I was thinking lastnight that my skills in Adobe Photoshop must be worth over £300.

I figured this after reading an article last Sunday morning, and it was about people getting 'virtual' face-lifts, tummy-tucks etc all done on their photographs - all done by pro's in Photoshop of course. And to hear that people will easily fork out a tenner or so just to have literally a few 'blemishes' taken out of their photos! OMFG!!
Okay so I've been using Photoshop for almost five years now and a relitive pro when it comes to editing photos, to designing graphics etc, but I was astounded to hear that people would even pay that much just to get a photo touched up!
Yes it varies from photo-to-photo as to what needs done - from a few click of a mouse and a bash from the keyboard - you can have those few 'blemishes' editied out to lighting up photos significantly, in no time at all.
However, I can see from another perspective as to why it would cost so much to touch up a photo - IMO, you're paying for the pro's know-how and skills in Photoshop in order to edit out anything at all. I mean, Adobe Photoshop is the Industry's leading software when it comes to graphic design and so-on, and I admit that it does take a lot of practice and persistance to even just get the basics of the software down! Been there, done that!
But to me, editing out 'blemishes' are piss-easy, but Average Joe out there wouldn't know how to use Photoshop to save themselves, so they have to get the pro's to do it for 'em.

It makes sense, I guess...

Take my photographs for example; I take a lot of photos when I'm away rallying at the weekends during the summer months, and rallies being rallies - you're destined to get that bit of rope in the background of your favourite photograph that goes around the pen!
So yea, get 'em home and take them into Photoshop and within 10 minutes I can edit them out, without a problem. It makes the photos more appealing without the unsightly rope or fence in the background. Plus I occasionally lighten up the photos - where required - and gives them a bit more atmosphere too. Job Done! ^_^

However, one thing that I do deteste to is with regards to 'virtual' tummy-tucks and so-on...is that I find it makes a false statement about the person being touched up in the photograph. I mean, a few blemishes on ones face is fine, but its quite another to make someone significantly slimmer that what they really are, for example. (Trust me, this really can be done in Photoshop!) Okay so it makes one look more appealing and attractive, however IMO its wrong. IMO, it comes back to modern society where we live in a world where we are all striving to look and be 'erfect'. That's just simply wrong IMO, and for Pete's sake, I WISH people just had more self-confidence and respect in themselves and be happy as who they are without all that BS. I'd never touch up myself in a photo, in that respect anyway.

Coming back to my skills in Photoshop, I value my skills over £300 at least. I feel I still have a lot to learn, but going by the pricetag of a tenner to edit out a few blemishes in a photograph...! Jeez, lol!! o.0
But I mean, I've sucessfully managed to forge a ticket so it was valid for a couple more months - and worked! But only ever used it once. Tore it up and put it in the fireplace, simply because it was wrong to use it. But I feel with that being sucessful, my skills and techniques in Phootshop have increased in value, significantly. 'nuff said, eh!

Photoshop dweeb me! Haha.