The Power of Photoshop Users

Much has been written about the atrocities of Photoshop. It has been used for all kinds of photo manipulation—some is considered racist, like the OJ Simpson image that graced Time magazine's cover; some is considered dangerous and ridiculous, like the Iran missile image explosions; and some is considered anti-feminist and irresponsible as shown in this video "Killing Us Softly 4: Advertising's Image of Women" with Jean Kilbourne.Is it true that the best Photoshop work goes unnoticed? Richard Fisher states just that in a post entitled, "Photoshop – the Good, the Bad and the Ugly." The post goes on to say, "when used correctly, it enhances a photo and can be used to remove flaws. Clearly its good practice to check and improve any photo you use even if it is just making sure the contrast is ok. Untidy or low quality images look unprofessional and can reflect badly on your brand. But it’s about being subtle, about having the skill to change and adjust the image so that it is improved without revealing the process of improvement." (1)A recent presentation on TED Talks by photo retoucher Becci Mason focuses on how Photoshop was used to bring joy and memories back to those affected by the devastating 2011 tsunami in Japan. Mason had traveled to the scene as part of a relief effort, All Hands, and while there discovered the damage done to photos, albums, cameras, and memory cards. Using social media to gather over 1,100 volunteers, she created Photo Rescue Japan to spearhead the effort to restore the images. Over 135,000 photographs were cleaned, and hundreds were retouched and returned to their owners.Mason's efforts aimed to restore the images to their original state, not to obviously look photoshopped. But what about the obvious uses of photoshop? There are occasions when obvious manipulation can be used for good. Chaz Maviyane Davies is a graphic designer who uses Photoshop to create images for social activism. His website, maviyane.com, aptly named "Creative Defiance," shows powerful examples of how manipulated images don't only have to be used for advertising and consumerism. Davies also lent his creative efforts to helping Tsunami victims by creating a powerful image that was commissioned to raise funds to aid victims.Photoshop itself is merely tool in the hands of its users, without an end user it is nothing—they are the ones with the power. What have you seen that appalls you? Inspires you?Notes:(1) http://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/photoshop-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/Sources:http://www.fourandsix.com/photo-tampering-history/tag/race-and-genderhttp://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/photoshop-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/http://www.petapixel.com/2012/08/04/retouching-lives-through-photos-and-using-photoshop-for-good/http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/11/photoshop-frenzy-on-iran-missile-tests/http://youtu.be/9JKy6ZfmBn0  

Poster Projects for Social Responsibility

Posters are a popular way for artists and designers use their skills to create awareness and raise money for organizations on both the local level and internationally. "The Haiti Poster Project" is a collaboration of artists and designers from around the world. Signed and numbered, limited edition posters have been donated to raise money that will be donated to Doctors Without Borders.In 2005 "The Hurricane Poster Project" was a collaborative design effort created after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. The project produced over 180 different limited-edition series of posters, raising about $50,000.Working on an individual basis, in 2002 designer Chaz Maviyane-Davies created a poster a day to raise awareness about the issues involved in the Zimbabwe presidential elections. For a month Maviyane-Davies produced around 42 images called ‘Portal of Tuth’ to protest Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party who hid rights abuses in legislation using laws to dismember and disenfranchise the citizenry of Zimbabwe. The full series can be seen here.For more than twenty years Maviyane-Davies' work has taken on issues of consumerism, health, nutrition, social responsibility, the environment and human rights.