Your opinion on CD's altering their pics in Photoshop

[Zylia]

So how does everybody feel about crossdressers altering their pictures in Photoshop (or another graphics editing program for that matter)? And I don't mean some color balance adjustment, but genuinely altering how they look, like slimming down the waist a few extra inches, stretching the legs, cleaning up the makeup and generally making themselves less masculine in the picture.

I ask this because while browsing the picture gallery on this forum, I stumbled upon a few CD's who did alter their images to this extent without really being open about it, and people don't seem to comment on it, maybe because they're not aware of it.

Personally, I'm of the 'live and let live' persuasion and I don't consider CD's doctoring their images quite as harmful as what beauty magazines do to their models. Still, when everyone else on this forum does their best to look amazing or simply accepts their shortcomings, I can't help but feel a bit cheated by it. I also feel bad for those who may get the wrong impression.

Just to be clear: cropping or straightening photos, correcting the color balance or 'de-emphasizing' some of the distracting ugly spots is not what I meant. We all should do that.

[Deedee Skyblue]

I've used a program to lighten some pictures, adjust the balance, get rid of wild hair that stuck out, change the background. I've used it to lighten the area around my eyes, and to minimize beard shadow. I don't feel bad about doing those things, I often but not always mention it with the post. There are some really good photo manipulators here (I remember somebody standing in front of Stargate Atlantis, I think it was, looking like she was there!). I've noticed some of the things you have noticed. I don't feel cheated, though, I like looking at pictures of cute women.

Deedee

[linda allen]

"like slimming down the waist a few extra inches, stretching the legs, cleaning up the makeup and generally making themselves less masculine in the picture."

No need to stop there, just put your face on a hot body!

I crop my photos, adjust them to vertical if necessary (camera wasn't level), adjust the color balance and brightness, and if necessary, remove clutter in the background like light switches or trees that seem to be growing out of my head, but for photos posted here, I haven't adjusted my body or my face. What you see is what I looked like at that instant only smaller.

I mentioned this on another thread, but it seems some folks use photos of other women as their avatar photos. I understand using artwork, cartoon characters, etc. because you don't want to put your face on the Internet, but this seems a little less than honest to me. When I see an avatar, if it's a real person, I tend to assume it's an image of the person making the post and I'm making a mental image based on that photo.

[Angela Campbell]

Geez...I wouldn't know how to do any of that stuff. I can crop a pic but that is about it. Too much trouble.

[Marleena]

I've always posted them as is Zylia. I suck at photography and photoshop. I only took a few pics at a time so up they went. As for the other girls it really doesn't matter to me what they do.

Oh...I lost all my pics I took so my avatar and profile pic are pictures I recovered, they do look "stretched".

[Lori B]

The website "faceinhole" is a hoot! ......let your imagination run wild!

[Angela Campbell]

Actually the only decent pics of me are usually the ones other people take. I can never seem to take a decent pic of myself for some reason.

[reb.femme]

I use GIMP, a freebie download like Photoshop. My pics have a tattoo removed from my arm, purely as it does help to identify me somewhat........in addition to my face being on show to the world but makeup changes me a lot

i.e. My last pic post shows the many scars on my legs and arms from a recent medical issue, not covered up by said programme. So not done for any other reason, such as vanity etc.

"Warts and all" is a saying in the UK for showing everything, even the bad bits. It is a quote attributed to Oliver Cromwell and I use it on my web site.

It states,.......... Therefore, I am presented here in the same style that Oliver Cromwell requested of his portrait painter, "I desire you would use all your skill to paint my picture truly like me ... warts and everything".

Rebecca

[Julie Denier]

I crop, color-correct and adjust brightness, but otherwise shun photo manipulation -- I think it's a better gauge of our skill and development

[Lori B]

Taaz is another fun site to see how you would look in different hairstyles and makeup combinations

[Zylia]

Deedee and linda listed a few things that I consider perfectly acceptable, I crop and straighten and adjust the color balance too and I think that a lot more people should do that. It's making yourself look better by improving the picture. What I'm not a fan of is making the picture look better by improving yourself in it. I wouldn't mind it at all if they just outright mentioned it, but that's what usually doesn't happen.

[Lacyfem]

Not all cameras take a perfect picture exposure and contrast wise. Also, a lot could do with a little cropping as would love to see more of you and less of the kitchen or the living room. If you're standing take the photo vertically and not horizontally and if lying down take it horizontally. After a bit of exposure and contrast a little retouching may be in order as every beautiful model you see in the magazines is made even more beautiful by a bit of photoshop retouching. From what I can see this is not a dating site and if it was perhaps you'd like to see the real unretouched woman which would make sense so there would be no surprises on a date. Me I don't care, have fun retouching and enhancing your fem qualities all you want.

