Subscribe
The Daily Grind Video
CLOSE

On Earth, we have two kinds of people: photogenic…and not so much.

Standing in front of a camera and striking a pose is nerve-wracking enough as it is, even if it’s taking our own selfies on our iPhones.

The pressure to get that perfect picture that could go viral is extreme, and nowadays all ages seem to experience it.

In a world where Instagram filters tell life stories, it seems that Photoshop is #winning.

Want a third leg added to your body? No problem. Want to be a one-eyed Cyclops in your graduation pics? Easy.

While Photoshop is used to typically take those pimples out of teens’ prom pictures, or even delete a wrinkle or two from the head shot of a 45-year-old who is considering when to get Botox, some really abuse the enhancing program.

Funny actress Melissa McCarthy was recently a victim of Photoshop’s excessive use, when the movie poster for her new film The Heat was released. Melissa’s face was Photoshopped and slimmed, causing her to look like a completely different person (See the difference here).

Not only does it look like she lost a lot of weight in her face in the new transformed photo, but the edited version isn’t even making the same expression as the original!

I understand that the camera does “add 10 pounds,” but c’mon man! What is that?!

With moves being made like this in the big, bad world of Hollywood, an issue of trust definitely comes to my mind when I think of my perception of beauty compared to society’s.

Whether one is thick, thin, tight, loose, square or circle, being proud of what our mamas gave us should be known and shown.

From what I’ve seen, Melissa seems pretty damn proud of how she looks, and so are her fans, so why would anyone want to test that? And won’t movie-goers realize the difference of how she looks in the new Photoshopped poster compared to on the big screen?

So why is there a need for the change?

We should be praising woman who aren’t afraid to defy society’s default perception of beauty in order to be themselves.

Melissa might be a little on the bigger side, but that’s what draws attention to her adorably hilarious persona.

Most of us should be looking up less to the Kim Kardashians, who are constantly being altered in photos to live up to the “model” standard, and more to the Adeles, who make it known that they don’t care what anyone thinks and can still land a magazine cover.

No matter how one may look, if the talent and charm is there, it can overrule any appearance.

(Side note: You should see the movie Mask from 1985. It can prove this theory.)

But seriously though, shame on you, Hollywood.

Shame on you for encouraging the transformation of already-beautiful women to turn them into your biased image of beauty.

And remember everyone…when it comes to the need for Photoshop: light use, not heavy abuse.

Lindsey India

Follow an awkwardly adorable weirdo who has access to the world wide web on Twitter: @LindseyIndia