What Unretouched Photos From Victoria Secret Look Like

What Unretouched Photos From Victoria Secret Look Like

Victoria Secret, the company famous for selling underwear, lingerie, and overall sex appeal, is also notable for their amazing models. By the time you see the images from their catalog or campaigns, they are always retouched. Do you ever wonder what the shots look like before retouching? Here are a set of unretouched photos of V.S. Angel, Doutzen Kroes, from a recent shoot.

Victoria Secret released these shots on accident in a public area of the website.

These images were posted to a public area of the VS Web site (apparently in error). They come from the forthcoming September catalog, which explains why retouched versions do not yet exist for a side-by-side comparison. They were shot around July 21 in Turks and Caicos. Even without retouched images to compare, the raw shots are still interesting to look at. -Jezebel

Although the final shots are not released, here’s an idea of what you can expect them to resemble.

How do you feel about the shots before retouching?

doutzenkroesforvictoriassecretswimwearrawimages1 What Unretouched Photos From Victoria Secret Look Like

doutzenkroesforvictoriassecretswimwearrawimages3 What Unretouched Photos From Victoria Secret Look Like

doutzenkroesforvictoriassecretswimwearrawimages4 What Unretouched Photos From Victoria Secret Look Like

doutzenkroesforvictoriassecretswimwearrawimages5 What Unretouched Photos From Victoria Secret Look Like

doutzenkroesforvictoriassecretswimwearrawimages6 What Unretouched Photos From Victoria Secret Look Like

doutzenkroesforvictoriassecretswimwearrawimages7 What Unretouched Photos From Victoria Secret Look Like

doutzenkroesforvictoriassecretswimwearrawimages8 What Unretouched Photos From Victoria Secret Look Like

doutzenkroesforvictoriassecretswimwearrawimages9 What Unretouched Photos From Victoria Secret Look Like

doutzenkroesforvictoriassecretswimwearrawimages10 What Unretouched Photos From Victoria Secret Look Like

doutzenkroesforvictoriassecretswimwearrawimages11 What Unretouched Photos From Victoria Secret Look Like

doutzenkroesforvictoriassecretswimwearrawimages12 What Unretouched Photos From Victoria Secret Look Like

doutzenkroesforvictoriassecretswimwearrawimages13 What Unretouched Photos From Victoria Secret Look Like

doutzenkroesforvictoriassecretswimwearrawimages14 What Unretouched Photos From Victoria Secret Look Like

doutzenkroesforvictoriassecretswimwearrawimages15 What Unretouched Photos From Victoria Secret Look Like

doutzenkroesforvictoriassecretswimwearrawimages16 What Unretouched Photos From Victoria Secret Look Like

doutzenkroesforvictoriassecretswimwearrawimages17 What Unretouched Photos From Victoria Secret Look Like

doutzenkroesforvictoriassecretswimwearrawimages18 What Unretouched Photos From Victoria Secret Look Like

doutzenkroesforvictoriassecretswimwearrawimages19 What Unretouched Photos From Victoria Secret Look Like

doutzenkroesforvictoriassecretswimwearrawimages20 What Unretouched Photos From Victoria Secret Look Like

[Via The Fashion Spot via Jezebel]

Commercial

Fashion

Location

Pictures

Post Production

« BTS Videos Of Annie Leibovitz’s Disney Dream Portraits

North Korea from a Western Perspective »

