Over the last few years there has been great deal of debate over the use of airbrushing of photographs for magazines and the media in general. Concerns have been raised about the unachievable image it gives young girls (and boys) of the way they then think their body should look. Does this mean we should all see airbrushing as a bad thing, and something that should be avoided, or is it just another example of a useful tool that has been taken to extremes? 

I'm sure most of us have had photos taken that when looked at we've been disappointed at a spot that had decided to appear that day and has taken center stage on the photograph. Or at the way the light has caught our face that has shown up every slight wrinkle that we didn't even realise we had! The classic in my house is a beautiful photograph of one my boys spoilt by a blob of tomato sauce or chocolate smeared around their mouth that they have been savouring since lunch. Personally, I believe this is where airbrushing has a place.  Not to create an unachievable image but to simply make small corrections to create a more flattering photograph. 

It is a shame that such a fantastic photo editing tool has been abused by extreme use and therefore gained itself a somewhat immoral reputation. I suppose in some forms it is being used as a quick and painless form of plastic surgery when it comes to celebrities. Making legs longer, stomachs slimmer, skin and makeup flawless, even changing eye colour. Perhaps there should be some guidelines as to what is an acceptable level of airbrushing for photos used in the media? Or perhaps there should be clearer information given so young people can see what photos have been edited and understand that in the real world people don't actually look like that.

I guess that the problems with this kind of regulation is where does it stop and how to you truly regulate it anyway? For years artists have painted portraits using their own interpretation of what their subject looked like. Perhaps being a little more flattering to ensure their subject was happy with their finished painting. Maybe airbrushing is simply a modern form of this? We can no longer hide behind an artists brush so we try to hide behind a Photoshop brush instead!

Perhaps the main solution to the body image problem is simply to tell our children that these images aren't real. Point out to them all the different shapes and sizes we come in and that being happy and healthy is something far more important to aspire towards than being a size 6. 

What are your thoughts?
 

Its been a busy and exciting year so far for Photo Fairy Designs, putting our website together, facebook page and twitter page and learning as much as possible about marketing an online business. I've been very lucky with having lots of lovely mummy friends who have been my testing board for everything I have been doing, and I have met some wonderful and innovative WAHMs online too who have been so supportive.

At the moment we're working on new products based on customer requests, we're going to be adding some photo invitations to our product range very soon. We'll be offering set templates where we will simply insert your photo for you, or we can do totally unique custom designs for you where you can specify exactly what you want or give us a general theme and we will use our magic to create something special for you.

If there is something you would like to see added to our website, whether it is more photo enhancement options, different fairy photo backgrounds, or something totally new then please don't hesitate to contact us.