campaign for real beauty

[livin4lax09]

an interesting link i found, that brings up serious flaws in our perception of beauty and why it is that way. watch this video...

http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com/

[Photo-John]

Thanks for the link, Brent. That is interesting, although I question their use of the word, "beauty." By definition, "beauty" is in the eye of the beholder. We all see things differently and while it's true what pleases and attracts us is guided by many outside influences, what's beautiful is ultimately something very primal.

But - to see all the work that was done on the model to make her suitable for selling beauty products is very interesting. It's something we all know happens. But it's very illuminating to see the whole process and how much is actually done. Some of the digital stuff totally surprised me.

And I agree that we put way too much pressure on women to meet up to an unrealistic (and unhealthy) outside standard. A good start would be banning "women's" magazines from grocery store checkout lines. Those magazines are the biggest offenders when it comes to perpetrating false standards of physical beauty.

[SmartWombat]

an interesting link i found

... also an interesting advertising technique for Dove !
They've been running a similar campaign in the UK using models, but with cellulite, and more normal body shapes, even emphasising what other adverts would remove as flaws, by using close ups.

[Ronnoco]

... also an interesting advertising technique for Dove !
They've been running a similar campaign in the UK using models, but with cellulite, and more normal body shapes, even emphasising what other adverts would remove as flaws, by using close ups.

That approach could degenerate into the opposite extreme which would be just as unhealthy an image. If we want to promote a healthy, active, lifestyle then we should be promoting the look that goes with it...which certainly doesn't mean cellulite.

As to flaws, I think most people would like to see their flaws de-emphasized in any photo. No one wishes to be visually reminded that they have a long nose, uneven eyes, a skin problem, etc. etc. and a flaw can distract the viewer. When Josef Karsh photographed Winston Churchill he portrayed a leader in war with presence and charisma. The emphasis certainly was not on shooting a dumpy, little, fat man. The difference is in the photo and the skill of the photographer.

So, although I think some advertising photography goes too far, I think the opposite approach is equally wrong. Somewhere in the middle is the best approach in my opinion.

Ronnoco

[livin4lax09]

i agree wholeheartedly with you ronnoco, and I think if the media were to focus less on these fake people and more on the normal person, who doesn't have to be anorexic or completely jacked, people would feel more comfortable with their bodies and more self-confident when viewing their beauty in relation to these "models." though I know it will never happen...

to quote Marcel Proust... "let us leave pretty women to men devoid of imagination."

[natatbeach]

Ronnoco----

Just for the record ---even skinny women have cellulite and flab....
thin does not equal healthy---just as cellulite does not equal unhealthy

just tought I'd put that out there

nat

[racingpinarello]

"If we want to promote a healthy, active, lifestyle then we should be promoting the look that goes with it...which certainly doesn't mean cellulite." - Ronnoco

Healthy has nothing to do with not having cellulite. Unless you are a professional athlete with 3-7% body fat, you have cellulite.

A healthy lifestyle is a mental state of mind and not always physical.

[livin4lax09]

in my mind, a "healthy lifestyle" is both physical and mental. it doesn't matter how secure you are, if you can't run 10 yards, then your lifestyle isn't healthy. And i missed the part about cellulite meaning you are unhealthy, because that's not true. some really great athletes that I have known have cellulite, and they are not any less healthy because of it.

[Ronnoco]

Ronnoco----

Just for the record ---even skinny women have cellulite and flab....
thin does not equal healthy---just as cellulite does not equal unhealthy

just tought I'd put that out there

nat

Well, I have worked with a considerable number of women and none of the women I ran with or skied with or swam with (distances) had any cellulite whatsoever.

Cellutlite may not mean you are unhealthy, but it probably means that you could improve your activity and make more healthy choices in your eating habits.

Just thaought I'd put out a different perspective.

Ronnoco

[adina]

99% of the population could improve their activity and make more healthy choices in eating habits.

I have also worked with a considerable number of women, and even the healthy ones could be more active and make better eating choices. There's always that "more".

[adina]

ps...

If you've seen the dove ads, these women are somewhere in the middle. They are neither stick thin unhealthy, or hugely obese unhealthy. They are in the middle, where most women fall. Making them realistic.

[Ronnoco]

ps...

If you've seen the dove ads, these women are somewhere in the middle. They are neither stick thin unhealthy, or hugely obese unhealthy. They are in the middle, where most women fall. Making them realistic.

I agree that that the middle ground is good.

Ronnoco

[natatbeach]

Cellutlite may not mean you are unhealthy, but it probably means that you could improve your activity

that I can agree with....:thumbsup:

[walterick]

Cellulite doesn't exist. It is a name given to the natural "dimpling" of the skin in the buttocks of both men and women. It's as natural as elbows and finger nails. Some people have it, some people don't. If you happen to be one who does, no amount of exercise can get rid of it. Or your elbows. It doesn't mean you're fat. It doesn't mean you're unhealthy. It means your butt doesn't look like the one in the victoria's secret ad. A friend in my college nutrition class talked about her aerobics teacher who worked out all the time year after year and still had "cellulite." So don't worry about it, if you have it. Just say, I love you body, and in my next life I will come back with a Victoria's Secret butt

[masdog]

Dove has been doing this for a while in the US, and its refreshing to see "normal" women selling beauty products.

As to Ronnoco's point about people wishing to de-emphasize things in photos, there is no doubt about it. However, I think that completely misses the point - which is to get people to accept themselves and have a positive self-image regardless of what the supermarket magazines put on the cover.

My college was 70% female...you wouldn't believe the conversations and gripping I have overheard from some of the girls there. I've heard normal girls complain about wanting to lose 5 pounds for no other reason than thinking they were fat. I've heard girls wish they could be someone else because they had such a poor self-image of themselves even though they were attractive.

The idea here is to tell women, "hey, you're beautiful the way you are," not focus on "improving" normal women to make them look like super-models.