girl that don't look like you

Who would have thought that even as photographic technology continues to become increasingly more cutting-edge and innovative that the actual pictures gracing the most sought after fashion magazines would remain virtually untouched? Zero-photoshop needed. The answer is, photographer Peter Lindbergh.
Lindbergh is no amateur. Nor, are his recent fresh faced photographs a product of recession cutbacks or a lack of time; rather, he is just sick of seeing a false representation of beauty and models who look mutilated and virtually transformed into creatures from other planets. In fact, Lindbergh is a leading fashion photographer and currently works with some of the best models in the business, shooting them for top magazines like Harper's Bazaar.
There has been a recent uproar after recent covers of magazines constantly chose to deceitfully depict their cover girls. When the latest cover of SELF magazine hit newsstands displaying a super-slim Kelly Clarkson, readers couldn't help but wonder, was this another miraculous celebrity weight-loss? Or, are the editors at SELF working overtime in the photoshop department?
[caption id="attachment_3689" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Would the real Kelly Clarkson please stand up?"][/caption] The correct answer... is the second choice. Clarkson's weight gain has been a common topic in the media for the past six months or so. She is not ashamed of it. From her concerts to late night talk shows and even magazines she has stated that she is proud of her new body, but also acknowledges that she is a curvier woman and chooses to embrace that rather than make herself go crazy over dieting.
The magazine's editor Lucy Danziger confirmed that the cover was in fact altered.
“Yes. Of course we do retouching (though it’s technically not Photoshop, but that is semantics),” she said in an online blog post on Monday. “We correct color and other aspects of the digital pictures we take and then publish the best version we can.”
It came across as a little ironic to many people that the magazine's main theme was about "total body confidence" and inside the pages Clarkson stated repeatedly how comfortable she was with her body, yet there was a a so obviously false distorted version of her body placed on the cover for millions to see?
The contradictions continued when Clarkson told numerous publications who asked questions regarding her weight that they are the only people concerned with her weight and she is not, rather she is "fine with it".
“We mark up the photograph to correct any awkward wrinkles in the blouse, flyaway hair and other things that might detract from the beauty of the shot,” Danziger wrote. “This is art, creativity and collaboration. It’s not, as in a news photograph, journalism. It is, however, meant to inspire women to want to be their best. That is the point.”
Danziger also told Access Hollywood that there are real "true" pictures of Clarkson inside the magazine, but the covers main job is to sell more copies. So is she saying that its job is basically, to lie to people? Because a chubbier Clarkson would turn readers away? After all, Clarkson's main job is to sing. She has no reason or requirement to maintain a size 0 or 2. She is not a runway model, she is a 27-year-old woman who stands barely 5 feet 3 inches tall. There is no reason for readers to expect to see her thin as a rail!
Photographer Peter Lindbergh is tired of this same issue being raised. He appreciates the real art of photography and capturing the true beauty of your subject, not creating it after the matter of fact. Sure a little retouching is part of any professional photographer's job. He admits that he may fix a wrinkle in a blouse, flyaway hair or a minor blemish here and there, but that is it.
For this month's September issue of Harper's Bazaar Lindbergh worked with a group of some of the most naturally beautiful women in the world, but they too have flaws. He wanted to do a spread of unaltered photos with models wearing no makeup, hair un-styled and simplistic clothing, that way their real beauty could truly be shown, without distraction.

Cindy Crawford, Amber Valetta, Helena Christensen and Claudia Schiffer were his victims of choice. The four lovely ladies were the supermodels of the 90s, but they know they're not in their 20s anymore. They've had children, been married, and are embracing their forties with the utmost confidence. Fashion magazines should take a lesson from photographers like Lindbergh and begin showing more realistic relatable versions of the celebrities and models young girls and guys look up to and adore. Obviously, those being photographed for major best-selling magazines have something special and are good looking enough as it is, so please show readers more of the real thing! We all know what a little (lot) of makeup, professional hair artists and computer programs can do. But, less always, always, always is more.

HELP!!!

