For my Communications 205: Gender, Diversity, and the Media class, we had to attend four Multicultural Learning Experiences, or MLEs, over the course of the semester. An MLE consists of going to an event that isn’t something you know much about or covers a topic that you do not identify as. The four that I participated in were a talk by “The Leavers” author Lisa Ko, a showcasing of The Bristlecone Project, visited a church, and watched a few episodes of “Black-ish.”
The final MLE of the semester is a little bit different. MLE 5 consists of me being the teacher. The topic that I felt most passionate about from this class was the way that the media creates this idea of a “perfect life” that is exhibited through bloggers and Instagram models. While people often idolize these “celebrities,” there is more to their photos than meet the eye. The self-confidence of an “average girl” should not be ruined by the meticulous photography of these fashion and fitness gurus. So, for my fifth Multicultural Learning Experience, I want to reveal the truth behind “the perfect Instagram.”
Disclaimer: I am not saying that my Instagram has these qualities and I have never posted an edited photo like this before, but the purpose of the project is to show the multiple sides of the story that are normally hidden from followers. This is a huge step out of my comfort zone, but this topic is important to me. I do not judge people who do edit their photos before posting and I do not blame people who frame their photos in the best way possible, to each their own, but the purpose of this project is to show that being envious of someone who seems to have it all put together is silly and a waste of time because we are all just as all-over-the-place as the rest.
So, here are 6 examples of “Insta-worthy” photos versus the behind-the-scenes realities:
1. The Everyday Selfie
vs.
While I completely relate to the person who takes 400 photos before finding one that they feel suitable to post and I am not against using an occasional Instagram filter, I normally don’t ever alter my photos in any way. The first photo shows an edited version of me. The edits I made include, removing red-eye, blemish removal, skin smoother, blush, eye makeup, and I even removed some flyaway hairs that can be found in the second photo, which is the one I actually posted on my Instagram.
2. The Mirror Selfie
vs.
The good ole mirror selfie is the basic Instagram photo that shows off outfits and bodies. It takes a special kind of confidence to post these photos on the regular (so props to the people who feel comfortable enough in their own skin to share often!). The edits of this photo include cropping out the messy sink top, removing the towels from the wall, tanning my pale self, removing some “chub” from the stomach, adding a little bit of digital make-up, and lightening my hair.
3. The Perfect Beach Day
vs.
What’s a beach day without some SPF 70 for us pale people? This photo, unedited, shows me with my hair done and beach-ready, whereas the other photo shows my haphazard morning attempting to make my way on to the beach. This is a classic example of framing a photo where you only show the “ideal” aftermath as opposed to the preparations that lead up to it.
4. The Classic Foodie
vs.
Ah, yes. Nothing like a great meal to take a photo of/with. We all know, though, that right after that photo is taken, you are completely DEVOURING that meal. Don’t pretend that we don’t know that you really look like I do in this second photo while you totally destroy that like-worthy meal you just posted.
5. The Ideal Couple Photo
vs.
Here is another instance of photo-framing. While neither of these photos are edited, the first photo doesn’t show how many tries it took to finally get a nice photo. It doesn’t show how long I froze outside trying to combat the wind like my second photo does. While we look like a picture-perfect couple in the first photo, not all of the photos from that sequence turned out as ideally.
6. The Gym Selfievs.
Last, and most certainly not least, is the gym selfie. The first photo here uses both the framing and editing techniques. It is so common that when scrolling through my Instagram feed, I see these fitness models that look absolutely stunning after a “long workout” or after “good old cardio!” In reality, no one, I repeat, NO ONE looks as flawless as they do after a true work out. To frame this photo, I took this selfie as soon as I walked in the door. I also had one a full face of make-up and hadn’t yet sweat off one bit of it and no hair was out of place. As for the editing, I tanned my skin, lightened my hair, added focus to my make-up, and thinned out my thighs a little bit. The second photo shows a real photo of me after the gym where I was absolutely exhausted. Obviously, the fitness models forgot to post that one.
So, clearly, you can see that there are huge differences between the photos that #InstaFamous people would post and the true photos that lie behind the post-worthy ones. From this project, I can see, and I hope others can as well, that not everything is as it seems. There is more than meets the eye behind these lives that society so oftentimes idealizes.