@claire, I can relate so much to "It was genius, until subsequent to depending on it for so long, I decided to take a normal photo of myself, and I detested the manner in which I looked" I was confused about my "real" face on the camera at one point 🤔
Claire you brought up a really good point, too, about the prevalence of getting work done. I think outside of filters, that has warped our perception of people as well. To the point where anything people see is automatically considered altered or augmented. I've gained about 25 lbs in the last couple years... You wouldn't believe the messages I get from people asking why I ruined my beautiful face with fillers lol. WOW. Imagine being weight shamed just because people are convinced anything that changes about you must be a cosmetic procedure. It's wild!!!
For me, I find filters to be fun here and there but I limit my use. I don't want to get to a point where I feel insecure to get on my stories without a filter, and I'm human so that's always a possibility. I just remind myself that the filtered me isn't how people will see me in real life... so to use one ALL the time, I'm doing a disservice to myself, really. That said, everyone is free to use filters as they wish! How one person uses them (or doesn't) isn't a declaration of how everyone should feel about them.
As a woman who utilized filters the majority of her life, I am not too mad about it. Back then, I used tons of makeup to enhance the appearance of my face, then it evolved substantially when snap chat filters were a thing. I loved the idea of altering my face without physically going through a surgical procedure. I am sure I wasn't the only one who thought this way. It was genius, until subsequent to depending on it for so long, I decided to take a normal photo of myself, and I detested the manner in which I looked. I made a pact that I would try to model again in attempts to fall in love with myself and my appearance. So I did, I recaptured that confidence with certainty, and instead of altering my face, I learned how to change lighting sequences of exposure, contrast, and amplify other colors in the photos. Sure, If I break out on a day I'd preferably not make proper acquaintance with my pimple companions, I'll hide the blemishes. However, I don't think it's fundamentally off-base for me to do that. I love the way my face looks, I am happy I've never been so insecure enough to go under a needle to change the way that I look. Snap chat did that for me until I decided I didn't like using it anymore. I understand what you mean on how people have this idea that beauty is unfiltered and it's so natural how these women look with their perfect skin and perfect bodies. It definitely has taken a toll on the community on how we perceive beauty. I have friends who got their bodies done and look like kim kardashian now, it's unnerving how insecure these women are of themselves and made the decision to go through with it. For me, I think it's okay to filter and not to filter. I believe it's whatever makes anyone feel good about themselves, but I don't believe someone should try to change their whole appearance because they truly believe that that is what beauty is about. What I hate the most, is when people who change their appearance tell others that it's natural. Lying is a huge issue for me and I think people who are "influencers" and lie to their followers that their beauty is 100% natural, of course that bothers me because it makes people believe that this beauty is genuine and how unfortunate we are on the grounds that we don't resemble that. I like to look at photos that have been altered in terms of exposure and contrast. I feel like editing colors on a photos is like a work of art, some people are good at it and some people aren't. In conclusion, I definitely have mixed feelings about certain things, like angles can be a form of a filter. I only take photos from my right side of my face because to me that is my good side and that's what makes me feel good about myself. The way I angle my body in a pose amplifies the way my body looks because I don't like showing my wide waist. It doesn't matter to me if you use a filter or not. Filters can be described in many different forms including makeup, angles, exposures, photoshop, etc. I just wish however, that influencers were more honest about it, and expressed to their following that insecurities are real and it makes us believe that we need to change ourselves but we don't have to because were all beautiful in our own way. Being unique is quite a beautiful thing.
So insightful. I love your perspective on this topic. It is really personal for some. I do agree that filters to make some photos brighter, better looking and enhances it in a positive way. I really just use my judgement on this topic and think it can be used for good, in moderation. However, with a social media stance - it can be overwhelming when you see too many people posting filter-y unnatural posts, not my cup of tea. I prefer the more natural, raw, and organic still photos (slight moderations are fine if not overdone). Wishful thinking though, most of the time it's way overdone. I love enhancing travel photos such as architecture or scenic type shots. Just my two sense!! 😊
Whenever I see people doing a makeup routine on stories or posting the end result on Instagram I wish it didn't have filters. It completely changes the makeup look.
🖤 Nearly all professional photos are retouched at least a little bit 🖤 Follow accounts that brings you joy - if you are feeling bad about yourself in any way, skip it 🖤 Try not to compare - find beauty in the content you CHOOSE to consume then move on
🖤 Follow accounts that brings you joy - if you are feeling bad about yourself in any way, skip it
🖤 Try not to compare - find beauty in the content you CHOOSE to consume then move on