Photoshopping school photos

"Tony Cooper" wrote

| Today, school photographers offer editing-at-a-cost. The local
| photographer charges $20 to whiten teeth, whiten the whites of the
| eyes, and remove minor blemishes. Other, more extensive services are
| available. If all the services are taken, the amount could be as much
| as $240. That might include taking braces off, restoring missing
| teeth, removal of tan lines, adjustments to the hair, etc.
|
| I've used "Photoshopping" in the Subject line, but some other software
| may be used.

I think that's not really a PS thing. There are
specific programs. When I bought PSP16
"Ultimate" version it came with Face Filter 3.
I never used it. It required me to register and I
had no interest in the functionality. But it's
one of a number of automated programs that
do what you're talking about. The difference
with PS is that these programs don't just provide
tools. They provide "wizards".

Face Filter describes functions like so:

Create a flawless complexion... skin smoothing...
blemish removal.

Beautifying tools. Basically graphical makeup.

Expression redefining. "Muscle based facial
morhing to create a desired expression".

I'd guess that the school photographers are
using such tools. Not skill with PS. Just feed in
the photo and get a picture of a more attractive,
similar looking person. On the other hand, like
plastic surgery it doesn't really quite work. The
personal character is lost and that's most of
what makes someone interesting.