The Laughing Wolf

Space Pen, Playboy Airbrushing, And What Men Want

This post by Michele asks a good question, but at the same time makes a statement that tends to get my hackles up about as much as that base canard/urban legend about NASA and the Space Pens. While I can’t speak to what Playboy does now, I can tell you that as of when I did my photographic internship there, they did not airbrush any of the photos.

It was a point of pride with them and with the photographers. If you know your stuff and do your job right, you don’t have any need to airbrush. You use light, makeup, and other resources to get the image, not post-manipulation.

The way I know they didn’t had to do with one of the James Bond specials that was done for 20th (25th?) anniversary of the movies. For that special, some of the slides from the first movie were brought up from the photo vault, and a horror was discovered. The image needed was damaged, heavily. In point of fact, it looked like it had been scratched by an old-fashioned can opener. People were frantic, as a replacement was not available – what to do? One of the people I worked with there told me of the frantic search, the calls made across the city to find someone who could repair and restore the image. I think it may have been the Art Institute that finally told them that the person they needed was there at Playboy. It seems the young lady, a student (at the Institute?) who worked part-time I believe running the E-6 processing lab in the basement, was the very person they needed. She got hired to do the job, and did an excellent one at that. To the best of my knowledge, that was the only time an image from Playboy was airbrushed.

I have no knowledge of what they do today, but I know how it used to be. The constant claims of airbrushing are both irritating and amusing, because I know the story just related. I also know that they would have loved to have airbrushed an image or two when strings and things made a surprise appearance. The tale above was told with much laughter by someone involved, who loved how the higher-ups spun themselves up into a good tizzy trying to find a person to do airbrushing.

Remind me one day to tell you about Hef and the great format test. Photo junkies are the ones who will enjoy it most, but it may amuse a few others too.

As for what I am looking for in a female:

1. Brains
2. A consistent system of values, spiritual, religious, or otherwise
3. Spirit without petulance or being a brat
4. A warrior who will have my back and side, as I have theirs
5. Mayhaps a good mother, if children are an option
6. Patience, as she will need it with me
7. A desire to explore in all areas and ways
8. A good libido

Looks are not it, though they don’t hurt. One of the most beautiful women I know does not merit the term in looks, but in the spirit that outshines the look, and transforms it. Personal taste: Long hair, lithe (not scrawny, look it up), proportion, average to small breasts. I do not have the mammary fixation of many, and think that such are for babies while men have better uses for their mouths in bed. Loved the line in Braveheart. Have to admit, sometimes short hair done really nice gets my eye too.

BTW Michele, loved this post. Very well said.

LW