These Influencers Are Encouraging People to Stop Comparing Themselves to Others on Social Media Through Viral “Posed vs. Unposed” Photo Series

Sucked In

A wonderful Instagrammer who has decided to show the world the truth behind her beautiful photos is Bree Lenehan. The 26-year-old content creator began a series she calls “Real Me” where she shows two photos side-by-side.

Sucked In

In one, she showcases what her body looks like when she puts a whole lot of time and effort into contorting it into the “perfect” shape. Next to it, she shows how she looks if she actually just relaxes and allows her body to simply be.

Beautiful Marks

A long-time body-image advocate, Bree puts emphasis on showing that it’s basically impossible for our human bodies to look perfectly unblemished. Many of her photos proudly showcase the marks on her skin.

Beautiful Marks

She refuses to hide any pimples, scars, or stretch marks from her large audience (over 720K followers on Instagram!). She also shows how some influencers possibly hide their own marks by strategically placing their clothes over them.

A Thumb

Bree doesn’t stop at just showing how influencers can manipulate things like angles and lighting to create a “perfect” look. She also blasts through the idea that social media stars have perfect lives.

A Thumb

She tries her best to show that she doesn’t always have her makeup done nor is she always dressed to the nines. Everyone has (many) days where they’re tired, hormonal, or just not feeling up to putting in all this effort to look like a model.

Lumps and Bumps

She also places a lot of emphasis on the difference posing can make. On the left, the way she’s flexing her body gives her that hourglass shape. On the right, Bree’s posture is completely relaxed.

Lumps and Bumps

You can just see what a massive difference it has on the shape of her bottom especially. When she relaxes, suddenly the natural bumps of her body show themselves. She reminds her followers that you shouldn’t force your body to look like a certain trend.

Going Through Changes

Bree often showcases how much her body changes throughout the day. Just living life — eating, resting, working out, or hydrating — can drastically change a person’s body shape from morning to night.

Going Through Changes

Bree’s morning versus night comparison helps her followers see that it’s okay for your body to bloat and change throughout the day as you go about your routine. We love how in both photos, she looks just as happy and comfortable.

Light it Up

One of the “tricks” that Bree has revealed to her followers is how social media models are able to make their bodies look flawless in posts — lighting, lighting, lighting.

Light it Up

But, of course, she’s here to remind us that whether taken in soft or harsh lighting, bumps on the skin (like cellulite on the legs), are something that basically everybody has and it’s okay to show them!

Emotions Are Okay

It’s not just our natural bodies that are hidden on social media. Learning to not compare ourselves to Instagram also means understanding that the majority of the posts we see are of people on what looks like their best days.

Emotions Are Okay

Many influencers choose to hide their bad days — the ones where they feel down or sad. Bree consistently takes care to point out that you should remember that nobody’s life is perfect, even if it seems like it from their posts.

Impossible Standards

Bree often points in her posts to the completely unrealistic expectations that social media makes us think we should put on our bodies. She especially looks at beauty standards that affect women.

Impossible Standards

These include unblemished skin and a whole lot of expectations surrounding women’s chests — like making sure they’re perfectly perky and even. She often reminds her followers that having asymmetry in these areas of the body is incredibly common.

Having an Influence

Clearly, her messages (and similar ones from other influencers) are having a wonderful effect on social media. Many people have begun posting similar posts in recent years. We love seeing photos of people just being themselves.

Having an Influence

These pics definitely make Instagram a more inclusive and wholesome space — letting people feel comfortable showing off their bodies in whatever state they’re in and with whatever scars and bumps they have!

Every Body

While it might feel like this trend only accommodates certain body types, Instagrammers of every size have shared their own #PosedvsUnposed photos online. The honesty and sincerity of everyone who participates in this trend, help others feel comfortable doing the same.

Every Body

Thanks to that, we have more and more photos of people just showing off their real bodies as they call out societal beauty standards. It’s truly inspiring to see these idea spread.