http://twitter.com/kirschplunder Philipp Blum
I find the pictures to be much more interesting than retouched ones, here there is something to “explore” while looking at them, whilst the retouched ones are “all the same”.. I think they should publish them as they are. :)
Fabian Pourmand
and show stretch marks! That wont happen lol
http://www.facebook.com/Hapzunglam Patrick C N Wong
how can the shadow be so bright. Looks like it was shot in the middle of the day and there doesn’t seem having any sign of a reflector
http://www.facebook.com/tanja.schulte.7923 Tanja Schulte
i think the images are great as they are.
sure you can see some skin irritations in the bikini zone.
but at least the woman look like real human beings.
woman feel uncomfortable because the print media and TV presents perfect “retouched” bodys.
not even the supermodels are THAT perfect.. but it creates a lot of pressure.
http://www.facebook.com/tanja.schulte.7923 Tanja Schulte
why do you think there is no reflector?
the beach will act like a BIG reflector.
i can´t tell from the reflection in the eyes if there is one… but im pretty sure there is.
maybe even a great diffusor overhead.
http://tinyurl.com/bufoe92
http://www.facebook.com/Hapzunglam Patrick C N Wong
Thats right. This is very interesting . No sign of a reflector neither from the reflection of the glasses or light direction from reflector. Just pure bright shadow.
http://twitter.com/tobiassolem Tobias Solem
Fantastic shots, these show them as confident, beautiful AND powerful all at the same time. Why anyone would want to remove any of that from photos is something I’ll never understand. A world without uglification (the photo manipulation that is done in this industry) would be most appreciated by me.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1119656650 John Johnson
I think they will have to continue retouching. They have already sold us a distorted view that we have bought into. If they change to a more realistic one, I don’t think it will sell as well. Taking the photoshopping out makes these images look more like shots that anyone can take, given a beautiful model. And the models themselves look more human–with scars and bruises and skin issues visible. People buy presentation. Period. The unspoken thought that goes through the head is that “If I buy these clothes, I can look like this”. If “this” is anything close to what they look like now, you have a weakened selling point.
I personally think the models look gorgeous as-is, but that isn’t what advertising is about. It’s about selling a product.
http://twitter.com/dewbymaster John Dewberry
Does anyone have any idea why in the last photo she is wearing a skin colored bikini bottom?
http://www.facebook.com/albert.pedrosa Albert Pedrosa
no amount of editing can salvage a bad photo into an excellent one. the raw shots shown are good as they are.
Rafael Steil
What I like the most of these untouched photos is to have the option to retouch them myself (it’s always good to practice), as well to have an idea of how photos that many of us are only used to see in their final version look like. And – maybe – use as reference for any future work, if one is not that experienced.
http://www.facebook.com/ashkanahmadi2 Ashkan Ahmadi
what’s wrong with stretch marks? i’d rather look at a natural skin with stretch marks than a skin that looks like plastic and fake.
http://www.facebook.com/steve.thurston1 Steve Thurston
Glad to see they face some the same challenges that I do. Gives me greater confidence in my own unretouched photos!
http://www.facebook.com/vipvip Vip Angkoon Klangchanee
They wear that extra layer to prevent cameltoe :)
http://www.facebook.com/markgangasingh Mark Gangasingh
This was shot at the resort where i work in the turks in caicos. Awesome!
http://twitter.com/tobiassolem Tobias Solem
It might sell even more with realistic ideals, given that people would feel more comfortable about themselves AND feel that they would do the clothes justice.
Mike_Kelley
Sand = white = natural reflector
http://www.facebook.com/rachael.babineau Rachael Babineau
It’s nice to see that even VS bikini models get razor burn when taking care of their bikini zone!
Ronnie Mayo
There has to be a big diffuser. Bright sun on the beach in daylight
would be way too contrasty. I bet they have a big reflector set far
enough away to make it look natural. BTW that girls belly button is
kinda gross.
http://www.facebook.com/jordan.brehony Jordan Brehony
you can also see it in the zebra print one.. I believe Vip is correct- that and also because they are changing a ton of bikinis on the beach and need to stay hygenic. im sure that is normally edited out so really great observation! I didnt even notice it.
http://twitter.com/fauxtauxgrafix Matthew Guss
It’s called advertisement . . . welcome to the world of commercial photography ;)
V.S. dose not want you (the viewer) to “explore”. They want you to look at the product being sold . . . and not for one split second question how it may look on you in a negative light . . . e.g.: “O but I have that one stretch mark I don’t like…maybe I should get a less skimpy suit from someone else.” or “I like that bikini but, I think the bottom is kind of small, I can see her bikini rash…I don’t want to show everyone in public my area.”.
V.S. simply wants potential buyers to appreciate the design of the suit, and not second guess the purchase of said suit.
