Picture Perfect Ads

How can photos be changed on the computer, and how can that affect our feelings about the way we look?
Key Vocabulary

alter:  to change the way something looks
product:  something that a company advertises and sells
Students will be able to ...
  • recognize that photos can be altered digitally, and consider the upsides and downsides of this practice.
  • discuss how photo alteration can distort our perceptions and affect our self-image.
  • analyze how advertising uses photo alteration to help sell products.
Is this photo "real" or "fake"?

Technology allows us to change photos in all sorts of ways. Altering a photo can be a fun and artistic activity. But it can also fool, or trick, people into believing things that are not true.

Images of people in magazines, on billboards, and in commercials are usually altered. They make people look different than they do in real life. This is because editors and advertisers want the images to look perfect.

See how this happens:
​https://youtu.be/KN2yunRynks

MAGAZINE MAGIC

  • What kind of message does this magazine cover send about how girls should look?
  • What kinds of products do you think this magazine will advertise?
  • How might a girl feel about herself after looking at this magazine?
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
  • What kinds of message does this cover send about how boys should look like?
  • What kinds of products do you think this magazine will advertise?
  • How might a boy feel about himself after looking at this magazine?
Common Sense Says ...

Photos that appear in advertisements are usually Photoshopped, which is why they look so perfect. Don’t be fooled! How photos can be changed on the computer and how that can affect our feelings about the way we look? 
​
Tech it Up!

Try your hand at enhancing a photo to make it look even more perfect, fun, or appealing! With Pixlr, upload a picture you’ve saved to your desktop and play with the editing tools to enhance the image (http://apps.pixlr.com/editor/). (Hint: In Pixlr, go to “File ~~> Open Image” to open a picture you’ve saved on your computer.)