Staying Active

It seems that one community on social media used to be one of the worst culprits of making people think their bodies should look a certain perfect way — fitness influencers. Thankfully, many of them were also the first to post these “unposed” images too.

Staying Active

It’s also why many of these comparison images (taken by Bree and by many others) include active wear. This way, they’re all showing that you can stay active and healthy without your goal being getting those perfect abs.

Let’s Talk Cellulite

Thanks to unrealistic beauty standards being obsessed with us having flawless skin, cellulite has become the bane of many women’s lives, with them going pretty far to get rid of these blemishes.

Let’s Talk Cellulite

But, the truth is — for the majority of us, a little dimpling around our legs, hips, and bottoms is inevitable, and should probably be embraced. Remember, most of those perfect people you see on social media just hide their cellulite by playing with light.

Free the Tummy

This wonderful influencer trend has been a great source of inspiration for people going through their own journey toward body positivity. It’s been especially great at making us remember that it’s totally okay to love shapewear.

Free the Tummy

But, it’s also important to recognize that we should be letting our bodies (and specifically our bellies) be free and relaxed — at least, some of the time. Because, really, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with showing a little tummy!

It’s Okay to Slouch

Bree doesn’t just share photos with her followers. Many of her posts are filled with inspirational quotes and sayings to boost our confidence in our bodies! For example, in a recent post, Bree reminded us to be kind to ourselves.

It’s Okay to Slouch

She also raised the important question — “The ideal body shape throughout the decades is always changing. So, why do we continue to try to fit it?” Instead, she shows that embracing your body, no matter its shape, is the way to go.

Thinking Twice

Bree and influencers like her often point out the massive amount of shots they take during a photoshoot when they only ever actually post a single pic. That means that they have basically tens and hundreds of pictures they can choose from.

Thinking Twice

That’s partially how influencers’ posts look so perfect — they just choose the best one where everything flawlessly fits their vision of how they wanted the image to look. That’s why it’s so great when people post their “flawed” pics too!

Staying Strong

People posting these kinds of photos is a great reminder that, for most of us, it’s completely impossible to look “perfect.” After all, the shape of our bodies is influenced by so many different things.

Staying Strong

Genetics, mental and physical health, diet, culture, and many more complex factors work together to dictate our body’s shape and its possible potential for change. So, really, there’s no reason to compare ourselves to someone whose body factors are completely different than us.

Happiness Comes From Within

One of the greatest things that this trend showcases is that happiness has absolutely nothing to do with how your body looks on social media. In fact, many of the Instagrammers who joined the trend look just as happy in both photos!

Happiness Comes From Within

After all, when you’re not constantly preoccupied with how to get that perfectly unattainable body, you have so much more time to actually do things you love and enjoy — and that’s a much better source of happiness!

So Cute!

Sara Puhto is another wonderful Instagrammer who has taken on the issue of fake “posed” photos on social media. The 26-year-old influencer from Finland has over 413K followers and she loves reminding them that “your body isn’t a trend!”

So Cute!

She often shares both “Real Me” posts alongside photos and videos of her body acceptance journey — showcasing areas of her body that she used to feel uncomfortable with and normalizing just having them out there.

Lessons Learned

Sara’s posts are filled with the lessons she has learned both about her body and how to love and embrace the different parts of her. She also speaks a lot about her the supposed imperfections she used to notice in herself.

Lessons Learned

Now she spends her energy loving every inch of herself and focusing on the beauty of her personality. Because, as she says, the way her body looks is the least interesting thing about her!

Comparisons

Everyone who posts “posed vs. unposed” photos on Instagram seems dedicated to the idea that social media should be full of an accurate portrayal of bodies, allowing us to exist without constantly trying to look perfect.

Comparisons

They also understand that as much as we might like to never compare ourselves to others, it’s incredibly difficult not to feel inadequate when all you see on your feed are perfectly posed fake photos. It’s why all their “unposed” photos have such a positive impact on us!

