Gisele is anti-Photoshop: ‘Our imperfections are what make us unique & beautiful’

Gisele Bundchen covers the July issue of Vogue Brazil, with a photoshoot by Mario Testino. Is it just me or is Testino + Gisele a perfect fit? I mean that partly as praise and partly as an insult. Testino tries to make his subjects look good for the most part – I enjoy Testino’s work when he’s not photographing models. But his fashion photography often seems… bland. Uninspired. Completely predictable. Which is what Gisele’s photoshoots are like nowadays too. She’s always oiled up and scantily clad and Photoshopped. Her body always looks good, and I don’t have any problems believing that she has a great figure. But these photos don’t excite me in the least.

The only reason I gave these pics a second glance was because I wanted to see what was freaking me out about Gisele’s face. It’s her eyes (Photoshopped) and her jawline (Photoshop disaster). I bring this up because at a recent event (a launch campaign for BLK DNM), Gisele told Fashionista that she hates all of the Photoshopping these days:

Johan Lindeberg may just be the most popular man in fashion right now. And the busiest. Just last week, the BLK DNM designer helped launch Absolut’s new luxury vodka, Elyx, as its creative director, and threw a party for the drink’s first ad campaign, starring Chloe Sevigny, which he also shot. And last night, Lindeberg was feteing yet another celeb-fronted campaign he lensed–this time for BLK DNM, starring the incomparable Gisele (and her impressive rear end).

Like Sevigny, Gisele couldn’t stop gushing about Lindeberg at last night’s event. “Look, I just love the way he [Lindeberg] sees women,” she said. “I think he dresses them really well. He’s very real, he’s very authentic.”

In fact Lindeberg is so real, that the two decided to forgo any hair and makeup for the shoot–which they finished in two hours.

“I came in and I met him and I said ‘this, guy he’s a very real, nice person. I want to do something with him,’” Gisele explained. “And then he said okay we have two hours, let’s just do it now–no hair, no makeup and really real.”

It was a nice change of pace for the supermodel who said she’s sick of how unrealistic some fashion editorials and campaigns look.

“I loved his approach because I feel like women should be really real and raw and it doesn’t really happen anymore [in fashion photographs],” she said. “I love that feeling of, you know, we are women, we are so different, our imperfections are what make us unique and beautiful. He gets that. He’s not trying to retouch you or put a pretty light on you. He’s not like ‘you gotta look a certain way.’ He’s like, ‘you are you’ so now I’m gonna just be here with a camera, so express yourself how you like.”

[From Fashionista]

Ugh. I mean, I don’t flat-out BLAME Gisele for the editorial decisions to Photoshop Gisele (or any model) into oblivion. Those are the choices made by the photographers, by the editors and publishers of magazines, and even a model as powerful as Gisele doesn’t get much say in what is Photoshopped and what is not. But her words do stand in stark contrast to this Testino shoot which is a Photoshop Disaster. And it’s a bit rich for a model to complain about the Photoshopping when they’re making money off of editorial work, knowing full well that if they make a mistake or have a pimple or whatever, it can be “fixed” in post.

Here are some photos of Gisele and Benjamin in NYC earlier this month:

Photos courtesy of Testino/Vogue Brazil and Pacific Coast News.

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102 Responses to “Gisele is anti-Photoshop: ‘Our imperfections are what make us unique & beautiful’”

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  1. missiecoco says:

    I’d be anti photoshop too if I looked like her.

    • TheOriginalKitten says:

      She looks gorgeous in those last couple pics…

    • Latisse says:

      Latisse will now respond with dialogue from Ondine.

      Mermaid/Seal Woman: I don’t want to be seen.
      Colin Farrell: What’s wrong with being seen?
      Mermaid/Seal Woman: Nothing. If you look good*.
      Colin Farrell: I think you look mighty.

      /End Scene.

