How One Blog Changed How I Look at Things

01Jul09

Here’s a relativity quick post for ‘yall.

I was talking with my friend Jake about the perception of things, about the overall value of the visual element in our society (actually, it was anime girls over some pancakes) and just how people interact with those elements. He asked if I had ever heard of the blog Photoshop Disasters, of which I haven’t missed a blog post to date. But the reason I talk about this site, is for two reasons. First of all, the site is extremely well written. The author brings a highly developed skill of photo manipulation, and a razor-sharp tongue to the table, and a quick wit that puts some of the most highly respected photo publications on the chopping block.

The other, more important reason I’m sharing this, is because this blog has shared with me a sense of awareness for what I’m exposing my eyeballs to. It’s common knowledge that the grey matter between our ears and our eyes are quick to pass judgment on what it is we’re viewing, but when your brain is focused on finding something that’s wrong, it’s easily spotted what was once glanced over in a matter of seconds. I view thousands of images a day online, through Tumblrs, blogs and feed readers, so a simple four-fingered kid, or a legless model is usually passed by to never be thought of again. But this blog slows down ads and banners, and challenges you to take a second look. And I do mean challenge, because some images I’ve spent nearly hours pouring over, looking for what turns out to be a simple deformed limb or iStock watermark.

After a few months of reading their posts, I can’t stop looking at the number of fingers on magazine ads, or how the reflection on websites is physically impossible. (And is the bane of the author’s existence) You start to realize just what is being passed off in the world of graphic design, and just how easy it is for poorly made ads to cross by your brain and convey a message, and yet, still be a visual abomination of epic proportions. So please, take some time to read Photoshop Disasters, or throw it up on your feed reader to check out later. It just might rock your world, like it rocked mine.

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Tags: photoshop, photoshop disasters, manipulation, istock