Some thoughts on the malleability of images over at Transparency Revolution:
You take two excessively attractive people and you make them even more attractive. Sure, it’s about as close to literally gilding a lily as anything ever comes, but so what? We value these people because of their looks (meaning no offense to their acting ability; I think they both do okay on that front.) Why not take it up a notch? Because it’s going to give us unrealistic expectations?
Um, this is sensitive so I’ll try not to be too harsh: most guys looking for even the un-retouched version of Angelina Jolie are going to be bitterly disappointed. Sad but true. Might as well make her look perfect. If anything, the unreality of the perfection could help some of us to manage expectations a bit.
Read the whole thing.