Candid Camera

These influencers don’t just tear down archaic beauty standards, they also go head-to-head with influencer photo trends. Take, for example, the candid camera shot where beauty gurus on Instagram have their photos taken “without noticing.”

Candid Camera

Yet, somehow, they still come out looking absolutely stunning and perfect. In protest, Sara posts shots of her posing for a candid photo versus actually being captured in the moment. This definitely shows how little truth there is behind some trends online.

Showing Some Skin

Not everyone has been as positive about this kind of content, though. These types of posts are often filled with mean and disapproving comments, not to mention unwarranted advice — like telling an influencer to “hit the gym” or “cover up.”

Showing Some Skin

Fortunately, this only makes content creators — like everyone on this list — all the more determined to be their authentic selves online and show off the areas that make these trolls uncomfortable. It’s the perfect way to normalize having unedited photos.

AAAAND Relax

Sara began on her path to self-love and body acceptance in 2017 after realizing that she was struggling with “disordered eating and workout habits” as she was constantly seeking that perfect, unattainable shot.

AAAAND Relax

Sharing these photos of herself showing the tricks to how she would get that “perfect” look has been a major part of her recovery. Her commitment to helping others going through the same process is seen every day on her profile.

It’s Not Just Women

While beauty standards are extra hard on women’s bodies (with more and more unattainable unwritten rules being added every day), faking a perfect physique on social media can also be harmful to men.

It’s Not Just Women

Thankfully, some male influencers have stepped up and shown their own “posed vs. unposed” photos on Instagram, showing that in reality, hardly anyone has a perfect set of abs.

No More Editing

They’re showing that it’s also okay for men to just exist in the body they have, without editing every single photo to look like a bodybuilder in a cheesy superhero movie. They remind us all that people like Chris Hemsworth, for example, have a whole team to make them look buff on screen.

No More Editing

Plus, even after all his dieting and working out, Hemsworth also has to fast for days before he gets filmed with no shirt on. Yet, he too still gets edited to look a certain way on screen.

Every Body Is a Bikini Body

Instagram would have us believe that we’re only allowed to wear a perfectly normal bathing suit (the beloved bikini) if our bodies look a very specific way, which usually includes things like an hourglass figure, perfect abs, a perky chest, and a thigh gap.

Every Body Is a Bikini Body

However, thanks to body acceptance advocates of all sizes (including Bree and Sara), our feed is changing to include people of every body type rocking this comfortable beach outfit whenever we want to catch some sun and enjoy the waves.

Makeup vs. Filters

Now, body acceptance doesn’t mean that these influencers have completely thrown away that shapewear and their collections of makeup. The massive difference, though, is that they’re being honest about what they’re using and how.

Makeup vs. Filters

They refuse to showcase a fully made-up face as if it was a natural look, and if they ever edit any of their photos right next to it, they post the unedited photo for comparison. Being truthful makes all the difference!

The Mirror Lies

Because social media changes fashion trends so quickly, many of us find ourselves facing a fitting room mirror annoyingly often. That experience leaves many feeling self-conscious and uncomfortable due to them not looking like their influencer idols.

The Mirror Lies

But, Bree has proven that so many different factors warp our body image when we look at a fitting room mirror — like available space, harshness or softness of the lighting, and even the mirror itself. Some shops actually have mirrors that are built to make you appear slimmer!

So Much to Think About

The main takeaway from Bree’s “posed vs. unposed” shots and her “real me” hashtag is that comparing ourselves to the images we see online is a completely pointless endeavor.

So Much to Think About

That’s because she proves time and again that social media models are experts in taking photos that “flatter” their bodies perfectly. This is, of course, even without the edits that many of those photos undergo before they’re posted.

Rest and Re-Set

Bree and Sara’s posts are certainly educational. But, while some have taken them as how-to manuals on getting the perfect pic of your body, the point is to normalize just showing your body exactly the way it is.

