When it comes to the perfect selfie, we know that influencers often use clever angles, great lighting and crafty editing tricks to get that perfect Instagram shot.
Now one Insta-famous blogger has revealed just how much of a difference flattering lighting can make, instantly smoothing out lumps and bumps without the use of Photoshop or filters.
Danae Mercer, a journalist and influencer who lives in Dubai shared side by side images to her Instagram showing off her bikini body while squatting down on the floor.
In the first image, Danae ‘deliberately angled’ her body so her bum was in the shadows while the flattering soft lighting hid her ‘cellulite and smoothed most of her stretchmarks’.
But in the second, Danae was ‘casually squatting (lol) beside the mirror’ and explained, ‘My hips and thighs are in the sunlight. Lumps and bumps are on show.’
Danae Mercer, a journalist and influencer who lives in Dubai shared side by side images to her Instagram showing off her bikini body while squatting down from behind. She is pictured left with flattering lighting and right unposed without lighting
Danae often shares inspiring candid shots to her Instagram page, such as this one where she looks into a mirror and shows off her stretch marks
Danae, who boasts more than 750 thousand followers, explained in the lengthy caption that it was mostly flattering lighting hiding her cellulite and stretch marks.
She wrote: ‘Insta vs reality — or LET’S talk LIGHTING. Because that’s the main difference in these photos.
‘In one, my bum is deliberately angled into the shadows. The softer light hides my cellulite and smooths most of my stretchmarks. It’s flattering.
‘In the other, I’m just casually squatting (lol) beside the mirror. My hips and thighs are in the sunlight. Lumps and bumps are on show.
Danae often shares side by side pictures of herself to show Instagram isn’t real life . She captioned this one: ‘ME / ALSO ME – Because POSING is fun but sitting COMFORTABLY is even better’ She is pictured left posing at a flattering angle and right sitting comfortably
Danae has also shared fake before and after shots
She also revealed there are differences in the way she’s holding her body, to create a more flattering angle, which she learned from her years working at magazines.
‘There are a few posing differences (core tight, hips popped back, squeeeezzzinnnggg), but mostly this pic is about LIGHT working its magic.
‘When I worked in magazines, we shot at sunrise or sunset. On most sets, there were people holding SUN DIFFUSERS and REFLECTORS to help create the perfect FLATTERING balance of shadow and light.
‘The same thing happens on SOCIAL MEDIA, just in a different form.
‘Most insta-models know EXACTLY how to POSE and work their angles.
Danae, who also works as a journalist, often shares side-by-side shots showing off her body with classic Instagram angles next to ‘real life’ ones
She also revealed that Instagram models know their lighting to make it their pictures the most flattering.
‘They know LIGHTING too’ she added.
‘Like how SIDE LIGHT, diffused from a window, is the most flattering for abs, but usually pretty harsh on the face.
‘It’s why you’ll often see a phone covering the face.
Despite posting glamourous shots from around the world, Danae often insists that social media isn’t real life. She is pictured here in Sri Lanka
‘Or how SHADOWS can gently eliminate certain LUMPS and BUMPS.
‘All that is fine with me, honestly.
‘It’s art and photography, and there is no shame in wanting to look FIERCE.’
Hundreds of Danae’s followers were quick to comment on the post, thanking her for her candour with the post racking up nearly 380,000 likes.
‘Love this so much! I’m definitely guilty of knowing my “flattering” poses and only doing those, so I try to be sure to show the more raw photos as well!’ one wrote
Hundreds of Danae’s followers were quick to comment on the post, thanking her for her candour with the post racking up nearly 380,000 likes.
‘Love it, except I don’t feel the photo on the left is “fake.” It’s also you!!! Both angles are all you, and we can love and embrace them both!’ added another.
‘Love you. You’re so real and amazing. A hell of a woman. Thank you, thank you, thank you,’ said a third.
‘Thank you for sharing this! I think it’s good for guys to see this stuff too, as too many boys will be growing up only seeing images on the left and never seeing women in natural movement, natural angles etc. Love your page!’ a fourth commented.