As I work with photoshop and digitally changing images, like many other Mudcatters do, I am sure, the thread about women's bottoms brought up this topic and I think it is worthy of a separate discussion. Here is an example of photos of a real women and how it is changed to be acceptable for publishing to communicate an idealized image of a woman.

HERE IS A GREAT EXAMPLE of how a photo is completely retouched before going to print.
This gives you an idea of how the actual bodies and faces of models are different than the photos we see in print.
Mouse-over the image and you see the original photo before being retouched.

Face - original photo and retouched for print
http://homepage.mac.com/gapodaca/digital/bikini/bikini1.html
Click here

Body - original photo and retouched for print
http://homepage.mac.com/gapodaca/digital/bikini/bikini2.html
Click here

Look at how even her arm is made thinner as well as her waist and hips, while her breasts are made to look larger. And, of course, the entire
surface of her skin is smoothed out of pores to look like a plastic surface.

I'm thinking there are many other examples of editorial changes to photos we see in print and on the web. People's pores, stray hairs, acne, scars, wrinkles, etc. pretty much don't exist in the world of publication any more! From news photos to fashion photos, everything gets "smoothed out".

Alice