      *Editors Note: Most muggles do not “look good”, therefore and consequently the doctor’s recommendation re:Giselle Photoshop is that Giselle, keep her beautiful head elevated and also possibly take several doses of STFU and or several seats etc. etc.

    • StormsMama says:

      Exactly.
      And I don’t thinks she’s “complaining” I think she is pro-woman. Of course she’s GORGEOUS so it’s easier for her to say Yeah just do it all natural.
      Still I like her. She is not an airhead.
      And look at that hair!!!!

    • j.eyre says:

      Even though she is married to the enemy (just trying to poke OKitt on that one), I would kill to have her flaws. How come my flaws look so much larger and pronounced on film and hers look raw?

      • TheOriginalKitten says:

        Boooooo!! Hissssss!!!!!!!

        😉

      • j.eyre says:

        Camps are starting – time to get the claws out!

        Hey, maybe if your boy can get you guys into the Superbowl for 2016 – he will finally fulfill his dream of playing a Superbowl in SF?

        Yes – I am still bitter we didn’t draft him – WHERE HE WANTED TO GO!

      • Andrea says:

        She had a nose job and a boob job. Her “flaws” were fixed years ago. Don’t forget that! Google the old pics!

      • TheOriginalKitten says:

        @J-He’s gonna get us into Super Bowl XLVIII.

        Niners might be the 6-1 favorites (according to the SF Examiner pfffft!) but can they handle the cold of MetLife Stadium? Listen, I know how you Californians get–you guys start putting on parkas and mittens when the temp drops below 60 😉

      • j.eyre says:

        @Andrea – no, I didn’t know she had been fixed up. I guess that does make it easier to dismiss Photoshop – and then be Photoshopped.

        @OKitt – are you kidding? I get the parka out when I read the number 60. The new stadium (what is it – Facebook Park? Twitter Stadium? eHarmony Coliseum?) is gorgeous but man my heart is broken over the Stick It’s like losing Fenway – just think about who played there. Without even bringing up Niners from the 80s its crushing. And not only football players but the baseball players as well – Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Will Clark, Tim Lincecum.

        Not to mention the wind was our greatest defense so let’s see how we fare in Santa Clara. ps – raw talent aside, I am not a fan of Kaepernick… yet.

      • TheOriginalKitten says:

        Ha ha..Not gonna lie-Niners are looking good and some seriously wise picks there.

        Oh Levi’s Field? I effin’ hate corporate sponsorship (the names!) and it’s always heartbreaking to see a historical stadium die and a team relocated. Gillette is in Foxboro so we’ve never had the pleasure of having the Pats play in Beantown. Still, I can imagine how it would feel.
        There was buzz about relocating Fenway to Southie a few years ago but the idea died pretty quickly. Still, there are a lot of people who would love to see Fenway moved, simply because the park is so uncomfortable and the tickets so expensive. Not me though-that park is something special, a piece of history. Same with Candlestick-especially because you had the Giants there too back in the day…the end of an era for sure.

  2. Daahling says:

    I like and agree with Gisele. In her line of work, it is probably a huge relief to not be completely done up and appreciated for the beauty that originally garnered her attention in the first place. I know some people don’t care for her face, but I think she is stunning! I dot blame her for the editors who Photoshop women all the time. Photoshop SHOULD be used to take away a zit, not remove entire thighs, waistlines, freckles, or other bizarre dewomanizing activity.

  3. springingforward says:

    “I love that feeling of, you know, we are women, we are so different, our imperfections are what make us unique and beautiful.”
    Pretty hypocritical, considering she has had at least one nose job and breast implants.
    Google it.

    • gillie says:

      those were my thoughts as well.

    • Shela says:

      Really?? Off to google now.