[Lorileah]

I hate when Cosmo and Maxim and Playboy and every other magazine and web site in the world removes blemishes and wrinkles, makes Christie Brinkley look 30 again, Makes Demi Moore look like she never had children...No I don't. A little touch up is like using concealer. Removing a wrinkle or blemish isn't a bad thing.

Candid photos are often not totally flattering. And what do you care anyway? They are the ones who have to live with it.

If you meet these people in real like you will quickly see what they really look like. My avatar and profile pics were professionally done. Not retouched but believe me getting to that pose took a lot longer than modifying the photo ever would (and yes I have added backgrounds for others with PS and airbrushed them)

[Jolene Robertson]

Hi Zylia,

To use Julie's line "I crop, color-correct and adjust brightness,and size but otherwise shun photo manipulation -- I think it's a better gauge of our skill and development " even then if I did any of the above I state it in the post. WYSIWYG sorry just little Ole me.

[Zylia]

And what do you care anyway?

Can't say I don't care, otherwise I wouldn't have written a post about it. But like I said, I feel a bit cheated and I feel bad for people who get the wrong impression.

It also stroke me as odd that hardly anyone ever comments on it, so that's why I am wondering what to do, for example, when someone doctors some 'amazing' legs under her dress: Should I just pretend they're actually hers and make compliments, or is it OK to try and make a snarky remark about how anatomy actually works?

[Lacyfem]

Lori you are so right... I've worked with some of the best makeup artists there are.... $1500 a day and more.... it's amazing and they can make a real dog look like a princess. So really make up would be no different than using photoshop in certain applications as once applied lets hope you look a lot better than without or why do it. That said Lorileah you look wonderfutl!

[Gretchen_To_Be]

Zylia, I think any major alterations to images should come with disclaimers. We poor sods who will never look so good and rely on natural photos might get discouraged otherwise. And I agree with Julie that it challenges us to get better.

[Michelle (Oz)]

I'm in the colour correct adjust contrast camp (using Lightroom 4) but no changes to self. Mind you I won't post a close up photo - too many wrinkles and other blemishes. Still, that's me. I do like to add some background to my photos to see the context and add interest. For example, my avatar was taken in the Sculpture Garden at the National Gallery.

[mariehart]

I wish I could use photoshop but I'm clueless about all that computer stuff and I speak as someone who worked for IBM for seven years. With me, WYSIWYG.

[Cindy M]

My pics are always me. Nothing spectacular... unaltered... just me out in the world having fun. My wife usually takes 15-20 while I'm out. When I get home and load them on my computer, there's usually 2 or 3 I like enough to keep and sometimes share here.

Cindy

[linda allen]

I wish I could use photoshop .............

There are plenty of computer programs other than Photoshop that allow cropping, color correction, and more. They are cheaper and easier to use and still offer the basic features I mentioned in my previous post. Some are even free or come with your camera. I currently use Corel PaintShop Pro X4 and I probably use about 20% of its capabilities

Most of us use makeup before we take our photos. That's what most GGs do every day. I think most of us agree that this is fine but doing the same thing after the fact with software is a little over the line.

[Rebecca Watson]

I do the necessary photo selection and cropping, but other than that, all my photos are unmodified. My photos on Facebook are usually taken with my mobile and uploaded straight without any modification. All of them are imperfect in some way. But, if you meet me, this is what you will see.

I don't think I'd want to post touched-up images; it's not really why I'm here. I guess it's unsurprising that people post Photoshopped images; it makes me feel slightly better knowing that mine aren't.

- Becky

[Marleena]

It also stroke me as odd that hardly anyone ever comments on it, so that's why I am wondering what to do, for example, when someone doctors some 'amazing' legs under her dress: Should I just pretend they're actually hers and make compliments, or is it OK to try and make a snarky remark about how anatomy actually works?

Zylia there are some guys here that are gifted with great legs. I hope I don't need to be concerned there are fakes among them. There was a recent thread where I posted mine, and the only edit done was by a friend to remove a hanging corset string from my picture. Everybody kept commenting on the hanging string.

I think the vast majority of photos in the gallery are very honest and well done.

[Tracii G]

I tried photoshop a few times and could never do anything with it but ruin a picture.
Too damn hard to use so I don't.
What you see is the real me.I do crop pics so they aren't too big or something is in the pic thats not allowed on this site.

[AllieSF]

Zylia, it does bother you and you cannot just live and let live. My recommendation is to practice what you first preached. Who really cares, and how have you been cheated? You didn't buy anything, nor invested anything besides your time. There are probably a lot of pics here that we think are of the member and are really of someone else. So what? Just ignore it and accept the fact that some pics have been altered and as long as that person is happy, let them be happy and celebrate their happiness. It may prevent ulcers that way.