I'm a supermodel. I'm rich, I'm pretty, and..

i'm possedddddd!&*#(@&#(@*#

natalia, (and karl lagerfeld) in wonderland!

another notable editorial by vogue, which features russian supermodel (and mother of three) natalia vodianova and master designer for the house of chanel, among others, channeling the fairy tale: alice in wonderland.

and who photographed this masterpiece? none other than famed photographer annie leibovitz. the same photographer who got the first photos of baby suri, shot those many many disney-themed photos where numerous celebs including beyonce, scarlett & gisele acted and dressed as classic disney stars.

leibovitz's first big gig? photographer for the new up & coming magazine ROLLING STONE. she was later named "the photographer of rolling stone", which of course, is not a bad nickname to have.

after traveling rock stars all around the country as a tour photographer, annie began taking legendary photographs such as that signature john lennon & yoko shot of a nude lennon snuggled up next to yoko. this was followed by official photos of Queen Elizabeth II, the provocative topless miley cyrus cover of Vanity Fair, and the Vogue cover that featured both NBA star Lebron James and Brazilian bombshell Gisele Bundchen. 

Not a bad resume?

Oh yeah, p.s. she's a lez.

tried to make them go to rehab they said no, no, no...

cause they were worried they would miss fashion week at Bryant Park, duhhhh! this recent editorial is the fabulous work of steven meisel for italia vogue, love it.

a'hem

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company… a church… a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past… we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our Attitudes.”

inspire

real housewife of nj's daughter signs with IMG

Those who tuned into Bravo's drama-filled season of "Real Housewives of New Jersey" know all about the wacky former model turned single mother of two Danielle Stauub.

Her tenacious, over-the-top melodrama often stole the show as well as the attention away from her stunning daughter. Not to mention anyone else who tried to get any sort of attention on the show!

We all remember proud pageant-mom Teresa forcefully trying to land her young daughter a contract with Wilhelmina Models. Teresa stopped at no end by constantly returning to the offices with new pictures of her young toddler, whose face was painted with makeup and dressed up like a prom queen.

Who would have known that the real model of the show was Stauub's 15-year-old humble daughter, Christine. Christine just recently was signed with world's leading modeling agency IMG Models Worldwide.

The 5'10 high school sophomore may have not received much camera time on her mother's reality show, but her and the camera will soon become best friends. IMG's SVP and Managing Director Ivan Bart explains, "She came into the office and we were blown away!"

Possibly all of the focus on her mother's rocky past, took the emphasis of just how beautiful Stauub's daughter really was.

Not only is she stunning, but the budding supermodel also has brains too. Her mother recently told People Magazine, "My daughter reads lots and lots of books. So far, it's books and not boys!"

Christine has stated that she has never done any type of modeling before and is still getting used to the whole process of developing as a model, especially being guided by the best in the industry.

"I'm also getting used to industry people looking at my face so closely," she said.

It must help that she has the support of the greatest agents in the world. "She has amazing potential as a model. If we had seen her on the street we would have signed her on the spot," said Ivan Bart of IMG.

IMG is an international modeling powerhouse that is the management behind Gisele Bundchen, Kate Moss, Heidi Klum and Miranda Kerr, just to name a few of their famous faces.

Christine is still in the beginning of her test-shoots and development. The agents are so happy with their discovery and are already comparing her to supermodels Angela Lindvall (of IMG) and Christie Brinkley. While others are labeling her the next Kate Moss.

With all of her natural talent, the agents at IMG are hopeful that Christine will make her big debut at 2009's fall/winter fashion week! Way to follow in your mother's foot steps (for a positive thing!!!)

She may only be 15 and still in high school, but believe it or not many of fashion's leading ladies hitting the catwalk are still "teenyboopers"! If she receives the success that is expected of her, Christine will have a choice to tending to her well-accomplished studies or perhaps a prominent long-term career in high-fashion!

Karlie Kloss just freshly turned 17 and she has been seen on runways for nearly every major designer around the world including Calvin Klein, Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Chloe, Valentino, Viktor & Rolf, Nina Ricci, Carolina Herrera, Doo.Ri, Jill Stuart, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Matthew Williamson, Alberta Ferretti, Just Cavalli, Pringle of Scotland, Pucci, Obedient Sons & Daughters, Jean Paul Gaultier, J. Mendel, and Oscar de la Renta. Kloss has also appeared on countless covers for top fashion magazines & been named the face of a handful of luxurious fragrances like Bvlgari's Omnia Jade and See by Chloe. Kloss often is the opener or closer for runways shows and has been known to outshine fashion veterans nearly twice her age!

Other young catwalk queens include Katie Fogarty, Alisa Matviychuk and Taylor Momsen who are all 16-years-old.