That's me right there. The one with perfect teeth, perfect posture, well-rested and free of dark circles under the eyes. Perfect skin wihout a single blemish. And it all looks like I just went on a nice holiday and took this photo - click - just like that.
Well, don't be fooled. Even if this picture isn't overly retouched it still is a good example of how a few little tweaks can change someones appearance without actually turning them into a different person. It really is me, just not the actual me.
Here's the before pic, to the far left. In the middle, the same pic with a couple color corrections and the look applied. And on the far right the finished image.
Pay special attention to the colors. In the armpits and on the necklace you can see the slight blue/green tinge which I removed to create a smoother image. Again, this isn't an overly retouched image like you would use them in fashion or beauty photography - just a well enhanced holiday pic.
The sides of the ribcage and the neck have been pushed in, the forehead has been made smoother and the chin has been redefined. Bye bye dark circles and little spots on the face, hello specifically enhanced lights that create a new shape.
From here we can apply whatever filter we like. I chose a black and white filter for the final result.
Yes - the weight-loss images you see online are all fake.