A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Elle magazine celebrated its 25-year anniversary this month with four covers, each featuring a popular Hollywood actress. While three of the covers were graced by full-length profiles of Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, and Lauren Conrad, the fourth one was a cropped, mid-chest shot of a lightened Gabourey Sidibe. It was apparent that Sidibe’s cover was somewhat lightened to match her fellow cover mates. Sibide’s cover brought up questions about whether the cropping and lightening was done on purpose due to her differences from the other actresses.

Elle’s editor-in-chief, Robbie Myers, is speaking out on behalf of the magazine and the photographers, Joe Zee and Carter Smith, who shot the pictures.

As for dealing with the negative feedback from the public, Myers is denying that the magazine lightened Sidibe’s skin by claiming the lighting in photos taken on the street looks different from the lighting in those taken in a studio. Myers is standing by the magazine’s decisions about the photos and their choice of artists. Defending the magazine is one thing, but defending the artists as well is a step further.

Although the magazine is adequately speaking out in defense of the covers, the situation could have been avoided altogether. The photos could have all been shot in the same formats or in equally different formats to keep the public from making any snap judgments.

Click here to check out the covers and decide for yourself whether Elle was right or wrong in this situation.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Jesenia Lepiz.