    • mkyarwood says:

      It IS hypocritical, however, I really wanted a nose job at 16, loathing how it wasn’t like, say, Kate Moss’s nose (for context, I was a teen in the 90’s obviously). My parents relented and said I could have it! They had always said I would grow into it, blah blah and you know, I did, at around 20. All’s I’m saying is, one makes decisions for oneself throughout life and they don’t always reflect one’s evolution. Once she had kids, her tune changed and that happens for a lot of women who are trying to be something or somebody in the patriarchy. I never worry about my weight in front of my daughter, or say anything negative about myself anymore. I know the cycle stops with me…. humans are hypocrites ‘cos we’re human.

      • Adrien says:

        Yeah, it is. I wonder how Giselle raises her kids? She’s too preachy and she’s like the type who points out imperfections. She dominates Tom Brady. He looks henpecked.

      • mercy says:

        Yes, people do change over time, but sometimes insecurities and complexes follow into adulthood. My mother was always self-conscious about her nose, despite all of her accomplishments and her anti-plastic surgery stance. I sometimes wonder if she would have been more confident had she done something about it.

        I was spared the same experience (got Dad’s small nose), but her experience has made me less judgmental about people who make the choice to alter their appearance, especially in a business where how features photograph is everything. As long as it’s tasteful and well done is my mantra. ; )

    • mata says:

      You took the words right out of my mouth. Her nose job was the first thing that sprang to mind. Pre-nose job she looked very much like her sister.

    • Lex says:

      Seriously…. that nose is the AFTER?

      • BooBooLaRue says:

        OMG too funny! I don’t know what it is about her, but neighhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

    • poppy says:

      +10000000000

    • FLORC says:

      Do not forget how she criticized how all her sisters looked maybe a year ago. It was covered on this site. She said something along the lines that she’s the prettiest and her sisters aren’t as gifted or healthy as her. My wording is awful, but she pretty much insulted how a few people and her own sisters looks. This woman is an outright hypocrite, but easily justifies it to herself.

      • Lauren Carter says:

        Ooh do you know when that article was published? I really want to read it!

      • Bijlee says:

        I think I remeber what you’re talking about with reference to this article http://www.celebitchy.com/187880/gisele_bundchen_when_benjamin_eats_broccoli_he_thinks_its_dessert/

        If this is what you’re talking about, then I’m going to have to disagree. She’s just talking about working out. Its probably the complaints she gets with her sisters. You know like “omg why can’t I lose weight and be so skinny like you Gisele.” It is what it is. She probably got frustrated by what they said.

        She’s spoken about her family and is usually overflowing with love and praise. I’m not a Gisele Stan, but I do like her and feel people are hypercritical of everything she says and tear her apart for never saying the right thing or for the littlest comment.

    • mercy says:

      I think she had the implants removed, or downsized, and she went for a natural looking nose that fits her face. Her cosmetic work is tasteful and well done and it was her choice. The same can’t be said for photshop. It really is out of control these days.

    • Andrea says:

      I just said the same thing! It’s amazing to me how many of these women fool people here when they have had the same plastic surgery everyone else has.

  4. Spooks says:

    Oh, shut the F***k up, Gisele.
    And she has a great body, shame about her face.

    • Emily says:

      Haha she is one of those people I will never understand how they got so ‘big’….. her face is so plain… she is far from a stunning/beautiful woman… Not even particularly ‘interesting’ as many models are… just plain.

    • V4Real says:

      Everytime this woman opens her mouth it just reminds me that she is dumb as a box of rocks.

      SJP and Gisele looks to be cut from the same cloth; very androgynous looking. As a model this look works for Gisele because it makes her unique; she’s not pretty but she is what Tyra Banks call model pretty. I’m not impressed with her body because it’s not a contour figure. Some people think being skinny equals having a great body, that is not the case with this woman.

      • Andrea says:

        I think she’s really attractive but she lost me years ago when she made that awful judgmental comment about breast feeding with zero self-awareness. She’s privileged and full of herself.

  5. GoldenState says:

    I actually don’t find her attractive at ALL. In fact, this era of Victoria’s Secret models all look the same to me: waify, kind of angular, and bland. Bring back the more curvy models from your late 90s hey-day, VS!

