In this time of digital everything, it has become common practice to use a “filter” for every picture you post. There are so many apps to choose from today! You can have the smoothest skin you can imagine, you can have bokeh lights and light leaks at just the right angle and in colors that defy nature. You can add grunge or other textures to your images for added effect.
Filters can be fun – guilty as charged. However, the problem comes in when you can’t post a picture without adding/fixing/reworking your whole self – every time!
No one knows for certain what others look like now unless they see them regularly. If you meet a virtual friend in person, you would expect to see a wrinkle free, sepia-toned version. It can be a strange experience to see something different.
To be fully transparent here – this happened to me. On one of my trips to Africa, I met someone who had seen a particular picture of me on Facebook. Since they just speak their mind in Uganda, she said, “You don’t look like your picture!” That will knock some sense into you right there. I had used a filter to “clean up my dirty, sweaty, very exhausted appearance” and I had over- done it. I looked pretty rough on the day of this picture (one of the last days of the mission trip) so I “fixed” it – me.
The truth is that since so many most people do it, we can all spot an overly filtered image the second it crosses our field of vision. Who do we think we’re kidding? Why are we trying to gloss over the real us?
For years, we (women) have believed we had to compete with the airbrushed women in magazines and commercials, etc. We all know they are airbrushed – yet, our minds trick us (and our men) into believing the lie.
I’m sure we’ve all criticized the standard of airbrushed models more than once, yet, we now walk among the enhanced.
Why do I say all of this? Because reality has taken a hike! When I see those completely overdone pictures (again – guilty) it makes me sad that so many women think they need to be redone. Most of the people doing this prolifically are young, beautiful girls/women who already have flawless skin and beautiful eyes! There are some middle-aged and older ladies-ahem- who do it too – but not to the same degree!
We can’t improve on God’s design (yes you can have plastic surgery etc. but maybe that’s messing up His design?). If this is what they are hiding behind on social media, how much more are they hiding in reality? Where is the authenticity? Where is the end?
I hope this is a trend that will wear down soon. I hope there are some young women out there who see that their beauty isn’t derived from flawless skin, perfect hair, scary white teeth and blinding blue eyes.
My hope is that they will start to go filter-less! I understand the desire to look your best – not a problem. Just keep it real though. At the very least, I hope these beautiful women will learn to ease up on those filters some, at least enough that they are recognizable.
This isn’t even a call to go without makeup etc. or to stop the fun of using filters –
This is a picture of the unedited me. (I did add a frame, and it was hard not to do something about the neck!)
No Filter – but the sunglasses help!
What about you? Can you post a picture of yourself to social media without adding filters upon filters? Do you get upset if someone else posts a pic of you that you didn’t “social media approve” or edit? Does it make you feel “Almost Naked?’
Take time to reevaluate why this might be true. Let me hear from you. I would love to know your thoughts on this. Pros and cons!
disclaimer: this in no way means I will never use a little filter again – just to clarify.
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