Jr Miller
These are great foundations for finished artwork for print. The model has pretty good skin and in very good physical shape. Combine good styling and makeup and the retouched files are awesome. I would rather see retouched files in print that the “before” shots…I can see regular women walking down the street for free.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Joey-Duncan/1111692326 Joey Duncan
wut?
http://twitter.com/fauxtauxgrafix Matthew Guss
V.S. is not selling skin . . . they don’t want you to even give a thought to the skin. Any “flaw” brings attention away from the product and back towards the model’s skin. Making potential buyer’s think about their skin.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Joey-Duncan/1111692326 Joey Duncan
Seems to me that in light of all the crap being thrown at these companies, laws in other countries being changed this might have been a “leak” by VS on purpose to gauge reaction. It just seems to be a internet trend that’s been carried by large companies: “opppps how did that get on the website, but nowhere ever, in large quantity and formatted correctly for the site, and approved by the like 6 people” orrr “ohhh silly us, we left this brand new phone in the bathroom at the EXACT same time I knew that a chief writer for an important magazine happened to be in the same place” orrr orrr…. orrr “ohhh here high end, well known model, play with this brand new camera…… I’ll just ‘neglect’ to have you sign a release or not even tell you what not to do with it” …… “leak”, companies way of saying prerelease buzz.
Jockemon
Advertising 101:
People want to look better than they already do. Exploit this for maximum effect.
It’s sad that it is that way and I wish it worked the way you described.
http://twitter.com/fauxtauxgrafix Matthew Guss
I always find it amusing whenever I see these articles or comments that seem to demand that retouching is deceptive and should not be used.
Breaking News: Photography is Deceptive . . .
Before an image is even retouched, the subject itself is manipulated. The photographer’s choice of lighting reshapes the subject. The choice of lens manipulates features of the model, i.e. compression. And, don’t get me started on posing. Just watch Sue Bryce’s course over at CreativeLIVE. Before any retouching of any kind was done, Sue was able to completely change the structure of her models with just posing.
Lies, Lies, Lies!
Yep, photography and cinematography, advertising, TV, “reality”-TV it’s all “fake”. Why? Is it projected on us? No, of course not. Don’t put the cart before the horse. It’s basic human psychology. Man wants to disassociate from reality . . . because reality is tough, life’s a struggle. Does that Wendy’s burger on TV really look the same as the one you pick-up at the drive threw? Mine dose not. And, do you truly think McDonald’s is going to make a commercial showing some home-video looking film of an over-weight man chowing down on a burger, and then cut to him later in life paying hefty medical bills for a triple bypass? But is that not more realistic? Obviously false
expectations harm sells, right? The whole-truth would sell better right? It’s
all about realistic expectations, right? No. This could not be further from the truth. Psychology proves otherwise.
I digress. Like all companies, V.S. is selling a product. And, V.S. has a target market. Women who want to look sexy. And the last thing V.S. wants is for their target market to ever at any moment feel subconscious about their sexuality. If V.S. shows a model with a stretch mark, their potential buyer will be reminded of her stretch mark. If V.S. shows a model’s bikini rash, their potential buyer will likely think about theirs as well. And this is not good advertisement. Why? Simple, V.S. is selling a product (in this case a bikini), not a model, not a women, not skin, not hair, not makeup, not a beach . . . a bikini. The hero is the bikini. Anything in the image that distracts from the bikini is a flaw.
If a potential buyer’s focus in not upon the bikini, but let us say the bikini rash. That buyer will begin to think. And, thinking is bad . . . emotional reactions are good. For instance, that beautiful lady considering the purchase of said bikini, that has noticed this humanly natural rash, will naturally begin to think, “I don’t know about this bikini? I have a similar rash; I don’t want to show it. And, company-B sells another bikini that looks good . . . I don’t see no rash in their ad. Perhaps the V.S. bikini is to skimpy and revealing?”. Or, after seeing a small stretch mark in the ad, “I hate that one stretch mark on my upper thigh. The last thing I want is to show that off this summer. I guess I’ll purchase that other suit with the different cut.” And, yes we subconsciously think these things. Advertisers aren’t dummies, they know.
Whether we like it or not, advertisers are reacting to human psychology. There are certain traits that we as humans find physically attractive in the western-world. And advertisers react to those natural traits that have been engrained into our subconscious by years and years of survival. Does this mean, a stretch mark makes a woman any less beautiful? Of course not. Everyone has them, it’s natural. But, again, V.S. is selling a product, not a person. And, V.S. understands the psychology of human desire.