    • Adrien says:

      I thought she looked equine. Then I saw her in real life. She’s super gorgeous.

    • Andrea says:

      I long for the days of Laetitia Casta and Seymour.

      Remember when it was ok to have a softer body? Not this obsession with being rock hard?

  6. LaurieH says:

    She thinks women should be “really real and raw” – and I agree – yet it’s odd coming from a woman who makes millions being really fake and touched up (the irony being that she doesn’t need the touch ups). It’s like rail-thin actresses talking about the need for healthy eating when their daily diet consists of a cup of peppermint tea and a cheese cube.

  7. T.fanty says:

    It’s a nice sentiment, but considering that she is a photoshopped model who has spent the past two years trashing regular women in interviews, it comes across as fairly condescending.

  8. Toni says:

    She looks AMAZING in the candid shots. That hair!

  9. Tapioca says:

    So she’s anti-photoshop – except when it’s used on HER multi-million dollar campaigns and covershoots, obviously – but completely OK with a nose job, fake boobs and fake hair to wipe out her original unique imperfections?

    R-I-G-H-T

    What I wouldn’t give to see her and Gwynnie fight to the death on Pay-Per-View…

  10. ErinINPitt says:

    Uh, F*** you, Gisele. I suppose it’s easier to crow about how your “imperfections” (which you had surgery to fix) are beautiful when your a freaking supermodel. Funny how obvious it is she’s never turned down a photoshop in her life., despite being “perfection”.

  11. Shelley says:

    Gisele is a goddess! Photoshop or no photoshop. I love her *sigh*

  12. virginia5 says:

    Don’t find her attractive at all.

  13. Jaded says:

    In a day and age when we’re supposed to be celebrating women as human beings first, advertisers are still pushing young, tall, thin, gorgeous and perfect specimens of womankind in our faces. Gisele makes this worse by coming out with these utterly fatuous and hypocritical statements. You’re a MODEL Gisele. You are surgically enhanced, touched up, made-up, dressed up and photo-shopped up the wazoo so don’t try to come across as all “I’m about being raw and natural….blah blah blah”. You are the worst kind of spokesperson for everyday women who have to deal with job, house, kids, parents, etc. ALL ON THEIR OWN without benefit of a gazillion dollar bank account and loads of help. Just piss off and shut up.

    • mercy says:

      Can’t disagree with most of what you’ve said, except I’m glad she spoke up because I can’t stand the extreme photoshopping being done these days.

  14. sarah says:

    Our imperfections are what make us unique & beautiful’? oh, really? than why did she have a major nosejob and boobjob?

  15. Hazel says:

    She has always been a hypocrite. She should really stick to the Kate Moss rule. Just pose don’t talk.

    However, she has longevity in an industry obsessed with youth. Among the originals of the supermodels era, sadly only Kate Moss is still active these days in terms of runway and editorials.

    • StormsMama says:

      Christy Turlington still works. Consistently. And is arguably the most beautiful woman among them.

      • Spooks says:

        I don’t find her beautiful at all. Naomi is probably the most beautiful among them.

  16. Ellie66 says:

    She has a great body! Her face is kinda plain, pretty but blah. I miss the Super-models of the 80s they were gorgeous curvy and really tall! Those were models!

  17. H. Scott says:

    She really should not give interviews. She does not express herself well and has no charisma. She diminishes her brand every time she opens her mouth.

  18. Jenna says:

    I want her hair! Maybe not the exact coloring, but everything else I’ll take!

  19. gogoGorilla says:

    Hahahahahahahaha!

    I didn’t even bother reading the article. The headline made me LOL. Because we KNOW she is NEVER Photoshopped. Right. Next.

