I am a photographer, I worked in fashion for a number or years photographing professional models in europe (london, munich) and have seen much of the underbelly of that industry. I have worked with women whom are toted as beautiful. Some are truly remarkable women smart interesting and that fact that comes in a contemporary beautiful body is actually intimidating. They are few and far between, shallow, demanding and mean is more common. Are they beautiful? well like the song says 'she ain't pretty she just looks that way.' Photographs lie they are not truth. Lighting, angle, make up effects even before post can grossly alter the 'look' of a person. Add common post effects, enlarging eyes, re-colouring skin tone, eyes and hair, line removal, and the odd digital cosmetic surgery leave a increase the gap between reality and photograph.

This generates an idealized (surreal) body, an impossible podium to reach. I dislike this a lot so much I moved away from europe and went home to NS canada and shoot mostly furniture (at a massive pay cut) but no matter what tricks I use to make a table look the best it can the decision is still when you walk into the store and see the demo unit and go 'gee it looks better in the photo' and walk out. Most high fashion magazines (vogue) have images of impossible women even the models can't live up to their own modified image. Sadly most images of women and men for that matter are selling an idea. If you wear Armani you will become beautiful desirable and rich.... These images prey on peoples insecurities and coheres them into thinking 500$ sweaters are worth it. Years ago the porn industry were the only image factories that could be counted on to show 'real' images of women free of the massive manipulation. Even that is gone now porn sets up a different kind of expectation between couples and pushes insecure people to do things they are not comfortable with, a similar problem.

There is no easy answer, change the way we market products? unlikely if not impossible, it is a tool that works very well. The answer is to teach young people (men too are effected by the same issues and the plight is not as well recognized but still there.) to be confident and comfortable with them selves. confident people are harder to take in they look at a 500$ sweater and think what are they thinking ? and walk away.

Personally I find a whole women attractive or not at all. The way a person moves, speaks, acts holds as much importance as the shell they live in. I am attracted to the whole package it is not important as Raptor says no curves curves don't make a women a woman. One of the sexiest women I know fits that description she is lithe and moves like she has no mass. It isn't the look but the way really at least in my eye.