Rest and Re-Set

Despite that, they also never make fun of the “posed” photo. Because, while it might not be reality, it’s still their bodies — just placed in their most conventionally “attractive” and “flattering” angles.

No Edits!

What Sara, Bree, and other influencers like them are both vehemently against is editing and photoshopping their bodies for the sake of social media. They both highlight how harmful edited photos can be to a viewer’s body image.

No Edits!

It’s one thing to try to copy the poses our favorite influencers do. But, attempting to look like a body that has completely been enhanced by a program is futile — it’s just not real! That’s why Sara and Bree are so adamant to show their real bodies.

#BeReal

Honestly, the truth of their message becomes crystal clear when you see how much happier both Bree and Sara look in their “unposed” images when compared to their “posed” ones.

#BeReal

There’s something freeing about allowing your body to just exist online in its natural state without constantly having to hold things in just to get a pretty photo.

Behind the Scenes

One of the most important aspects of these body acceptance and love influencers is to remind us that life happens “behind the scenes” — life isn’t the fancy photoshoots or that perfectly curated Instagram page.

Behind the Scenes

It’s all those little moments when we’re actually living our lives; enjoying time with friends and family, doing our jobs, or working on our hobbies. What we don’t actually do is constantly worry about what our bodies look like.

All About Perspective

Of course, it’s not just body angles that change the way your body looks in a posed image. Having someone who’s skilled at finding complementary locations to film from is half the “magic,” or rather, illusion. Instagram models are master photographers many times.

All About Perspective

Unfortunately, that’s just not a skill that most people possess. But, that can be just as harmful to body image — when you think you’re doing everything right to get a “good” image but your picture just doesn’t match what a trained photographer can do.

It’s in the Apps

Bree and Sara both often showcase just how easily we get fooled by edited photos nowadays. Apps today are so smart that they can make even the fakest filters look absolutely real!

It’s in the Apps

So clearly, when we think the fake photo is real and we try to compare ourselves to it, we will never measure up — no matter how much effort we put in or how much we try.

Filtered Reality

One of the dangers of filtered photos is how subtle they can be in the way that they distort reality. Sadly, often, if we’re not told that a certain image has been edited, there’s hardly a way for us to tell.

Filtered Reality

That’s especially true for images like this one where the changes are small — like erasing blemishes, blurring natural lines, and subtly changing the color of things. But, that’s why it’s so important to be aware of these things and remember that they’re not real.

Our Bodies Are Not a Trend!

What’s most important for Bree, Sara, and other activists like them is that we remember that our bodies were not made to fit any flitting trend. Fashion trends and beauty standards come and go and change constantly.

Our Bodies Are Not a Trend!

It’s not our job to constantly try to make our bodies fit those standards. Instead, we need to focus on living our lives to the fullest and happiest, allowing our diverse beauty to shine through!

Flexing

Bree’s main message is that you shouldn’t compare yourself to anyone else, especially to pictures on social media because you can never know how much of what you see is real.

Flexing

Her “Real Me” photos definitely prove that — showing that despite the fact that she knows all the tips and tricks to make her body look a certain way, she allows herself to show her unposed self online.

Happy Belly

Many of Bree’s posts talk about her own past struggles with body image — and how she once tried to hide her naturally bloated belly by picking slimming clothes or angling her body a certain way in photos.

Happy Belly

It’s why she tries so hard to help others see that not having a perfectly flat stomach in every single pose is absolutely natural and beautiful. Her Instagram account is filled with her belly in its natural relaxed state.

Natural Is the New Black

Many of these posts prove that with the “right” angles and outfit choices, anyone can look like a perfect “fashion Instagram model.” These also utilize old supposed rules of thumb, like “black is slimming.”

Natural Is the New Black

Thankfully, these comparison photos show that it’s just as okay to let your belly relax, allowing yourself to naturally pose without trying to make it look like you’re extra slim. Because, let’s be clear, she looks awesome in both photos!