Natural Beauty

Now you may find this statement pretty straightforward. Hell, you may even find it too small on a Richter Scale of things to think about, but I’m just going to get it off my chest.

I like my photographs natural. Whew! I said it—what a relief. Now we may all commence our internet banter about who gives a damn about a photo glow or two.

Well, the truth I’ve found is that persons care much more than they let on. We care by frowning on the tiny pimple that interrupted our well-posed selfie. We would kiss our teeth if a bit of sweat formed while strutting in the blazing sun. You show you care when the pit in your stomach tightens, as you respond with an automatic “Nope!” after viewing the new photos you thought you’d love.

Now you may say if simple me can figure out what beautiful should look like, why should it be hard for you the person whose job it is to make persons attractive. Well, you’re right. You should know and feel as decadent as a slice of dark forest cake but first; tell me how pretty do you want to be?

How far should beauty go? 

Let’s start with smoothing the blemish on your cheek. Then whiten your smile and remove the mole you never liked. How about going to a size 8, because you knew you’d move from a size 10, eventually? Of course, all simple requests to make when given a chance, but would you recognise yourself in the end?

You are human and free to change your appearance, but what is change if you cannot appreciate the transformation you’ve made? Who would be beaming with you when those inches you lost were not by self-drive but by Photoshop?

How broad would your smile be when the image you present with such pride doesn’t quite match the person standing before them showing it off?

These aren’t extreme scenarios. It’s the pauses we make when something doesn’t quite add up to what we feel. Like the slow pause we make when we see a grammatical error in an online post and look back at our keyboards to see if the spacing between the keys is justified.

Now that doesn’t mean we forsake beauty for the opinions of a stranger. Nope, what I’m saying is imagine yourself as the stranger and think of how you would view your brand new self.

So let me stop here in preaching from the pulpits about enhanced vs natural. It’s an unnecessary war, and truthfully, hypocritical. However, I will end this post with two points.

1.  To enhance someone after the photo is taken doesn’t mean they had no beauty, to begin with.
2. Just as well, removing a few “faults” help the observer be more centred on what they are looking at.