beauty

Mariah Carey's 'before/after' Photoshop fail.

Last week the fashion world introduced us to Giraffing, the new Photoshop technique of elongating model’s necks, and this week brings us another gem, Oranging.

Ok, so we made that up, but take a look at Mariah Carey’s latest cover for Wonderland magazine. It seems that Orange is the New Black.

We don’t know what’s more depressing; that accused sexual predator, Terry Richardson is still working or that an “international, independently published magazine” still has to shave down a singer’s body in order for it to be deemed cover material.

This is from the magazine’s about page:

“We entertain, challenge and inform both men and women with editorial and fashion shot by the most in-demand photographers working today – we want to represent the positive and the playful elements of the fashion industry. We’re about inspiring, rather than dictating to our readers.”

But let’s just unpack this for a moment.

1)  Terry Richardson is known for his “point-and-shoot-built-in-flash style” photography.

2)  It seems that this “style” only suits the genetically blessed underage models he (allegedly) takes advantage of.

3) This isn’t Mariah Carey’s first Photoshop scandal, the singer is notorious for requesting digital enhancement.

3) Jezebel points out that most of the retouching is colour-correcting, but check out the original “before” shot of Mariah, it’s completely out of focus.

4) So, Terry Richardson in such high demand, because… WAIT, WHY?

5) Is this magazine’s heavy-handed retouching of one of his images a sign that his candid and “authentic” aesthetic is over?

We hope so.

One commenter on Jezebel summed it up perfectly.

“The fact that he gets paid to take these blurry, no-technique, bullshit disposable-camera-looking pictures makes me want to set things on fire. Even if he wasn’t a total shit as a person, he should not be employed in anything involving photography.”

Well said.