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Airbrushing refers to the process in which a photo is 'retouched' after it has been taken: originally using a dedicated airbrush but now almost always through digital tools such as Photoshop. The technique can be used to remove or alter elements of the imagery, but in more recent times it has often been employed in fashion and celebrity photography to remove wrinkles, alter skin tone, emphasise features or even change a person's weight in pictures.
MEP Nessa Childers is holding a seminar tomorrow called Airbrushing: "A Touchy Subject". The speakers, including Newstalk presenter Dil Wickremasinghe, will address topics such as the media portrayal of eating disorders and standards in advertising.
Sheena Horgan, an expert on youth, ethical and social marketing issues, joined George yesterday to discuss the subject and believes it's very important that politicians such as Childers are flagging and discussing the issue. You can listen back to her chat with George via the player below:
The topic will be discussed on The Pat Kenny Show this morning, and we want to know your views on the subject. Do you think airbrushing affects how people view their body image? Would you agree the process could have a role to play in young people developing eating disorders or self-esteem issues? Do you believe most people are savvy enough to be able to differentiate between a manipulated image and an unaltered or barely changed one? Vote in our poll and leave your comments below.
