Self Image: Activity 2

Find images in the media, which have been used to represent attractive and unattractive aspects of the human face. Examine and record carefully the photographic techniques used to accentuate both these qualities, drawing up a list that relates to the images you have found.

• List the physical characteristics that we have come to admire in both the male and female face and write 100 words in response to the following questions: 

1. Do you believe that media images or public opinion are responsible for the characteristics of beauty becoming universal stereotypes? 
2. Do you believe people admiring media images of glamorous models can do any harm?

Attractive

Unattractive

There are many different types of techniques used to describe beauty in the media and these are just a few of the images to describe that by seeing the two different sides of the same celebrity. Jennifer Lawrence is considered a very beautiful person but that is all seen through the lens of a camera, as seen on the left she is wearing a tight dress, her hair and makeup are done, there has been photoshop work done, this is all to assume the perfect face, and the perfect person the media likes to push into our lives. Now the picture on the right is what we would consider in the media as unattractive, wearing loose dull clothing, no makeup, hair undone, and un-photoshopped, she is just a regular person and in the eyes of the media, this is unattractive.

The media forces us to see people as lesser because they cannot reach the high standards of beauty that they push at us. The characteristics of beauty that we see are so unreachable that people never feel like they can never reach that unattainable beauty, the media is to blame for all the problems we see with people trying to reach this high standard. The people trying to reach the beauty of these perfect glamorous models with their perfect skin, hair, and features. are in turn harming themselves. The media is forever to blame.