THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 10, 1995 TAG: 9503100062
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEAH FRIEDMAN, HIGH SCHOOL CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Short : 45 lines
PROM NIGHT WAS perfect - the hair, the dress, the shoes, the nails all made you sparkle. The only tarnish on your shine was him, the guy who was supposed to be Prince Charming, but who turned out to be a total frog.
Too bad he's in that picture where you look like a million bucks.
Well ladies (and gentleman, too), if this was your prom nightmare, fret no more. Memories may last forever, but through the magic of a high-tech computer program, Virginia Beach photographer Jeramy Gilbert can blip that bum date from your pictures.
``I can take out an ex-boyfriend and make it look like he was never there,'' said Gilbert, who owns PhotoBytes Technology in the Thalia section of Virginia Beach.
Using a computer program called Photoshop, Gilbert scans the picture into a computer. The picture then appears on the computer screen.
``I can add or take something away by using different commands with a cordless mouse,'' Gilbert explained. ``When I press print on my computer, the print goes to a film recorder instead of paper.''
Not only can Gilbert scan that undesirable date right out of the picture, but he can drop the date of your dreams in next to you. Don't like the background of your picture? Miracle man Gilbert can change that depressing pea-green backdrop to a brilliant royal blue. He can make you taller, shorter, thinner or more voluptuous. And, if you want to go all out, Gilbert can put your face on Cindy Crawford's body!
``There are some things I won't do,'' Gilbert said. ``Let's say your boyfriend rings in a picture of you in a bikini and he wants me to take it off. Even though I can, I won't do that.''
PhotoBytes prices begin at $30. But hey, that's a small price to pay for an evening with Brad Pitt! MEMO: Leah Friedman is a senior at Cox High School. ILLUSTRATION: Color photos
Friedman and her two ``dates.''
by CNB