in writing or face big fines!
Ooohh la la, wouldn’t that be a kick? Leave it to the French to shake the foundations of our culture to the very core.
(And those foundations are?)
1. The inalienable right to bare arms–our Michelle doesn’t need any software help but I can’t vouch for Ms. Bruni, because her husband certainly did.
And:
2. The right to tart up advertising photos in Photoshop.
You know what this means, right? It means job growth in the photo industry!
I already have my application in for a position as a detective in the Photoshop Gendarmerie (“You airbrush it, we will crush it” is the motto I’m proposing for the force).
I can’t wait to say “step away from ze cloning tool and keep your hands where I can see them” in my New Jersey-accented French.
Um, and, I’d just like to say that I’m a people person and I’m willing to relocate, you know, move to Paris, wear a trenchcoat, smoke Gauloises, affect a world-weary shrug and sigh as I smite the offenders with huge fines, and do close examinations of the live model’s proportions compared to the photo of the model.
And you thought travel photography was a dream job? Mon Dieu! Not compared to this!
Jack Kurtz
17 Dec 2009In keeping with the spirit of Inspector Clouseau, it would allow someone on the Photoshop Gendarmerie to repeat the famous Clouseau quote: “I know when there is a trouble, and when there is not a trouble, and you may rest assured that there is a trouble. ” This would be when they look at some of these gems: http://www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com/afm-style-files/scottsdale-fashion-flash/ralph-laurens-photoshop-disaster
jack
Bob
17 Dec 2009Hi Jack: Wow, that is skinny! And not too terribly attractive. The new normal!
Have a good holiday. Bob
Michael
18 Dec 2009Bob,
Being admirer of your work for many years I have to put my 2 cents in: as stupid as French proposal is, I would love to know if the shot was photoshopped. See, I spend a lot of time at the computer at work and the last thing I want when I am out of the office is sitting at another computer. I go out and shoot to be out and see things the way we mere mortals do not see them in everyday rush and share the beauty of the world around us with others and ourself. I am not interested in beautifying the beauty nor fixing mistakes I made in the field. That is what delete function for. All that said, I use Elelemts 2 but mostly to save some of my UW photography made with a $200 digital compact since it is mostly spray and pray photography. However, when I see the work of masters, I’d like to know when photoshop was used and to what extend. As it stands right now I do not trust any great shot I see.
Bob
18 Dec 2009I’m with you on that Michael. The less time spent massaging the better. Bob
Perry Watson
19 Dec 2009The philosophical (did I spell that right after more red wine than I care to admit, it’s good for the heart you know?)question is can you learn to truly dislike Americans after spending most of your young adult years (anyone under sixty is young in my book and just like the debt ceiling, that figure may go up next year) in the great state of New Jersey? Sorry for the convoluted grammar, it’s the side effects of my health elixir.
Bob
19 Dec 2009Perry: To quote the great John Gorka in in his song about the state:
“I’m from New Jersey, I don’t expect much….” cheers, Bob
bounty1342
11 Jan 2010Michael, as stupid as French i am, i think you have to expand your deep of field and try to understand the reasons of this proposal.
First, on a newspaper, if the pictures are fake, what that tell you about the informations by themselves, are they fake too? If you you see your president with 3legs, you would certainly like to know, who was on the picture and why they cut him off for example (bodygard on this one).
http://www.lefigaro.fr/medias/2008/09/26/04d05eb6-8bbf-11dd-8e79-41ebbdee7412.jpg
The second reason, is the same debate you have in the US. If teenager see only perfect model on tv, or on magazine, what will they become?
In my opinion, if you shoot for fact, you don’t have to retouch and describe the world as you see it. But if you wanna make art, fashion model, or even Picasso like Photo Shooting, well you sure can use as many technologies you want to express your emotions.
A french guy, who would love to be back in the US.