What?! That's horrible!
Everyone is always upset with magazines trying to make people look "perfect" so how come this was a popular choice? It's because the professionals do that.
I remember when we took a picture of our family by a professional. They photoshopped it just slightly so that we looked a bit lighter than we actually were. I hate it when people do that.
They're then telling me that I don't look right being light brown and I should be whiter. It's not me and it's not who I want to be. I tried photoshopping myself using elements nd when I did that and looked back at myself, I disliked what I did in the after picture.

I mean if the person wants the "perfect" image then yeah, by all means go for it. But if I didn't ask I expect them to take a picture and hand me exactly that as is.

Most photography I've seen done by professionals lately has been photoshopped..  My family hired one for easter and my great-grandmother who is in her late 80s came out looking 20 years younger, with no wrinkles!!  There's a big difference between taking out a zit & making someone look completely different.  And ugh, changing your skin color Angelfire.. how rude!!

meanwhile, my photographer darkens my picture so i don't look like a pale albino ghost :P (but i only ask to remove a few spots caused by eventual pimples and the 3 spots i have to the right that i want to surgically remove BADLY) but other than that, no changes in my picture.

but seriously, can you sue those photographers for racism? because all of this "making your skin lighter than it is" without permission sounded racist to me. i'd tell the photographer to either be professional and stop doing a mess(i can't swear here) with the photos or give the money back.


and i agree with you all. a good professional doesn't need photoshop to make the pictures look good. a good camera and a good brain behind it should be enough to make a perfect picture.