101 with Esther Honig: One Face, 26 Looks

Beauty. To me it means one thing, to other people it means the same, but to the people next door or around the globe it can mean the opposite.

When it comes to female beauty, the subject can be very controversial. Having experienced beauty first-hand as a makeup artist, I know that no matter what sort of woman you are, views of “beautiful” vary and can conflict with those of others who see it the same way. The important question is, where did we get our definition of magnificient in the first place? Yes, dictionaries obviously, but at some level we have dispensed with them and put on a totally different face than their true meaning.

As dictionary.com says:

“1. The quality of being in an object or person who gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations (as shapes, colours, sounds, etc.), significant designs or patterns, or something else (as personality) in which high spiritual qualities are manifested).

2. Beautiful people, particularly women.”

Some individuals may feel differently about this definition. Beauty can be easily transformed with just one click at a time, transforming the most natural looking woman into a totally different person. An independent project recently known as Before after by reporter, blogger and social media enthusiast, Esther Honig, shows what editing software, Photoshop, can do with the simplest portraits. It’s astonishing how he can manipulate images of anything and everything, not leaving out a single detail.

This project intrigued me from the moment I discovered it, as it has been recognized internationally since its debut. Curiosity for other people’s interpretations of things has all the time intrigued me. Especially for beauty which is one of the various gates to be seen in plain sight. Esther sent one easy portrait of herself to different artists to be turned into a fantastic meaning in their countries. He has received images from 25 different countries such as Romania, Germany, Argentina, Kenya, Australia, Greece, Pakistan and lots of more.

Maybe you have heard of a project like this done before, or perhaps you have not, but the important thing in this situation is Before after has influenced others by being probably the most talked about subjects of the world’s greatest publications. Yes, that’s right, more than one!

I consider myself privileged to have been given the opportunity to learn what made this project what it’s, in addition to learn more about Esther during the interview.

at first, Before after, only to be published by one or two blogs. “It’s like I accidentally cracked the code to go viral and the experience was both amazing and difficult. Managing the endless surge of press inquiries and interviews was one of the most difficult challenges I’ve ever faced. On the other hand, I have been featured by publications that I idolize for years,” he said. This can certainly be something hard to deal with when the original goal wasn’t to make it as big as it already was, but to rule the world like this is just a sign that Esther’s ideas have sparked something in all of us.

He came up with the idea when his boss at the time, at his day job as a social media manager, showed him the international freelancing platform known as Fiverr, where freelancers are contracted all over the world. Seeing this as a chance for his own social experiment, the early stages of Before after started. “I wanted to explore Photoshop as a symbol because it has become an accepted aspect of our society. Even basic changes have become a familiar part of our visual landscape. Today there is a growing understanding that what you see online and in print is manipulated,” says Esther.

However, the lingering question remains, what does beauty mean to her? “For me authenticity is the most complete expression of beauty. Aesthetics become less valuable when we consider humans because of their honesty,” he shared. Interestingly, the look she likes best is from Morocco, where she wears the hijab as an expression of the artist’s beauty. This brings in, not only the lady in the portrait, but also the religious customs which are the most honest state, of Muslim countries. For me, that’s also beauty.

Credit for the creativity of this project can’t be forgotten to go to her sister, Peregrine Honig. Peregrine was someone who inspired Esther, for years, before she even discovered who her favourite writers and journalists were. He is a person who is given a title Before after and is an established artist based in Kansas City. Her continued success in her career has provided Esther with the guidance she needs for many of her ideas in her many projects. “… Peregrine’s wit and wisdom have helped her achieve success in her career and a close-knit community of friends and supporters. I can only hope that one day I can enjoy such an achievement in my own life,” Esther told me and without a doubt I believed she was totally on the right path.

Esther’s success does not stop with this project obviously. He has touched on areas of work such as radio journalism, print journalism and social media. Currently, the blog Synapses explores aspects, current research and her own personal experiences as the daughter of a man who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2009. Although she has practiced in other areas of journalism, she has found that blogging suits her writing style best and has helped her. going through things in his personal life. She also currently works as a freelance reporter for NPR’s station in Kansas City, KCUR, and has been able to explore many various parts of reporting because she also speaks Spanish.

Being bilingual has opened many doors for Esther. This is a valuable asset to have when the current job market gets challenging. A year ago he had the honor of serving on the international microfinance organization, Kiva. With no experience in finance, economics or project management, he was chosen anyway because of the Spanish-speaking environment to be covered. Being bilingual, like Esther’s chance, opens endless doors.

So what’s next for this multi-talented beauty? For starters, it will excite you readers as much as I do; there will be a second part Before after. She has received tons of unsolicited Photoshopped images from around the globe which have expanded her collection significantly and sharing them with the world would be much needed as she has kept us hooked on her work. Another project mentioned, which sparked my interest, is having a separate collection predominately of Muslim countries that have an identical way of dressing, such as her favourite portrait from Morocco. Highly engaging conversations can easily be initiated and if the project comes to life, the results will be thrilling.