Influencer shows how angles and good lighting make all the difference in photos

A social media influencer has received praise for exposing the reality of Instagram photos.

Rianne Meijer, a 26-year-old influencer from Amsterdam who has 690,000 followers on the popular image-sharing platform, regularly posts photos from her daily life. But, once in a while, Meijer also shares side-by-side photos of herself in the same setting, proving that most glamour shots really come down to angles and good lighting.

“I want to show that photos people see on Instagram, especially from influencers, aren’t ever really real,” she told Insider in a 2019 interview.

On June 4, for example, the influencer shared a post that features a series of photos of herself sporting a sweater, oversized t-shirt, dress and a bathing suit. The difference in the photos is striking — one set appears enhanced while the other seems less so.

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Sooooo, left or right?😛

A post shared by RIANNE MEIJER 🐶 (@rianne.meijer) on

The post has since received over 77,000 likes and nearly 600 comments, many of which commended her for her honest approach to photography.

“I can’t thank u enough to share your image like that,” one girl wrote. “I can tell without any doubt it’s making all of us feel better, and it’s also making Instagram [a] healthier place and our vision of perfection less unrealistic especially for teenagers like me (I used to hate myself comparing to all the perfection I was exposed to on this app) so thank you so much [for showing] your real self. You’re the prettiest.”

“I love these because they are all amazing and we all know how beautiful you are but they also show that the insta-typical pics are not ‘natural’ or ‘candid,'” another wrote. “I sometimes feel bad when my photos turn out like the ones on the right but seeing how authentic and nice yours look and also seeing that you don’t just happen to take perfect flawless insta-worthy pics in a second makes me feel like 1) maybe mine also look cute and authentic and 2) it’s normal that it takes several attempts to take the pic I wanted.”

Meijer admitted that she initially had reservations about sharing her outtakes in fear of being unable to work with brands, but she also acknowledged that she’s been able to find her voice through the project. She especially hopes it resonates with her teenage niece, who often scrolls through Instagram.

“I just want her, and everyone else, to be reminded that everything isn’t always the way it seems, especially on Instagram,” Meijer told Insider.

If you enjoyed this story, you might want to read about this bodybuilder who uses her Instagram to spread body positivity.

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