What better way to use technology than to make ourselves more beautiful! This could be a game changer, people, online dating is going to have fun with this! Now there's a computer program developed at Tel Aviv University that changes the geometry of faces in photographs to make them more beautiful. (Photo: Lars Klove for The New York Times, manipulation by Tommer Leyvand) NY Times with excerpt: “Scientists took the data and applied an algorithm involving 234 measurements between facial features, including the distances between lips and chin, the forehead and the eyes, or between the eyes. Essentially, they trained a computer to determine, for each individual face, the most attractive set of distances and then choose the ideal closest to the original face. Unlike other research with formulas for facial attractiveness, this program does not produce one ideal for a feature, say a certain eye width or chin length.”
The before and after shots of the actor James Franco were almost indistinguishable, suggesting his classically handsome face is already pretty perfect. Bastard!
When a photograph of Brigitte Bardot was put through the program, her full and puckered lips were deflated, and the world-famous beauty seemed less striking – less like herself. Bye bye pouty lips! Wait. Who's Bardot without the pouty lips?
The computer scientists who developed the software said the goal was not to argue that the altered faces are more beautiful than the originals. That may be the case with this portrait of Marlon Brando at age sixteen, wearing a military academy uniform. Dude, original was way better. Does this work?
For most faces, the software made subtle changes, with the person's essence and character largely intact. The actor Michael Cera in his original form, far left, with 70 percent retouching, center, and a full transformation, right. Does anyone see the difference here? Wait! Smaller nose. How come I feel like I'm playing one of those games in Highlights?
Tommer Leyvand, who developed the software with three others at Tel Aviv University and who works in development for Microsoft in Redmond, Wash., said the goal was to tackle the challenge of altering a face according to agreed-upon standards of attractiveness, while producing a result that left the face completely recognizable, rather than the product of cosmetic surgery or digital retouching. Mr. Leyvand, far left, and his perfect image. I guess thinner face = more beautiful? Better stop eating ramen at night.
“This tool shows in the most simple fashion how easy it is to manipulate photographs and make people more attractive,” Mr. Leyvand said. “But the difference is so subtle that it just shows how insignificant it is. We're talking about a few inches maybe and a slightly changed perception.” Woody Allen, before and after. Oh Woody, beauty is only skin deep. You might be better off spending some moolah on a therapist about this Soon-Yi fiasco.
This one is way subtle. It's the skin pigmentation, right? I suggest you spend your money on your roots instead, lady. (Sorry, that was mean.)
Nice..a more noticeable difference. You should smile, lady, you just got 10 years shaved off your life! (Insert sarcastic tone) Proving that the computer doesn't always get it right, I'm still proud of our Tel Aviv neighbors for developing something that will make millions of young girls think that, once again, they need to measure up to an unattainable standard. I say we call Kate Winslet and start up a protest! NY Times article
