Dear ESPN Magazine: Please Don’t Digitally Alter People’s Bodies In Your 2010’s “The Body Issue” Edition
A good friend of mine emailed me this photo and it’s quite possibly one of the most amazing things I’ve seen all year. It’s a semi-nude photo of the Captain of the United States’ bobsledding team, Steven Holcomb. I am not quite sure where this photo was originally taken from, but when I checked out my ESPN Magazine’s digital edition, I noticed a big “change” that did not sit too well for me…
I am just glad that someone released that original breathtaking photo. Anyway, I just want to send a short email to ESPN Magazine right here…
Dear ESPN Magazine,
Why would you digitally manipulate someone’s physique in your yearly edition of “The Body Issue”? Does not that defeat the very purpose of you displaying the naturalness of your athletes’ bodies?
Please do not do this again. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Will
Secretary Of The League Of The Natural State Of Human Bodies Preservation
Okay, seriously, I’m not going to send that. There are more pressing issues in the world than getting all riled up about someone’s beautiful belly getting brutally and ruthlessly butchered by way of photoshopping… Okay, perhaps this is important to me. 😛
Anyway, here were some of my Tumblr contributions in the past about the handsome Steven Holcomb… (And, no, I have not given up on on this blog. Just please be patient with me.)
Posted in: Athletes, Magazines, Photos, Random Musings, Sports
BearMythology 
Steven Holcomb nude?! Now that’s a great beginning of a new day. Thanks for the publishing.
I try and try but cannot see what the difference is between the 2 photos. Would you please just spell it out for me. They both seem like the same photo but slight diff in background lighting. Much appreciated. PJ
Bearotic did a better job at me with showing the difference between the two images:
http://www.bearotic.com/2010/10/16/steven-holcomb-spread-in-espn-magazine/
Here are the differences:
– lower portion of his belly has been “rounded off”
– his shoulder/back muscle has been “rounded off”
– the hairs on his buttocks have been removed
– added a patch of beard fur on his left jaw
– vein from his armpit has been removed
– “watch tan” on his wrist has been removed
My friend, G, mentioned that this or more than likely a miscommunication between the printed and digital departments of ESPN Magazine. This is the original Flash Gallery that I just found out from my friend:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/flash/zoomGallery?section=gen&photoGalleryId=5650718
I still haven’t checked the actual magazine, but I’m hoping that it’s the original and not the photoshopped version. It’s just downright ironic that someone was compelled to “clean up” Steven Holcomb when it’s a special edition celebrating the “naturalness” of the human body…
handsome face, great ass
Holy mother of god… what an ass…
holy shit that is one fantastic ass. Jesus christ!! He can sled on my bob anyday!! At first I only noticed the belly, but then after reading the comments I noticed the removal of the butt hair, how rude!! thank god you have found and posted the original pic, thank you so very much!
Ahaa, its nice dialogue on the topic of this article at this place at this
blog, I have read all that, so at this time me also commenting at this place.
Thanks for this glorious article. Yet another thing to mention is that many digital cameras arrive equipped with a new zoom lens so that more
or less of a scene to get included through ‘zooming’ in and out.
All these changes in target length are usually reflected from the viewfinder and
on huge display screen right at the back of your camera.
Not to bite the hand that feeds me. but is the spandex costume a standard thing for all of the athletes to wear? does stevie just happen to have the misfortune (our luck) of being the most overweight guy running around in the under armor? weren’t there any other chubby olympians in spandex for us to harrass (i mean adore)?