Social Media Spotlight: What I Instagram vs. What Was Really Happening

Face it, Instagram is designed to be a photo-sharing app, but it has turned into a highlight reel of the best moments in our lives. Not that I’m judging; I’m the biggest culprit of all! My personal account is filled with perfectly staged photos…”why yes, I woke up with a full face of makeup, and of course, my desk always has fresh flowers and perfectly placed props!” It’s easy to want to make life look flawless on Instagram, but it doesn’t mean that’s easy to pull off. Olivia Munter, a writer with Bustle, wrote a fantastic article, “What I Instagram vs. What Was Really Happening, or My Entire Life is a Lie.” She writes a laugh-out-loud commentary on the difference between her social media persona and regular life. What additions would you make to this list?

Do you fall into any of these traps below as an individual or even brand?

1.The Clearly Staged Photo

What It Looks Like I’m Doing…How exciting, I just purchased some colorful macaroons from a local bakery. Why don’t I carefully arrange them around this colorful necklace that happens to coordinate perfectly with these paint chips that I had lying around?

What I’m Actually Doing/Thinking…As Munter puts best, “PRETTY THINGS. PUT THEM TOGETHER. AESTHETICS. Who wouldn’t like this? What if it’s too much? Okay, this is clearly staged. But it’s so pretty. It all goes together. Okay, I’m going to post it. What should I caption? Hash tags? No? Ugh.”

2.The Coffee & Shoes Shot

What It Looks Like I’m Doing…Munter writes, “Just casually picking up a skinny, non-fat, soy, two Splendas, non-Starbucks-because-I’m-cool latte, where I will casually sip my coffee and simultaneously plan my week/world takeover on my iPhone. I will post this on Snapchat, too. Because I drink coffee. And I am cool.” I personally believe that coffee and heels should never mix!

What I Am Actually Doing/Thinking…Munster continues, “In reality, I had to hide in a side alley to take this photo, because it embarrasses my boyfriend when I take photos of this sort of thing. I also have to do a weird hunch, arm-hook thing to get the correct aerial shot. My thoughts: “I always forget to take off that damn hair band. Do I look pregnant? I look kind of pregnant. I’m not pregnant. WHAT IF PEOPLE THINK THAT?”

Additional “I swear this is normal shots” that she lists?

  • The Juice Cleanse Shot
  • The Ultimate Selfie
  • The Gourmet Food Shot
  • The Shoes Picture
  • The Farmers Market Shot
  • Pool Day Photos
  • The Cool Pastry Shot
  • The “I Am Productive Shot”
  • Flowers are Pretty

- Jenn Lake, Vice President