Amelia Liana's fake Instagram photos

I've been following her on Instagram for as long as I can remember. She used to post make up tutorials, then what I eat in a day videos, then she went the blog route and now she's a travel instagrammer (is that what they are called?).

Anyway, I get it, social media is a ruthless thing for those that are making their basic income off of it. The competition is fierce and everyone needs to be noticed.

But Photoshop editing, it's the oldest trick in the marketing book, I don't understand why she's getting attacked for it. Advertisers, the fashion industry have been doing it for a long long time. Altering how models look. Who remembers all those Maybelline ads, the mascara ones? Before I got into the marketing industry and learned about fake lashes, I honestly thought those models had GREAT lashes. Was I inclined to buy Maybelline? No. I had tried their brand of mascara once, it was a nightmare to wash off and I swore never to use Maybelline again. But the ads, yes they were lovely and I honestly just focussed on the models and their lashes. Sorry Maybelline.

Now with Instagram and the rise of fashionistas turned travellers, wanderlust has a new meaning. It needs to look whimsical to be liked or picked up. There's great pressure in that and I understand the need to doctor these photos to a point that they look unreal. But I don't get the issue. It's as fake as a Maybelline ad or anything else fashion/beauty related that makes it into magazines. Sure, there are those who say that she photoshopped herself onto a fake background, simply because scaffolding was missing or intrinsic things were missing. Well, that stuff that can easily be photoshopped OUT of the picture. Funny story, (side note, competition and the need to be better exists EVERYWHERE) a competitor agency once submitted a magazine ad, a full page cover spread and for some reason no one noticed that the photoshopped image wasn't quite magazine ready. Leave it to the ad types to scrutinize a competitors ad, but we noticed an arm was cut off the photo which no one picked up on. Not quite sure what happened when the execs learnt of this, but that's what happens when you're so hellbent on the editing process. Sometimes its intentional (like with her getting rid of the scaffolding at the Taj Mahal) and sometimes its not (like the model who had his arm amputated in that cover spread). Long story short, Photoshopped images have been a thing for as long as one can remember. It's not a new phenomenon, so I don't get the outrage.

Women are photoshopped to look tanner, thinner and more toned. Teeth are photoshopped to look whiter and brighter than day! Skin is photoshopped to look perfect. Background noise is photoshopped out to make the subject stand out more. So really, I don't get it!

What are your thoughts on this? I would love to hear!