Instagram provides us with many hours of fun. We Scroll through hundreds of photos, see videos, and then all the content made by beauty gurus and travel influencers. Making their skin look poreless and making us all wish to be on holiday relaxing on a sun lounger. However, the beautiful photos you see of flawless skin and lovely holidays are not always authentic. You’ll see something shift in the image, or the blurring filter will be so heavily used you can tell there’s a filter.
However, sometimes you can’t tell. So if you would like to know how to spot when a filter has been used, stop that beauty envy. Then continue reading!
Random parts bend and blur.
Have you ever watched a video on Instagram or Twitter and noticed something blurring and bending during the video or life story? Has an influencer got a poreless face that has then glitched, and now you see pores and spots? When they put something in front of their face, and a glitch happens. Is something behind them bending and blurring like a door? An influencer has likely put a filter on the video or photo known as a live filter.
Now is that necessarily a problem? Not for general use. However, if an influencer is trying to sell you a product and using a filter where they used the product, you aren’t seeing how it works. Many see this as false advertising and misleading. Always be careful with what you see online.
Blurring on the skin
I know I mentioned blurring in the first paragraph. However, I meant that in terms of the background image/video. However, it isn’t just in the background the blurring appears! Oh no, it is used on the face to clear blemishes and spots on the skin. Sometimes it’s used in excess, and sometimes it’s small stuff. Is using a blurring filter that completely blurs and smooths the skin in luxury wrong? No, you do whatever makes you feel comfortable enough to post the photo.
You can tell the skin has been blurred when it’s completely smooth, like zero blemishes or changes in tone. And in many cases, you’ll see a blurry-like quality to it. You need to know this so you don’t fall for unrealistic standards. Or try to put on so much concealer in the name of poreless perfection it gets cakes and ruins your skin!
Another way you can tell something has been blurred is if there’s a before and after photo. And you see in the before there are lines on the skin where the collarbone and neck are. And then, after the bars and bone structure is smoothed out, then it’s highly likely there’s a filter.
The role of retouching
Now filters and retouching have been used since the dawn of time, especially for women in the beauty industry. Sometimes it’s done to a healthy and okay standard, and then other times, it’s absolutely over the top.
Types of retouching include: colour correction, blurring and cutting away areas of the skin which an editor sees as ‘fat’ in a retouch.
Which in small quantities is okay because it isn’t super noticeable. However, there is a considerable problem when it’s overdone. For example, a photo editor has been forced to pinch someone’s waist or has made someone’s lips enlarged, or freckles have been removed.
When it’s dangerous
We shouldn’t be so passe’ with these filters and retouches when it’s used on advertising. As we are told, a product can do things A, B and C. We then buy it, and it can only do things A. This is bad as a consumer has purchased something under false pretences!
This isn’t good as buyers have wasted their money on a product that doesn’t work. And are given a false perception. On top of that, influencers could promote products like detox tea. And the way it’s been filtered and promoted could lead people to use it dangerously!
The other big danger
Another big problem is that young people will see these images and videos! And may or may not be as focused on these filters and retouching methods. Even if they are aware of it, it will give them unrealistic standards of their body. And they will put themselves and others under extreme pressure to lose weight and get their makeup in a particular style! Which can be dangerous and can influence people to develop disorders and problems such as body dysmorphia.
Ultimately filters and retouching are everywhere. Skin blurring is the most popular, and whilst it’s useful, always be on the lookout for excessive use of these filters and retouches. So you aren’t conned!
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