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No matter how beautiful and ‘perfect’ the photos on your Instagram feed might look, not all of them are real. Some are so heavily photoshopped, edited, and altered, it’s borderline ridiculous. I know, it sounds unbelievable that somebody would lie on the internet like this!

This is where the Instagram Reality subreddit comes in. It’s a community that finds and shames the most heavily photo-edited IG pictures. Check out their newest pics below and upvote the ones that blew your minds the most, dear Pandas. And read on for Bored Panda's interview with one of the moderators at r/InstagramReality, redditor Cluelessnumber7.

After you’re done scrolling down in disbelief, you might want to have a look through Bored Panda’s previous posts about the weird world of Instagram vs. Reality photos here, here, and here.

#1

He Forgot To Photoshop The iPhone Box’s Shadow

He Forgot To Photoshop The iPhone Box’s Shadow

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#3

She's 50 Years Old And Photoshops Herself To Look Like She's In Her Late 20s. Women, There Is Nothing Wrong With Looking Your Age. You're Not Expected To Look Like A 20 Year Old Forever

She's 50 Years Old And Photoshops Herself To Look Like She's In Her Late 20s. Women, There Is Nothing Wrong With Looking Your Age. You're Not Expected To Look Like A 20 Year Old Forever

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Moderator Cluelessnumber7 explained to Bored Panda about the two main negative effects of heavily photoshopping photos. "The first? The unrealistic expectations influencers purport to their impressionable followers. The amazingly smooth skin, suddenly common almond shaped eyes, pouty lips, sharp jaw lines, slim hourglass shapes, and so on," they said.

"What’s being lost by just posting that photo for the masses is the time it took to pick the outfit, hunt down the right lighting, pick which hand to take the selfies with (yes, seriously), and that’s all before smoothing, refining, and resizing in Facetune. Without disclosing that, there is now a countless amount of people comparing themselves (and perhaps spending money to look like) a person who doesn’t exist," the redditor pointed out one of the dangers of influencers heavily altering their own appearance.

#4

Not Even Craters Are Safe From Mad Filtering

Not Even Craters Are Safe From Mad Filtering

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WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually, it's the guy in the lower picture exposing another influenza madness. He is not the idiot here.

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#5

I Didn’t Know There Was A Wax Statue In Milan

I Didn’t Know There Was A Wax Statue In Milan

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#6

Shrunken Head

Shrunken Head

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lizmolloy1969 avatar
Elizabeth Molloy
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One hand tiny, other hand HUGE! I don't know what she was trying to achieve here, but it hasn't worked.

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"The second is one that many people don’t like to address—the insecurities of those who feel the need to edit their photos. They’ve been editing their photos for so long it could mean losing the validation from their followers, losing followers, and maybe losing sponsors if they came clean. So, they would rather enjoy the false fame, than risk losing it over integrity."

We also wanted to find out what steps could be taken to reduce the amount of photo-editing that people do online. "This is a very complicated question, but one step that we should fight for is to get rid of all filters that alter the shape, size, or proportions of anything to do with someone’s body," Cluelessnumber7 told us.

"Filters have become a crutch for so many people on Instagram that they now edit their still photos to look like their filtered Snapchat videos; adjusting their noses, tone of their skin, smoothing all blemishes, adding lashes in post," they said. "These filters, while fun, are surprisingly insidious. You don’t realize that you expect to look like the filtered version of yourself, until you attempt to take a photo without them."

#8

“No Filter” But Instagram Says Otherwise At The Top

“No Filter” But Instagram Says Otherwise At The Top

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Kate
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No filter but in addition to her eyes, somehow all the pores from her face and lines on her fingers have also disappeared.

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#9

I Thought People Had More Sense Than To Believe This Is Real, But She Popped Up On My Feed Because Friends Of Mine Shared Images Like This As "Goals"

I Thought People Had More Sense Than To Believe This Is Real, But She Popped Up On My Feed Because Friends Of Mine Shared Images Like This As "Goals"

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Ruth Mayfly
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Are you sure they weren't being sarcastic? I'd say that sarcastically, because I would assume it was obvious no-one could have this as a real goal.

kuyakuya722 avatar
Ansirk
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You'll not believe how many stupid people out there who adore these kind of "influencer"

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Melina Pothier
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Peoples idea of beauty nowadays is so distorted that this looks normal to them. It’s the same reason super rich women can walk around with larger than life lips and faces so worked on they can’t move them and not feel embarrassed. They all look like that so it begins to look normal.

