• This promo photo from Beyoncé‘s newest album is sparking quite a bit of controversy. Fans are upset because the R&B diva’s complexion appears to be several shades lighter than it actually is.
Beyoncé is no stranger to photographic whitewashing; in 2008, her complexion was significantly altered in a L’Oreal hair color campaign. While King B certainly looks much fairer in the above photo, the hullabaloo makes me wonder how many people are familiar with the effects of flash exposure? Do you think she was intentionally lightened for this shot? (Daily Mail)
• Now it’s Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino‘s turn to get sued. The reality star is being slapped with a lawsuit by clothing company Serious Pimp (as opposed to Silly or Whimsical Pimp?) who claims they paid him and his brother $25,000 to wear their t-shirts on television and promote the brand through social media outlets. Not only did the brothers fail to fulfill their duties as brand ambassadors, but they also kept the money the company paid them. While in most cases, I would find it difficult to side with a brand with such a ridiculous name, Mike “The Situation” has the easiest job in the world. Remembering to wear a t-shirt while you’re taping a show on which you are only required to drink and act a fool can’t take that much effort. Clean ‘em out, Serious Pimp! (The Cut)
• Rihanna trades in that blonde bowl cut wig for some luxurious Feel So Real-brand Indian hair extensions in the latest shots for her Emporio Armani underwear campaign. (Armani Facebook)
• Fashionologie has a look at the Yves Saint Laurent retrospective set to hit the Denver Art Museum March 25, and it’s pretty amazing. My favorite piece has to be this wedding dress, furnished with glorious cutouts of kissing doves. How romantic. (Fashionologie)
• If you thought it was creepy when Terry Richardson admitted to having models take nude photos of him in order to ease the tension on shoots, here’s something creepier. The pervy noted fashion photographer recently dressed up two small children in his likeness and snapped some shots. The kids are adorable! The concept? Not so much. (Styleite)
~Jihan
January 17, 2012 9:09 am
Whether or not the lightening was intentional I think they should have mad her look her real shade. I could barely recognize her. Not a good look. Next thing you know, peopple will be saying, ” I got a lightskinned friend look like Beyonce and a brownskin friend look like Beyonce.”
January 17, 2012 9:24 am
It is obviously a slow news day on daily mail. I have seen Beyonce alot of times in person and she is very LIGHT-SKINNED. I also know she uses alot of bronzer to appear golden on stage. I didn’t spare those pictures a second glance because it is clear that those pictures are the effects of Lighting and FLASH, also these promo pictures were taken in June last year and released recently to further promote the album so it is quite silly to me to bother discussing them. Beyonce is obviously the biggest star on planet earth because for reasons unbeknownst to me the slightest harmless situation in her life is a provocation for lengthy discussion.
January 17, 2012 9:40 am
*made
*people
January 17, 2012 9:41 am
I honestly don’t think Beyonce’s complexion was lightened in this shot…but can I say Ri Ri looks amazing!!!
January 17, 2012 9:44 am
Light makes everyone look LIGHTER than they really are. Come on. Actually I think the lighting sucks because she ended up being three shades in the picture (legs compared to face). You know sometimes there ISN’T a conspiracy involved people.
January 17, 2012 10:30 am
” I got a lightskinned friend look like Beyonce and a brownskin friend look like Beyonce.” Had me rolling!
January 17, 2012 10:39 am
These images have been out for months, why are folks getting upset now?
Now this “Feel So Real-brand Indian hair extensions” had me cracking up
January 17, 2012 10:48 am
I don’t know if she was lightened but all of her shots from this album she looks like a white woman. This is compared to other album shoots and definitely compared to Dangerously In Love. Her hair got ridiculously blonde as well. I will say even if it’s the flash, she certainly didn’t darken it back up to it’s original color.
Rihanna needs to keep the Indian hair extensions because she looks amazing!
January 17, 2012 10:51 am
Professional photographers know how to manipulate light. They don’t make “flash” errors. Thousands of photos are shot for these things and a team of folks make the selections. Beyonce is not that light. I am sure her complexion changes with the weather (tan,not tan). But she is a complexion that is obviously African American.
We have gotten so used to being whitewashed, we no longer even notice! Do you think the blond wig is the “flash” also! Hair color makes a difference in how the complexion reads. This look is intentional. Sexy Marilyn Monroe type feel. That’s entertainment!
January 17, 2012 11:15 am
ri looks nice! ….and Bey hasn’t been the dangerously in love album packaging color since she left that studio after the photo shoot. They actually darkened her on those album pics, b/c she was NEVER that brown! with destiny’s child she was light as hell. im just confused as to what complexion ppl think beyonce is, she is really light, she takes full advantage of bronzer.
January 17, 2012 11:20 am
when has beyonce ever been considered brown skin??
January 17, 2012 11:21 am
Seriously though, Beyonce and her mother are really truly pale. Beyonce actually has light brown freckles, why they digitize those off I don’t know, they’re really cute!
January 17, 2012 3:58 pm
I don’t think Beyonce’s lightening was intentional. It’s a combo o the light and post production
January 17, 2012 4:45 pm
much of her appeal is that she is the “right” color…
January 17, 2012 4:59 pm
My natural completion is similar to Bey’s in this photo. I had a photo shoot done once, and the lighting was so bright, I actually looked like a white girl with black hair! Lighting makes a big difference in photo shoots; however, post production should be mindful of this and fix it…especially when your legs and upper body are two completely different tones. #hotmess
January 17, 2012 6:28 pm
It’s obviously just lighting. And even so, the light adds a dramatic effect that attracts people to the picture. Hence the term “promo.”
January 17, 2012 7:09 pm
Yes Patricia. I have taken photography classes, I am far from professional but it is common knowledge that flash will change your complexion and in photography 101 they teach you ways to prevent and/or correct that so yes this was the look they were going for.
January 17, 2012 7:21 pm
…With that said, does it really matter?
January 20, 2012 4:55 pm
Omg the writing on this is hilarious! Can Jihan blog forever?