Electronic photo retouching is an ever-expanding field. Wherever you look you can see the evidence of this craft. Most of us are familiar to some extend with Adobe Photoshop in some form; as there are many variations of this program available on different platforms.
Before computers and Photoshop, photo-enhancement was done by retouching the actual photograph with ink or paint. Other technique involves in-camera double-exposure, or working with negatives in the darkroom. Do you remember Polaroids? Scratching the surface of Polaroids used to be very popular.
Airbrushes were also used, whence the term "airbrushing" for manipulation. Darkroom manipulations are regarded as traditional art rather than job related skill.
One of the most famous cases of photo tinkering is a photo of Abraham Lincoln from the 1860s. It was altered using the picture of the body from a portrait of John C. Calhoun, and the head of Lincoln from a famous seated portrait by Mathew Brady.
The photo manipulation industry has often been accused of promoting distorted and unrealistic image of self, most specifically in younger people. The fashion photography is one specific industry, which has been heavily involved with the use of photo manipulation - this is obviously a concern as many people look up to celebrities in search of embodying the 'ideal figure'.
Before computers and Photoshop, photo-enhancement was done by retouching the actual photograph with ink or paint. Other technique involves in-camera double-exposure, or working with negatives in the darkroom. Do you remember Polaroids? Scratching the surface of Polaroids used to be very popular.
Airbrushes were also used, whence the term "airbrushing" for manipulation. Darkroom manipulations are regarded as traditional art rather than job related skill.
One of the most famous cases of photo tinkering is a photo of Abraham Lincoln from the 1860s. It was altered using the picture of the body from a portrait of John C. Calhoun, and the head of Lincoln from a famous seated portrait by Mathew Brady.
The photo manipulation industry has often been accused of promoting distorted and unrealistic image of self, most specifically in younger people. The fashion photography is one specific industry, which has been heavily involved with the use of photo manipulation - this is obviously a concern as many people look up to celebrities in search of embodying the 'ideal figure'.