Photoshopping female bodies has been a question of many debates. Getty Images, one of the largest stock photo agencies in the world, has just changed their rules concerning this issue.
According to their new rules, along with the submission of the images, you’ll also need to declare whether the model’s body size and shape have been digitally manipulated or not. If they have, you shouldn’t submit the images.
As FStoppers reports, this new rule came as a result of a similar law on commercial images, enforced b the French government. According to this law, those who fail to declare the alterations can pay a fine of up to €37,500 (around $44,040). Here is the full statement from Getty Images:
Important Information on Retouched Images
Effective October 1, 2017 a new French law obliges clients who use commercial images in France to disclose whether the body shape of a model has been retouched to make them look thinner or larger.
As a result, also effective October 1st, we have amended our Creative Stills Submission Requirements to require that you do not submit to us any creative content depicting models whose body shapes have been retouched to make them look thinner or larger.
Please note that other changes made to models like a change of hair color, nose shape, retouching of skin or blemishes, etc., are outside the scope of this new law, and are therefore still acceptable.
Effective 1st October 2017, any content submitted where this type of retouching has been carried out will be a breach of our Submission Requirements and your Agreement with us.
Although the new rule was imposed because of the French law, it seems that it’s applicable worldwide. It’s not clear, though, what will happen with the images submitted so far, since there must be tens of thousands of photoshopped photos.
With this new submission rule, the images that show the model’s body shape “thinner or larger” are not allowed. Yet, you can make their nose smaller, lips fuller, or change their hair color, which doesn’t seem to make too much sense. However, the body size has been the main focus of the fashion industry, and the main point of concern for the girls who don’t feel like they fit the beauty standards. Therefore, I believe it makes sense to put the focus on the body size first when it comes to the new submission rules. I see it as a very slight, but promising change towards creating positive body image. I can’t presume how it will affect the photographers and those who use commercial images, but it’s still to be seen.
[via FStoppers]
First off, we don’t need to be following other countries laws and regulations. We live in America, we already have our own constitution that protects us. Why would we want to follow a government that has a leader who signed an order allowing a woman to marry her 2 year dead boyfriend. Or another woman to legally marry a dolphin. Come on people. I agree that Photoshopping people can go to far, but regulating it is not the answer. It’s like saying to an artist, that’s not right, you should’ve done this or that. Art is a double edged sword. It gives people the license to do just about anything with no Accountibility. You can’t legislate morality. If only Americans would get back to their roots, things would begin to get better. The freedom we have is protected under the constitution. The responsibility we lack belongs to our Maker. One without the other leads to my rights versus your rights and we end up with things either being legislated or in court. You can’t have Liberty by itself. Responsibility is necessary to balance it out. It’s what true Democracy is all about, read your history books. One without the other eventually destroys itself.
I’m all for marking the images as having been altered, along with requiring advertisers to put a disclaimer showing that the image of the woman that they’re using isn’t actually an image of a real person because of the modifications done. But a site like Getty images shouldn’t be able to say that I can’t produce/sell/purchase modified images of the female body. Especially since what this ACTUALLY does is create a higher demand for models who are genuinely thinner. Advertisers are still looking for certain body shapes. Previously you could take someone who is beautiful but a little more plump than what’s required, and slim them down in photoshop. But now you just won’t hire that model. Which in turn will result in an increase in eating disorders and women starving themselves to become more desirable.
I love these policies that end up having the opposite effect, because they’re crafted by illogical people who are making decisions based on feelings without any consideration of the possible consequences.
What if the person in the photo is not a model? For example, an actor or business person? Does that mean Getty won’t handle the photograph?