  20. Miss M says:

    Well… everybody is a model these days because of photoshop. When I was growing up, most of fitness and fashion magazines had models in their covers. Now, they want actresses. Actresses are not models, so they starve themselves in order to wear the size zero dresses in the red carpet and to sign up Dior/Bulgary/Chanel contracts. Nose job or not, she was already pretty and, as far as I remember, in early 2000’s she used to say in her interviews her dislike for her nose (something like that), etc.

    • TheOriginalKitten says:

      ..so they’re saying she had a nose job?

      Ok so here is supposed “proof” of that.

      http://2ny121asil.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/giselenosejob1.jpg

      Notice in this image that the angle of her nose is the same in the “pre-nose job” photos-it’s basically a three/quarter view of her nose and in the “post-nose job” photos the angle of her nose is a profile shot.
      2 different angles making her nose appear different. She just has that kind of a strong, prominent nose that photographs differently depending on the angle. It’s more full in the center area so when she turns at a certain angle, it looks wider.

      Here is a profile shot of her in 1999 supposedly BEFORE the nose job. It’s the same effin’ nose, guys:

      http://giselebundchenonline.fanzoom.net/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=5155&fullsize=1

      I think her boobs, nose and hair are all real. If people wanna say she’s not pretty that’s their right but the plastic surgery stuff is just nonsense IMO.

      …and I’m not a Gisele stan or a Gisele-defender or anything-I’m just saying that I would bet dollars to donuts she hasn’t had anything done.

      • Miss M says:

        Thanks, TOK! You always bring common sense when needed, 🙂

      • StormsMama says:

        Agreed.
        She had both her babies in her bath tub.
        She is real.
        Haters gonna hate haha!!!

      • Harriet says:

        I really appreciate that despite the fact aren’t a fan of Gisele (and I really am) you were still objective enough to say this. God If I believed everything on google..or what people who have never met or seen her say…More importantly since I’ve been a fan of hers for years I can tell you the dates for those pictures are all wrong! Ha!

      • Andrea says:

        Her boobs are fake.

    • mercy says:

      “Nose job or not, she was already pretty”

      Exactly. If she had work done, it was subtle and only enhanced what was already there.

      That should be the intention of photo re-touchers, but they’re like plastic surgeons gone mad.

      • Andrea says:

        I actually find her really attractive. It was the “women who don’t breast feed should go to jail” thing that turned me off her.

  21. DGO says:

    If she really thought imperfections were beautiful, she wouldn’t have had multiple cosmetic procedures. Yes, she’s had a nose job, boob job, and at least 2 butt procedures, just to name a few.

    • Miss M says:

      butt procedures?! she spoke about the size of her butt before and the way she poses on her photos to give the impression she has a bigger butt shows she is well aware she has a tiny butt + she exercises and she also put some pounds after she quit smoking.

    • Harriet says:

      Yup I suppose you met her plastic surgeon/or you’re an expert photograph scrutiniser who can understand these things despite different angles, lighting and movement. Anything else?!

  22. moon says:

    That’s a nice thing to say if you have very few imperfections to speak of.

    • Miss M says:

      She does have (nose, tiny butt, not well defined waistline), but the woman knows how to use them in her advantage. I would call this confidence, but apparently this is not a good trait to have these days (insert sarcasm)

  23. Bijlee says:

    I like her. She can be a little tone deaf but I personally think its because she comes from a completely different culture and is speaking from and to that culture. I don’t think she gets the American mentality as well as one would think. Who expects her to? She’s a well traveled model, speaks like 4 languages, and loves her Brazilian heritage. Also she is gorgeous in those last two photos. I love her everyday style.

  24. Lisa says:

    Whatever, One Direction.

  25. Maggie says:

    I think she’s absolutely stunning.

  26. doofus says:

    I find her annoying, but I don’t HATE her…I also think she has very “mannish” looks.

    and I vote yes for a nose job…subtle and well done, but yes, she had one.

    http://www.goodplasticsurgery.com/2004/07/22/giselle-bunchen-she-wasnt-always-so-super/

    she had it thinned just a bit, but the results were very effective.

