airbrushing my photos for wedding

Larak

Hi there, I'm getting married in a few months and I've told my fiance that I want our wedding pictures airbrushed so that I look thinner in them. My fiance thinks I'm mad but I don't want to be looking at those pictures in 20 years time thinking "God I look awful". Has anyone else out there had it done? A girl I work with had the photographer make her shoulders look less broad and the results were great.

Luno

Everything in magazines is airbrushed these days so I don't see why not, they're your photos after all!

Just if you are getting it done don't have the person do it too drastic that it doesn't even look like you, that's the last thing you want!

Larak

yes I agree but my fiance and my mother think it's sad i'm not happy with myself the way I am

eth0_

Why don't you start a diet and exercise regime to lose weight before your wedding?
Then, if you're still unhappy with your body, you can get the photos subtly re-touched.

Larak

I have been dieting but progress hasnt been as good as i thought,

Lia_lia

No way! How silly. Just...no.

How Strange

Larak wrote: »

I have been dieting but progress hasnt been as good as i thought,

OP, if the progress hasn't been as good as you thought either you've got unrealistic expectations (you want to be a size 8 when it's just not physically possible) or you aren't trying very hard.

A healthy diet, a realistic achievable exercise regime which both fits in with your lifestyle and means you're getting enough exercise and realistic expectations on what your weight will be.

I got married recently so I know exactly what you mean about looking back on the photos in 20 years and seeing how great you looked. I felt so happy with myself that day. My dress was fab, I'd lost a few pounds and I looked and felt amazing.

Airbrushing is fine and your photographer may do a little here or there to improve the pictures but if you don't feel great on the day, happy and confident in your own skin then airbrushing won't hide or change that.

OldGoat

Strikes me as a bit self-delusional. I mean, you'll KNOW the pic is airbrushed so you'll always have that as a reminder.
Much better to see the photos as the are and then to use them as a prompt for you to get into the shape you want.

Zulu

Same as the above - why lie?

Vinta81

I think that's a bit daft to be honest. Like Goat said, you'll look back in 20 years and you won't really be looking at you, just an airbrushed version.

Stick with the exercise etc...don't give up or else just find that inner peace and be happy with yourself, less and less people seem to be lately

dudara

To be honest, I think that wanting your photos to be air-brushed is a wee bit crazy.

When you look back at the photos, you'll know that they were doctored.

MichMich

I know everyone wants to look perfect on their wedding day...but it's not just about how you look...it's about being with the person you love surely...

OldGoat

Airbrushing has it place tbh. A lot of photos look better after being touched up. Hide a skin blemish here, remove the stray whisp of hair, edit out the rutting squirrels in the background etc., etc.. However going for a body re-shape just seems a little extream.

OP, if you are determined to do this then besure you have copies of the originals kept safe and sound. You'll regret it a few years down the line if you lost them.

Zulu

OldGoat wrote: »

OP, if you are determined to do this then besure you have copies of the originals kept safe and sound. You'll regret it a few years down the line if you lost them.

Exactly, your grand children & great grand children won't care if you've the body of Elle Macpersion (sp?), they'll be more interested in a real picture of you (not a lie).

bobbygirl

I know a few photographers that do weddings and they automatically airbrush a lot of them anyway to adjust lighting, skin tone etc so as long as it's not too drastic I don't see why not.

unreggd

bobbygirl wrote: »

I know a few photographers that do weddings and they automatically airbrush a lot of them anyway to adjust lighting, skin tone etc so as long as it's not too drastic I don't see why not.

Yes, that's a regular adjustment. Contrast, sharpness, maybe remove some blemishes

But changin someones body isnt an adjustment, its an overhaul

If the OP will feel so bad about how she looks in her photos then maybe she has bigger issues such as low self esteem, in which case some counseling might help a lot more than Photoshop

OldGoat

This is not the forum for discussing the issues (if any) of the OP. Personal Issues forum is a better choice for that. Lets get back to the OP's original question.
OP, I think you'd regret altering the photos in any major way. Save your money and keep walking the good walk.

billybigunz

Euugh. Sometimes the 21st century is just depressing.

tinkerbell

I don't think you should be airbrushing your photos so that you look thinner. I mean you will look back on those pics in however many years time and you'll just see photos of a person that may look like you but is not you at all.

Larak wrote: »

I have been dieting but progress hasnt been as good as i thought,

Like others said, if progress hasn't been as good as you thought then you need to try harder or set yourself a more realistic goal. You should head on over to the Fitness forum, get advice there and set up an account on Fitday.com and start logging all the food that you eat each day and your exercising for that day. You'd be surprised by how much everything adds up (you can even overeat on healthy food).

mrsberries

Hi Lark

I feel for you. Getting married myself in 3 weeks and know exactly how you felt about the whole thing. Put a lot of pressure on myself to look a certain way on the big day. If you want to chat about it, feel free to pm me

Regarding air brushing, im not really sure they can do what you want. I thought it was just stuff like blemishes and maybe whiten teeth! Our photographer is going to airbrush a certain amount of them but dont believe that involves shaving a size or two of me!!

Anyhoo, maybe have a chat with some wedding photographers to see whats possible and maybe go to the fitness forums for some advice on your regime, they've helped me hugely over last 6 months

Eviledna

OP, if your Fiancé asked you to allow him to airbrush in a much larger bulge in his trousers, would you allow it?
Everyone has their shortcomings, no matter what in 20 years, you will always think you looked beautiful, because you are young and getting married to the man you love who loves you for exactly who you are. And maybe he would like to see that woman in his wedding photos.

If you will not reconsider, can I suggest that you get your photos as normal, ask the photographer for the digital copies, and go and do a photoshop course in your local educational facility. That way you will learn how to do it yourself, have learned something useful, and perhaps may look at it all differently.

And I offer this advice as a graphic designer with a tummy

OldGoat

I think this thread has run it's course aand there is nothing new to be added. If the OP has any questions they can PM me and we'll see about re-opening the thread.
/End Thread