How does airbrushing for celebrity photos work, and how widely used is it?

Question

It seems that almost every celebrity photo has been retouched...thanks!

Answer 1

Airbrushing used to be done with an actual airbrush - an air pressure delivery system that put touch-up paint on actual photographs, which would then be reproduced for publication.

Now it is almost universally a digital process, using software such as Adobe's Photoshop to alter individual pixels in an image.

Virtually every photograph that you see in a magazine or advertisement has been digitally altered to remove flaws, whether in the image itself or in the skin or body of the model.

If you think that those pictures of celebs represent what they were born with -- after plastic surgery, make up and photo retouching -- you probably wouldn't be able to even recognize them on the street.

Real people have lines, wrinkles, and I might add, pores.

Answer 2

It depends. Defently every glossy (type of paper used in magazines) photo involves retouching. There is less likely any touchups in news print except tabloids, just because it's less likely they have the money to pay an artist to do it.

It use to be done with an airbrush until computers came about.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=s2gD80jv5ZQ
http://youtube.com/watch?v=P4wI_o8gyxA
http://youtube.com/watch?v=BrPnex2U8tY

Answer 3

Its helps to hide facial flaws and nearly every magazine uses the technique. Watch Ugly Betty to see some truths about magazines and photo shoots.

Answer 4

I agree. If someone looks amazing through working out, beauty etc and it is actually real then by all means put the piccie in. But if the image is not reality it's gone too far. The bar for what is beautiful etc is now impossible and fantasy. I think it is a bad practice and creates illusions.

Answer 5

Photoshop. I am not sure how they did it before photoshop, but photoshop is a wonderful thing.

Answer 6

its used all the time,its done by computer and imaging overlay programs..