    I also think she got implants at some point…

    http://www.goodplasticsurgery.com/2004/10/21/giselle-bunchens-breast-augmentation/

    but later had them removed as they look smaller these days.

    • Harriet says:

      The before and after pictures are mixed up! 🙂 Some are after when they are allegedlly before and vice versa. I can give you accurate dates but I don’t think people here are into accuracy as they believe everything. That’s fine. But that’s what you get when you visit shitty websites called goodplasticsurgery.com. Here is a suggestion…Be-smart-about-what-you-see-on-the-internet.com….

      • Miss M says:

        This! The ones where she had darker hair seemed late 90’s early 200’s. The other ones seemed mid to late 2000’s.

      • Harriet says:

        Yep. Not late 2000’s but mid…:)

      • doofus says:

        wow, no need to be snotty.

        how are the pictures “mixed up”? I see four pics on each page, two “before” and two “after”. 1999 and 2003 for the nose job, and no dates for the boob job. But both sets clearly show the “before” and “after” results. If these don’t suit you, a simple google search shows plenty more pictures.

    • Harriet says:

      Snotty? For suggesting how to use google intelligently? You’re probably right!

  27. Swan Jaco says:

    Is there anything less important than what a model thinks?

  28. maria says:

    I love it when people under 45 say things like this..it amuses me…so nice to be young, but it is very , very temporary..I just turned 48, and it’s finally happaned, mens heads don’t turn when I walk by anymore. *sigh*…. 😉 I had a good run…..

    • Andrea says:

      Dose of truth.

    • Nev says:

      your OVER at 48?!!!!!!

      no way, it’s your attitude luv!!!!!

      THERE’S ALWAYS A COMEBACK.

      • maria says:

        I know, I know, but you know what I mean..it isn’t over…but the head snaps, the cat calls…there is a age a woman hits and she notices it stops..a transition to the next phase of life..
        😉

  29. Milla B. says:

    Some comments here make no sense to me.

    First. If a model who works for fashion industry, that constantly see her true image be adulterated can not talk about the use of photoshop, who can ? The photographer that use for improve his (mostly of time) poor work? The editors that require the program? Or maybe women that never worked as a model ?

    Second. People saying Gisele is ugly just confirm her point of view. People don’t like imperfections but complain about the fashion industry don’t accept the different. Or believe the different is someone like Kate Upon. That the only thing that she has different is the size of her breast. Plus size ? Curvy ? Don’t make me laugh.
    Giselle is mostly of time annoying. Especialy when she decides talk about how amazing mother she is. But I don’t think people are being fair here.

  30. Patricia says:

    Gisele at 16 years of age.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?
    feature=endscreen&v=VezwGaUTQ6A&NR=1

    Gisele at 15 years of age.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bfD5omDF54

  31. Mew says:

    Funny coming from a woman who had both nose job and fake boobs. Yeah, keep it real Gisele……..

    And yes, both of those plastic surgery jobs are real and fact, no need to debate. It’s a well known fact.

  32. Jolinda says:

    She will change her tune when she gets cellulite, stuff sags and gets wrinkled.

  33. Bogz says:

    She can do no right with this site. What she is saying is great. I wish more female public figures would speak out against photoshopping and the impossible standards the media has set for women and women only.

    • Harriet says:

      So true! Forget all the nice things she has done and vilify her for her opinions as if this site doesn’t have opinionated commenters! She is known for being one of the nicest people in the industry- a part of her success was being a professional and not a diva. For all those who don’t like her or the way she looks- she got successful with her personality as well as her looks. Ironic for those who don’t know what people see in her!

  34. VioletCrumble says:

    I think she’s a vain bitch, and people who buy the magazines and crap she, and others like her, endorse are idiots.

  35. Shealeigh says:

    LOL yes! And the horrifically photoshopped left hand of hers. Mannequin meets amputee survivor. I live!! Haha i think these kind of alien looking mistakes are so funny