Like I said earlier, photography is Fake . . . and so is advertising. And, remember, retouching existed long before Adobe Photoshop. There is nothing new under the sun.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Carlos-Zaya/759505417 Carlos Zaya
These images represent the REAL body. All natural perfect and beautiful. I understand the reason why some parts gets retouched, like skin or veins or what ever. At the same time, nobody would react to those small stuff if you would see the model live in front of you. But in a photo it gets to obvious and clear.
Anyway, the model is really making retouchers job much easier!
/ http://www.zayaphotography.com
http://twitter.com/geofflister Geoff Lister
Sanitary reasons, they only use one bathing suit for multiple models/shoots. You can see it on another suit about halfway up as well.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000287821098 Lemon Meringue
This is unretouched?! :O
http://www.flexiblevision.com Roman
Take a picture of someone who is next to you all the time. When you look at a picture you will find many interesting “imperfections” that you normally don’t notice. Our brain does not “see” pimples, small scars, skin irritations etc… But when you look at still 2D image, you analyze every detail and every imperfection is actually emphasized. That is why skin retouch is done to most portraits.
http://www.facebook.com/STUDIO.AlexHendersonPhotography Alex Henderson
fresh, original
http://www.facebook.com/leftboot Ryan Peterman
Beyond what was stated, some bikinis (underwear etc.) are fairly transparent. It maintains the allusion of naked, with out being it.
http://www.facebook.com/leftboot Ryan Peterman
With a high budget shoot (exotic location) they typically shoot as many hours as possible to get it done quick. Generally a big diffuser is used during the “bad light” hours. This + sand equals a pretty flat image. What surprises me is not fill light was used to pop in a catchlight.
http://wemetlastnight.tumblr.com/ Albi Kl
These are truly offensive. How could they allow these to leak?
http://wemetlastnight.tumblr.com/ Albi Kl
These are truly offensive. How could they allow these to leak?
Marco Stix
Searching for the final pix above – i found this.
http://www.victoriassecret.com/swimwear/bikinis/the-liya-tropicalia-push-up-halter-top-beach-sexy?ProductID=60123&CatalogueType=OLS
Does this look unrealistic only for me?
Marco Stix
Searching for the final pix above – i found this.
http://www.victoriassecret.com/swimwear/bikinis/the-liya-tropicalia-push-up-halter-top-beach-sexy?ProductID=60123&CatalogueType=OLS
Does this look unrealistic only for me?
Sam Chua
an unretouched photo is like raw ingredients from the farm. You need a retoucher to finish the job and make it better.
Sam Chua
an unretouched photo is like raw ingredients from the farm. You need a retoucher to finish the job and make it better.
Sam Chua
There’s usually a giant silk or 12′x12′ diffuser above the model. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/642955-REG/California_Sunbounce_C_350_350SSW_Big_Sun_Swatter_with_Translucent.html like this
Sam Chua
somebody is gonna get fired
Tonia Addison-Hall
Bones…. But much better and realistic. Shows how unattractive underweight bodies really are.
Tonia Addison-Hall
Looks like the blue bikini was photoshopped on. Very bad.
http://www.bindermichi.com/ Bindermichi
I actually really like those litte scars on the legs :)
http://twitter.com/ysabet elspeth
Personally, I’m happily getting my ingredients raw from a farm and cooking them myself. What usually results is better in every respect than I could get from something that was processed before it got to me.
http://www.facebook.com/carl.michaels.1840 Carl Michaels
Harsh light, even for her…
clist
I don’t think it should be called cameltoe…I think it should be called “the reason I go to yoga-class”.
James Allan
I agree that post production can sometimes go too far. Removing a pimple or a scar is fine. Softening the skin a little is ok as long as it’s not overdone. When we start changing peoples dimensions is when it’s going a little too far IMO.
As photographers we are all about presenting people in their best light (literally). This extends to photoshop these days as much as it did to the darkroom back in the day. We have the tools to improve our images so why not use them? Just use them responsibly.
http://www.allan-photography.com
http://www.facebook.com/people/Rita-Carlin/100000782451150 Rita Carlin
There is a difference between blemish removal and what wizardry the fashion industry typically does with Photoshop. I don’t mind blemish removal. I mind when eyes and lips are enlarged, necks are lengthened, noses are reworked, waists are tucked in, breasts and buttocks are enlarged, and all wrinkles, even those caused by movement rather than aging (like on the side of the neck in the 4th photo) are erased. What is left is a perfect beauty that no live woman, not even the original model herself, can ever match. It is demoralizing and degrading to all women that this is done routinely to images of fashion models and celebrities.

What Unretouched Photos From Victoria Secret Look Like

Fstoppers Originals

Popular Articles

Recent Comments

Support Fstoppers

What Unretouched Photos From Victoria Secret Look Like

Connect with Fstoppers

Fstoppers Originals

Popular Articles

Recent Comments

Support Fstoppers