Before and After Photoshop - Self Portrait From Ugly To Sexy - Corporate Photography & Videographey

Before and After Photoshop - Self Portrait From Ugly To Sexy

1/30/2012

I hadn't gotten up from Sittin On Tha Toilet when I thought we usually see the provocative before and after photoshop images of celebrities but... I have decided to show a personal take on it and do an early morning right out of bed un-showered self portrait before and after photoshop job. Why am I doing this? 1 because people still don't realize that the images they see are enhanced and touched up. 2. To show my clients that it's ok to strive for external perfection but only a great photoshop artist will reach it.

Before Photoshop
Yes that is me. I woke up, set my camera on its tripod and took a self portrait to do a before and after photoshop touch up job on myself. However, I must tell you that this guy in the self portrait didn't have any coffee, didn't take a shower, didn't put on make up, didn't have clean clothes on and didn't have a desire to take a self portrait. Ok! Let's take a closer look at what you are looking at.

This is what you will notice (or not) in the image to the right before I photoshoped myself to perfection.

Discolored Rough Skin
Freckles
Blemishes
Wrinkles
Bags under the eyes
Unwanted Hair
Chapped Lips
Skinny Arms
Underarm Stains
Faded Tee Shirt

Please click the photo to get a better look at all of the flaws.

After Photoshop

Not bad for someone who just woke up however, the sad thing is that there are millions of people that want to look as perfect as the photo I created above. They become depressed, lack self worth and don't know the full truth while striving for the unattainable. I am not saying that people shouldn't strive to look and feel their best. On the contrary, I am saying that people need to know that what they are looking at isn't quite what they think they see.

Please Know The Facts.
Television and magazines create illusions. Hollywood celebrities and models have many more issues of self than you and I can imagine. As a headshot photographer I have yet to see anyone come in for a session who looked as flawless as I photoshoped myself to look.

To further the point here is a good article that I want to share with you from 10steps.sg.
40 amazing before and after photo retouching photos of celebrities.

Until Tomorrow.

Jai

28 Comments

Newlyweds on a Budget link

1/30/2012 04:46:49 am

That is amazing!! man, i need to learn how to photoshop : )

Jai Catalano link

1/30/2012 04:51:37 am

It's a shame I am not amazing without my amazingness on photoshop. I'm just saying. :)

Thanks.

Marissa link

1/30/2012 05:01:51 am

Jai- I need new headshots. Too bad that you're in NYC.....BUT Im heading there for BlogHer so we may have to find time.

1/30/2012 05:16:29 am

I don't mind waiting until August if you don't. :)

Hunter link

1/30/2012 05:12:25 am

Very cool transformation. I really dig graphic design and need to learn more about it. You've got some sharp skills Jai.

1/30/2012 05:16:53 am

Thanks Hunter.

Craig Mathews link

1/30/2012 05:13:38 am

superb man..yes you're right.. celebrities some times look awful pictured without photoshop.. I want to learn it man..

1/30/2012 05:18:13 am

Thanks. We have also gotten accustomed to seeing them look so good that when we see something less than a perfect picture we think they look bad.

Mike link

1/30/2012 08:50:45 am

Hi Jai, Good work here. Better than I could do, I am happy to admit. I'm not too sure about the amount of smoothing on the face? I know you are doing an exercise here, but personally I feel that the male face should be a little bit grittier. Not so Hollywood perfect. (Just my opinion).

Whatever my preferences (PS of course..lol..), you've done a cracking job.

M.

1/30/2012 09:09:10 am

Thanks for the comment. Gritty or smooth I would still look sexy. :)

Tim @ Smart Money Hacks link

1/30/2012 11:27:05 am

That's some good photoshop work Jai! More importantly, your insight is excellent advice to people who spend hours trying to look like people in magazines. Thanks for putting things into perspective - I hadn't realized how much photo-chopping goes into a photo.

As an aside...
Are you going to FinCon12? I'm sure you could get the word out and do some headshots there. I'd schedule a session!

-Tim

1/30/2012 11:39:19 am

Hey Tim. I hadn't put any thought into it but I guess being that all is going well in the blogging world I should add that into the program. Plus it would be great to meet all the faces behind the blog.

Molly (Mike and Molly's House) link

1/30/2012 12:51:10 pm

There's a very funny 'commercial' going around right now that you should check out: <a href="http://jesserosten.com/2012/fotoshop-by-adobe">Fotoshop by Adobe</a>
Still, I could not stop myself and I took out my 'dimples' on my backside when I published a picture of my new tattoo. My reasoning? My cellulite is on my backside. I did not know it was even there! I never bothered to look. It wasn't there I sure until that very day the picture was taken...I'm sure.

1/30/2012 01:20:17 pm

The best part of that video is the way they say Adobe. My wife and I are dying laughing.

Forest Parks link

1/30/2012 02:54:15 pm

Interesting post jai. I worked in the area Graphic Design and retouching for years until it bled my soul so dry I had to run away!

There is nothing wrong about a little touch up but the way you overdid the image above is something we sadly see in the mainstream everyday. I reckon if you overlaid the new image and knocked it back to 50% it would probably be an acceptable level of re-touching :).

1/30/2012 10:35:35 pm

Very sad indeed. I had 1 client that asked me to make her 16 year old daughter's nose smaller. I said no.

SB @ One cent at a time link

1/30/2012 04:26:06 pm

Can I get my head shot please? Or at least I take my own headshot and then you photoshot it? I bet you haven't yet done that with an Asian Indian, did you?

1/30/2012 10:37:02 pm

Sure thing. One of my best friends is Indian so I have actually have. Send it my way. :)

American Debt Project link

1/30/2012 07:05:22 pm

That is really insane...but the second photo really pops, I like it a lot. I think this post just got you ten new clients!

1/30/2012 10:38:10 pm

Insane but true. More over it is scary because that is what some of the world wants.

maria@moneyprinciple link

1/31/2012 06:19:15 pm

Amazing! I mean the transformation. Jai, you have a lot of talent and skill.

1/31/2012 06:29:31 pm

I was in the elevator one day and I overheard this young lady say to her friend that she felt that something was wrong with herself physically because her boyfriend dumped her. I intervened and said you are perfect just the way you are. F**K your ex... his loss.

Lisa @ Cents To Save link

2/1/2012 01:45:11 pm

Wow! It is amazing what you can do with photoshop. You sir are very talented!

2/1/2012 02:00:17 pm

I only touched the surface of what can be done but once again thank you for your kind words.

Jeremy @ Modest Money link

2/2/2012 08:14:23 am

Awesome photoshop work Jai. It is sad that the picture of 'perfection' that the media portrays is usually only possible with digital editing. I admit that I have photoshopped out a pimple in a photo before, but I figure that is more acceptable than completely changing a photo into a different person. By the way, good call on not reducing the 16 year old girl's nose in her photo.

2/2/2012 08:39:52 am

Jeremy you are so right. A pimple or something that will go away on it's own is fine but sometimes, if not more so than that, it's way too much.

Jeffrey link

2/3/2012 08:47:22 am

Wow, this really illustrates the power of Photoshop! I knew they touched up some stuff using software, but I didn't picture it like this. Thanks for a great lesson in how it's done!

2/3/2012 10:13:41 am

Thanks Jeffrey. Scary right?

Before and After Photoshop - Self Portrait From Ugly To Sexy

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Jai Catalano

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