Filter or No Filter

instagram
instagram

Yesterday, I tweeted out that Instagram Filter was one of the best things that had ever happened to me. But, while I was walking my dogs early this morning – my best thinking time – it occurred to me that it’s no different to magazines that air-brush. I’ve even blogged in the past that air-brushing gives unattainable ideals – it makes women look perfect when in reality, none of us are. Air-brushing wipes out wrinkles, moles, skin variations and anything else you need to – but then so does Instagram filter – and we’re doing it to ourselves through choice.

I can, hand on heart, say that I look twenty times (if not more) better through the kindness of Filter No.2 that softens absolutely everything, and yet, I’m not ashamed of my face. I totally understand how hard it is go commando – it seems more acceptable to me (even though I am mostly anti-air brushing) to show Instagram followers a more glamorous image than not. Partly, I guess it is vanity and also the newness of the Selfie (I am SO new at this!) that makes me feel shy or wary of the whole visual truth. And also that I’m an older woman in a very young environment.

I used to have a camera with an ‘air brush’ option and used it for my profile pic (it’s still around in the ether somewhere) and I very distinctly remember a young blogger saying, “you don’t look anything like your picture.” He was right – I didn’t, in reality, look anything like that tanned, flawless image that I had thought was acceptable, so I changed it to another picture – but I still did a bit of trickery in erasing ‘imperfections’. In true reality, what I looked like was rather knackered, dark under the eyes and slightly creased because that’s exactly what I am!

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So, is Instagram our own worst enemy, allowing us to project images that are unrealistic in the same way that air-brushing does? I’m totally conflicted and don’t have any answers to this, so your input is valuable to me as a blogger. Blogging is – or was – all about the real girl experience and yet, it’s anything but over on Instagram. I’m HERE if you want to follow but I can’t guarantee I’ll be going No Filter just yet!

 

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Jane Cunningham

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15 responses to “Filter or No Filter”

  1. Charlie

    I love Instagram. I would never ever use it for images on my blog (I mean of products in use) but I use it all the time for selfies and pics of the kids etc. I think if you’re swatching for review purposes though it’s not good.

    Reply
  2. Katy

    Great post! I always add a filter as it just makes pictures look 10x better!

    gigglesandmakeup.blogspot.com

    Reply
  3. Jenni Retourne

    I had never thought about it like that before, what an interesting point to make Jane. And you know what? It seems rather hypocritical of us all to criticise magazines and beauty brands for retouching their images and yet present an airbrushed version of ourselves to the world as ‘truth’. It also leads me to another thought; Maybe it’s not just the magazines and brands that rely on retouching – maybe it’s also the celebrities that appear in the ads/editorial. Maybe they don’t want their pores/wrinkles/cellulite/etc on show any more than the magazines/brands want to show it! Hugely interesting food for thought. I think it’s a vicious circle; with no-one presenting ‘real’ images of beauty – in all its forms – an unrealistic notion of beauty will continue to prevail.

    Reply
    1. Emma

      I’m in agreement with, Jenni. I hadn’t quite thought of it like that myself!

      However, if you haven’t yet got your mitts on a good camera just yet (like me) then Instagram is a fantastic option for your photos.

      I absolutely love it and think there’s no harm done if it helps the ego a little. And all my friends love it too.

      Good thought provoking post.

      Emma xx

      http://www.beautyandthebigsmoke.blogspot.co.uk

      Reply
      1. Sharon

        I think Emma has made an excellent point re the quality of the camera. I’d extend that to the skills of the photographer!
        Instagram filters play with the light, just as a good camera and photographer would, which isn’t the same as photoshop style manipulation!

        Reply
  4. Sascha

    I use a filter on selfies occasionally, but a lot of the time I’m uploading them to show a product that I’m new to using, so if that’s the case then I prefer not to as I don’t like the idea that I’m changing the finish of the colour of the product. I think for just general selfies etc it’s okay though xx

    Reply
  5. Claire (www.thebeautyscoop.co.uk)

    I’ve never really ‘done’ instagram, may have to give it a whirl… I need all the help I can get, haha. I think for swatches, without filter is better so you get a truer representation of the colour, but for other pictures filter is fine. x

    Reply
  6. emilyknott

    I very rarely use a filter on my Instagram account! But hadn’t really thought about it till now!

    http://www.britishbeautyaddict.com

    Reply
  7. Mocha

    I find that putting a filter on yourself on Instagram is more like putting make-up on, having hair done and to be pictured in a paricularly beneficial pose like pulling head forward to minimize the double chin ( double vhin is still there but not visible in pic!) , it’s still me but in a different light and a different perspective. Celebrities might feel the same, and I find it perfectly acceptable if they wish their pic to be “filtered” or retouched, as long as they are not in “work mode”. What I find unacceptable is when ads on billboards and in glossy magazines are shoving down our throats images and unrealistic results of consumer products, because, at the end of the day, their target is to sell sell sell, and the best way to do it is to fake pics and exaggerate promises.

    Reply
  8. Kerry

    I don’t see the harm in polishing up a photo but as some have said when people meet you in real life they may be let down with the real you, it isn’t a big part of my picture routine but then
    I am not really a fan of Instagram full stop, it has a really seedy undertone. On the surface it is people sharing experiences through beautiful pictures but in reality it is full of young girls and boys in their underwear or showing drug/gang affiliation in a very public forum. The bullying that goes on is disgusting, I know this happens in all social networks but I feel that instagram is far to open and available with very few limitations.

    Reply
  9. Lesley

    Interestingly, the Model Recommends Blog, had a post on this last weekend. Ruth had been using filters, and had 2 pictures one with filters and one without and asked readers what they preferred. The prevailing view seemed to be to do without filters especially when previewing cosmetic colours – and the difference between the two photos on her blog was incredible. My vote would be do without. Where I do have a beef is with magazines that airbrush, retouch, change to such an extent I have a hard time recognising the celebrity on the cover – the worst, surprisingly seems to be Good Housekeeping and Woman & Home! Good Housekeeping uses an airbrush like a trowel!

    Reply
  10. Feral (@FeralHousewife)

    I am not on IGram,, is that why its so popular? good filters? I am not cool=not on Igram

    Reply
  11. parsimoniouspenny

    This is a topic that seems to be coming up quite often at the moment! Like Lesley, I’d also recently read the AMR post about filters and she (Ruth) eventually decided to go ‘no filter’ because of the difference in colour it made on her makeup. The difference is, she was posting a full face of makeup look whereas I think if you’re just posting a random picture of yourself or your daily life etc. on instagram I don’t think it’s that much of a sin to ‘filter’ it to make it look a little prettier! The problem I have with magazines is that those airbrushed images are meant to sell a product but it isn’t the product I’m seeing on the cover, it’s the airbrush.

    Well, those are my two cents anyway =) Interesting topic.

    Xx
    Penny

    Reply
    1. Jane Cunningham

      I can see it is a no-no if you are showing products.. it totally skews the actual shade. Ruth’s beautiful without or with!

      Reply
  12. My Mirror Mirror

    I’ve just bought a MacBook and simultaneously discovered pic monkey so I feel like I’ve been opened up to the world of editing pictures and now I’ve seen how I can look with a bit of editing its hard to post those that haven’t been retouched although I still do on occasion. It’s made the whole airbrushing debate a bit less clear cut for me as well! Xxx

    Reply

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