Ambitious 14-year old Julia Bluhm is pissed. She doesn't like that Seventeen Magazine uses Photoshop to manipulate its images and thinks it perpetuates an unrealistic model for young girls. So, adding a little but loud voice to the great Photoshop debate, Julia Bluhm is going to protest. Tomorrow. Outside of Hearst Tower. With a petition signed by 13,000 people.
While we're certainly impressed with Julia's efforts and agree that the well of photography that features heavily 'shopped models and celebs might have an effect on reader's standard of looks and therefore their self-esteem, we would like to mention that Seventeen is one of the few mags that does shoot real girls in their front of book. Of course, a bit of retouching goes into the final spread of the real teen shoots, but we're assuming that's for the overall consistency as well as the confidence of the real teens included in the photo stories.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
We're interested to see if Julia's protest (which will also include a guerilla photoshoot) will effect change in this mag or others, but either way, we take this as a sign that obvious airbrushing won't go... well... brushed over without a fight. And we thought we were productive at 14. As always, tell us what you think in the comments below. (Gothamist)
Photo: Via Gothamist
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT