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November 4, 2008

Kate Winslet nude photo shoot raises airbrushing questions for the Mail

By Dominic wireposts

Has Kate Winslet changed her views about the dark art of airbrushing?

Five years ago she was furious when she was digitally enhanced after a GQ magazine shoot in order to make her look thinner.

Now, at 33, she has done a naked photo shoot for the current issue of Vanity Fair where she not only looks exceedingly slim – but about 19.

Enlarge Kate Winslet on the cover and inside the December issue of Vanity Fair

The Daily Mail smells a rat and has spoken to professional airbrush artist Chris Bickmore about how he thinks the photo has been doctored.

He thinks all wrinkles and blemishes on Winslet’s skin have been digitally removed and that her legs and back have been “pinched in” to make her look slimmer.

In 2003 Winslet said she objected to airbrushing because: “I don’t want people to think I was a hypocrite and had suddenly gone and lost 30lb”.

I would argue that the airbrushing of photos has no place in editorial photography.

The first line of the first clause in the The Editors’ Code of Practice, which governs UK magazine as well as newspaper editors, states:

“The Press must take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information, including pictures.”

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