An official photographer will retouch your graduation pictures to make you look slimmer

The University of York’s official graduation photographer are offering students the chance to pay to make them look slimmer in their photos.

Putting two fingers up to body positivity, Success Photography, the university’s chosen agency, include options for recent graduates to digitally slim their gowns and enhance their smile when they graduate next month.

While York university have suggested the ‘Digital Slimming’ service will not be available, students can still opt to pay for this when ordering their graduation photos.

The option is clearly available

When we reported on this two years ago the story hit hit national papers, but little seems to have changed.

Credit: Success Photography

The ‘digital gown sliming’ option costs £9.95 and promises to make the traditional gown ‘more fitting to your shape’. This option originally was titled ‘Digital Slimming’, however it has since been changed as a result of students’ backlash.

Credit: Success Photography

You can also pay £7.95 to enhance your smile and ensure your skin is “looking smooth and healthy.”

According to their website, Success Photography, who “live, eat and breathe graduations”, are the main photographers for graduation ceremonies at Abertay, Aberyswyth, Anglia Ruskin, Birmingham, Brighton, Bournemouth, Exeter,  Imperial College London, Loughborough, Oxford Brookes, Queen Mary, Northumbria and Nottingham Trent.

Mia Shantana Chaudhuri-Julyan, one of YUSU’s new Women’s Officers has spoken out about these revelations. She told The Tab: “We are truly shocked and saddened by the idea that male, female and non-binary students would be made to feel that they are ugly unless they conform to these artificial standards of beauty.

“Being slim is not necessarily a sign of health and strength, and having “perfect” blemish-free skin is unrealistic. None of us are dolls, we are all living and breathing humans. We should be celebrating every graduating student for their fantastic achievements and celebrating life itself. We believe that beauty comes from within and that every human face is wonderful.”

Sophie Flinders, YUSU’s BME Officer said: “Your graduation photo is probably something you will treasure for the rest of your life so it makes sense that you would want to look your best however having a slimming and photo shopping service plays into people’s insecurities that they are not good enough, something that society tells us already.”

An outraged student tweeted this over the weekend

The University have responded on Twitter however, claiming that, “‘Digital Slimming’ will not be an option for graduation photography.”

The University tweeted this yesterday

Scott Dawson, YUSU’s Welfare Officer, tried to clear up some of the controversy. He told The Tab: “Success Photography do offer ‘Digital Slimming’ however this service is not promoted at the University of York graduations. YUSU have asked for this offer to be removed two years ago and the same request is in place for July. Therefore whilst the company provide that offer, these offers will not be provided or available for York University students.”

The company describes themselves as “specialist Graduation Photographers” and have perviously won the National Business Award for most innovative company in the UK.