Celebrities Without Photoshop: Is This What They Really Look Like?

By Jo Piazza Posted Apr 20th 2010 07:15PM

Photos au naturel are all the rage this month as celebrities strive to exploit their "realness" by refusing to be airbrushed in pics, releasing the untouched versions of photographs that have been digitally altered and, in the case of Jessica Simpson, eschewing makeup all together for a cover shot for Marie Claire magazine.

But just how "real" are the pictures? This isn't how Kim Kardashian looks when she wakes up in the morning. The amount of effort put in by makeup artists and talented photographers, who can manipulate angles and lighting in ways that would turn a toad into a princess, still means these photographs are above and beyond what these women look like in real life.

"A small army of people can make anybody look good, even if they're not being retouched, with hair and makeup and lighting and good direction, you can't not end up with a good photograph," explains celeb stylist Robert Verdi, the delightfully bitchy star of 'The Robert Verdi Show.'

Kim Kardashian, Joy Bryant and photographer Amanda de Cadenet recently stripped down for the May issue of Harper's Bazaar. The ladies abstained from photoshopping and retouching for the spread in order to "accept their insecurities and reveal their most intimate thoughts."

Their most intimate thoughts? Whatever. We do want to give a big applause to Kim for abstaining from digital retouching. There is a slight indentation in her waist and a line or two on her belly that probably would have been scrubbed out. Maybe her famous booty would have been made a tad smaller or some boob spill-over removed. To be entirely honest, we can't think of much that would need to be corrected in Kim's naked spread. She looks pretty darn amazing.

That's because of the small army Verdi was talking about. Before a picture is even taken there are at least four hours of makeup. And that makeup isn't just going on the face.

"No one goes for the old school idea of the spray tan anymore. They literally put makeup on their body, like Dior's AirFlash Spray Foundation. It's like wearing nylons all over your body. Actresses have veins just like everybody else, but you put this makeup on and get an airbrushed look before the airbrushing. It erases lines, bumps, veins and razor burn and makes your skin glow and look really youthful," says longtime celebrity stylist and beauty expert Mary Alice Stephenson.

When Britney Spears released the untouched versions of her shots from a 2009 Candies ad, we saw a bruise that hadn't been covered by makeup was airbrushed away and it looks as though she was given a whole new butt, but she still looks beautiful. That's because a lot of the glitz, glamour and work that goes into creating the perfect photo happens before it gets airbrushed.

"Just by picking the proper shoe, you elongate the leg and can look leaner and meaner and more in proportion," Stephenson says. "Then you get into hair and makeup and that process takes up to four hours. Makeup artists know how to completely change the dynamic of a woman's face. And in most of these photos, hair is added. Rarely does anyone come to a set and just get a blowout. They have mohair pieces added to make their own hair look fuller and more luxurious."

Jessica Simpson Marie Claire

Jessica Simpson appears on the May cover of Marie Claire without any makeup and what she promises is air-dried hair. She still had the advantage of good lighting and a photographer who knew how to work the right angles of her face.

"Without retouching, lighting can make you look 10 years younger," Stephenson says. "I've worked for 20 years with every star in the world and these women know their best angles, their worst, what they want to highlight and the photographers do just that."

Why the rush to give up the retouching and try to show America their flaws? Because perfect people are annoying.

"These women are trying to relate to their audience of real women. Women connect with someone who is imperfect, and as girls like Kim want to sell products to real women they need to find a way to make themselves seem like they have flaws too," Stephenson says.

Follow Jo on Twitter

Tags: britney spears, jessica simpson, kim kardashian

Comments

(124)

Wednesday 21 April

By charles almon

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Kim, for the last time.
WHERE IS OJ'S BLOODY KNIFE
that your father hid.

By Jon

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

If I am a sex addict does it make me famous??

By JD

Vote down Vote up Report this

Just LOVE the "toad" analogy. 'Nuf said.

By popp

Ho-hum, another picture of K-Trash without clothes. A talentless fame w hore, who will do anything for money and the spotlight. RayJ said it best, nice looking but no brains.

By PRINCESS JANICE

Has anyone ever seen pictures of the three older Kard girls when they were younger? Fugly ugly, before Daddy's money bought them their new looks. Natural beauty.....I don't think so!

By cj

To hippyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

By Miss Pearl

'what are you famous for?'
'oh, for people being able to take a good picture of me without it being digitally altered'

WTF?
why are spending time and money on people who contribute nothing to the world?

By unknown

bulls*** that picture is not photoshopped. just because the media says something doesn't mean its true. that picture is probably more photoshopped than usual

By ice ice baby

she stilll looks fake, but ehr sister looks way prettier.. not cloe or how ever u spell her name, but the other ownn...

By James Brooks

I happen to met Kim Kardashaen on Valentines day..We were seated one seat apart on the plain leaving Vegas, And this girl is the bomb !!! And she has a nice personality...I can understand the technology in takeing pictures but i saw her close up and she is deffinetlly someone i wouldnt throw out of the bed..lol..She's simply beautifull.

By icdou007

I can't believe Kim K. I just can't.................She cries like a dam baby about a nude video that got out, and swears off ever doing something like that again, people may see and all's this girl does is go naked. She must have one big freckin ego. I'm tired of see her be famous for WHAT?

By Intrigued

Only a woman would be looking at Kim's ankles and heels...

By justice 44

HUH?

By John Wayne

Really doesn't matter? A ho is a ho is a ho! You can undress a ho and it just proves she's a ho!

By koen42

A small army of people can make anybody look good thats what it took for kim to look not like a dog no makeup shes a toad look what shes done with her life she has major problems.Britney has talent and is a natural beauty.

By Carrie-Lee

Whether you like them or not, think they're talented or not... these are naturally beautiful woman we're seeing here. Yes, they're airbrushed but they still turn heads when they walk down the street!

Thursday 22 April

By Lela

Do ANY of us look perfect in the morning????
A great shower, nd some lotion, always helps!
Remember...She does still have, the gift of youth!
Good, for her! She found a way to make money and earned a following!
I looked that great, at her age...
25 years ago, I wish this was possible, for me!
Go! Little Girl!

By Peg

Let me understand this....The country's going down the tubes in every arena and we're focused on airbrushed vs. non-airbrushed, spoiled, whiney 'celebrities'? Yep, the dumbing of America...

By bstill

Oh please - give me some attention! I'm so insecure, please give me some attention. To me she's just average and NOT at all my type.

By Kathy

Most celebrities have not been natural since early childhood. Many begin submitting to the knife of a plastic surgeon. They are "made up" by the best makeup artists. They are photographed by professionals who could make an elephant appear as delicate and charming as a sweet mouse. There is no "reality" to the majority of pictures we see, and in RL face-to-face contact. I venture to say most people would not recognize a celebrity had they remained "natural and real" and as the Creator made them.

Page 3 of 7