I just thought since Flex posted the pic and commented on his Instagram it might be legit, that´s why I said maybe not photoshopped, but honestly I lack experience in this area so I would appreciate your input (or anyone else´s) on what are the tell tale signs this image is modified. Not trying to be argumentative, I just want to learn something new and appreciate your input.
Nyoco,
Man-oh-man . . . where to begin?
I am a professional photographer. I am a stills photographer who
works in the motion picture and TV business creating images that
are used to market films and TV shows. Not bragging but I have
photographed some of the most famous people in the industry.
My images have been used in countless magazines and all over the
web. Unless you have been sleeping in a hollow log and drinking
swamp water, you have seen my images and did not know it.
Between film and TV work, I contribute my ‘personal’ work to
the largest stock photography agencies in the world. My published
work has been used in all media worldwide. Again, you have probably
seen my images but did not know it. And if you knew my name, you
would have seen it in the credits.
So . . . I spend most days, when not on-set photographing, traveling
and photographing, spending more time then I would like, sitting
in front of my computer looking at and working on photographs for
my clients. I see a lot of photographs every day and I know how to
optimize, manipulate them, and I would like to think I know when
enough is enough and when too much is too much.
I am the first to admit I am no expert, but I have a pretty good feel
for what looks ‘right, what is natural and what is not. Kind of like
pornography . . . you can’t define it but you know it when you see
it.
So much for my back-story. This is more info then you need to know,
nobody’s business but my own, but just trying to add some credibility.
Tell-tale signs you ask. Well, that is a very difficult question to answer.
But basically, if it looks too good to be true, you are probably right.
I think we all know instinctually what looks ‘right.’ We have all
seen countless bodybuilders, both still fotos of or in youtube videos.
So right there, you have basis for comparison. But one of the most
often used ‘tools’ in Photoshop is ‘sharpening’ and or ‘clarity’. This
creates more contrast, a sense of depth, more prominence and
brightness if you will. It is not unusual for these actions to be used
(often overused) in physique photography. I think this is what we are
seeing in the foto of Flex in the side-by-side front and back pose.
The other shot of just his torso looks to me like some body parts
(arms and shoulders) have been ‘transformed’ or stretched to appear
bigger than they really are. It just does not look right but I could
be wrong. Again, it’s just a gut feeling many times while having
no actual proof.
There are many technical ways of determining image manipulation
but one would need the raw file, meta data (just to name a few) but
these things are far beyond the scope of my answer.
The most often lied about measurement is the arms. Many factors
affect the appearance of size, the overall size of a man, the size
of his head, the length of his arms, the shape of his arms, etc. In many
cases, the actual mass of an arm may be quite large while the
measurement may not be so large. There is a famous full-length photo-
graph of Sergio Oliva in a front double bicep’s pose where the width
of his flexed upper arms exceeded the height of his head, are literally
larger than his head, a size ratio never before approached by anybody
else in my opinion. (Sergio does have a small head so that helps.) And
Sergio’s arm measured just a bit over 20 inches. Now everybody and
their brother is claiming 20 inch arms where clearly they are not.
Just look at their heads in relationship to their arms, the size of the
average man's head is between 22 and 23 inches.
Sorry . . . I am starting to ramble so I will get back on course.
To wrap things up; why Flex allows, posts images like these (I think
manipulated) on his web accounts is anyone’s guess, you would have
to ask him. But clearly, he is not opposed to it, after all, it does appear
to make him look better than he really is. This is not meant to imply
that I do not like his physique . . . on the contrary, I think he has if not
the best, on of the best, complete (think calves) physiques out there.
Hope this helps.
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