Check out this clip from, "Bigger Faster Stronger", where photographer Rich Schaff explains how some companies hire him to take before and after photos on the same day, for misleading supplement advertisements. Is this why some photographers get into photography? Is this even legal? I mean, how far are you willing to go to make a buck? Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to disparage shooters who make a living doing this type of work but is this the kind of thing shooters actually aspire towards? Why did you get into photography? Is there anything you won't shoot? What would it take for you to hang up your lens? I'd really like to hear answers to some of these questions from our readers. So please leave your comments, thoughts and rants below.
UPDATE: Looks like this video got pulled. Can't imagine why but that's ok, we found another source.
via [ISO1200]
From Kenn:
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Nothing to aspire to here ... Sad really and I would think not very legal. We have all retouched something probably further than we should have but I personally have never done so or would do so to this extent. Sad
Kind of sad how people can do this type of work and really think nothing of it in terms of their part (even if it's small) in committing this fraud. Yes, it's probably illegal, and probably should be... but the reality is that if everybody thinks it's just plain ok to act like this, we're screwed either way...
Why did I get into photography? I bought my first dslr camera when I was 16. The reason why is that I always wanted to take pictures of hot girls.
I would never ever do photography that would insult someone.
It's actually not illegal, as long as the product being advertised does that to a degree that you can't prove in court that it doesn't...
All of we, in our work, have to think about social responsability. Images like this can generate a fake impression of what a product can do for you. In fashion photography happens all the time. We sell a lifestyle, we sell smooth skins, big lips, pretty eyes... how much of this is real and how does it affects insecure people. We allways have to think about the limits of our profession. Is hard and we have a social responsability on that.
It's not wrong that he does it, technically speaking; it is, however, very right that he's sharing this.
I don't think anyone sets out to, or aspires to, do photography like this... but if times are tough, and someone's willing to pay, maybe they choose to do it. Personally, no, I wouldn't do that, but that's me. I got into photography to show people the world, and to show the world people. To me, photography is an editorial tool, and an artistic tool; it just sucks when it's used to dupe people into buying a phony product or something of the sort.
I was a bodybuilder for ten years, and the work I saw in bodybuilding magazines like this used to disgust me. Even before I was a photographers.
People who willingly do this kind of work and smile about it should be ashamed.