kathrynbaylis_2 avatar
Kathryn Baylis
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That’s a caricature, not a depiction of a real, or even possible, human body. Why anyone would use the title “Goals” for it is delusional. Think about it, even if it was achievable, where TF are you going to find clothes that actually fit and flatter you—-without loads of expensive tailoring?

ctodd1000 avatar
Catherine Todd
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sickening, physically, mentally and emotionally. She needs HELP in the HEAD! Our crazy culture is killing us!

cccarter69 avatar
Cheryl Carter
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do you not realize that this is not physically possible? You probably have a nice 6 pack. That way you just look unrealistic.

azziza avatar
Azziza
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How could someone think a human body could ever EVER look like that??? It's physically impossible.

anitasavers avatar
Anita Savers
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So...this is not only disgusting, it is impossible, especially if you want to have functional internal organs.

lramsdell avatar
Lorraine R
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is Anna Held, who achieved her wasp waist with very tight corsets, and (I read somewhere) the removal of her two bottom pairs of ribs. Anna-Held-...516000.jpg Anna-Held-5f3c8be516000.jpg

ladypdude avatar
Fred and George Weasley
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

did she have her organs removed 0.o. this is so unsettling why would it even have any likes

katieandjaredcoates avatar
Kisses4Katie
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is really bad. and she looks like the barbell on her mug.

eglbukauskait avatar
Eglė Bukauskaitė
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

they were joking, maybe? She clearly does not need any helping hand on that area

mym3l0dy-c0m-x avatar
CatsWearingHats
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I’ve been trying to give people the benefit of the doubt, saying they are probably just insecure… but I don’t even know what to say at this point. I try to keep an open mind, but this post just took my mind out of my head and stomped on it.

leanelizgonzalezgarriga avatar
Monday Fuss
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How can you have abs and be like super skinny like that?

lifeisgood4226 avatar
Tugg Ster
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So stupid. Either narcissist or completely without True self confidence

kkathleen517 avatar
kkathleen517
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Are you f*****g kidding me with these pics? Nobody really posts these right? RIGHT??!!

dchapman avatar
Dave Chapman
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Here's the "Goals" they need to attain, to look like this... https://www.udemy.com/course/ultimate-photoshop-training-from-beginner-to-pro/

sexychick4421475 avatar
Claire Armstrong
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lol, my man said there when I showed him this picture "She wouldn't even be as thin as that if you ran over her with a steamroller" lol! But it's a lot funnier when you hear it in a Scottish accent lol

sanukjim avatar
James F. Wilson Jr.
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

She thouight that she lost all that fat from her belly,but I know where it is hidding. " Pssst : Look below".

victorrsytnik avatar
Russian Otaku
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Technically very technically and slightly theoretically it is possible and achievable and kinda been done before but the health hazard of doing so... well that's another story

writerhilary74 avatar
Hilary Mol
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

She left her internal organs in a locker at the gym. She steps into the locker every night to re-charge.

deannawoods avatar
deanna woods
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Anyone who is not naturally tiny and thinks that this is normal needs their head examined.

denaflashman avatar
MRS FLASHMAN
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That doesn't even look close to real! C'mon folks, what is the "goal" to improve your photoshop skills? UGH...

jessgunn77 avatar
JessG
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Okay, it's obvious she actually looks good, WHY manipulate it to these ridiculous unreal proportions? I am just at a loss here

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While there’s nothing wrong with putting an artistic filter on a photo to slightly change the colors, it’s easy to go overboard. A handful of changes can become a dozen which then become a hundred and soon enough, you’ve airbrushed yourself so much, you can’t even recognize yourself anymore.

According to Brooke Erin Duffy, an assistant professor at Cornell University studying self-presentation on Instagram, “Nobody wants to be called fake.” So deciding how much to edit your photos is a huge dilemma for influencers.

“Influencers very much feel they need to present themselves authentically while getting the best image possible,” she told The Guardian.

#10

The Mirror Always Seems To Expose These People

The Mirror Always Seems To Expose These People

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Mel Fairfeather
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Okay, wait. This one... I don't think it's photoshopped, or at least it isn't photoshopped much. Speaking as a pro photographer who DOES do retouching, but also works ALLLLL the angles, this one looks like she's sucking in and twisted so the reflection makes her look much thicker in the waist than what you see when looking from this angle. There's also something dark just behind her elbow in the reflection that makes her waist look thicker too. It's just a shade lighter than the dress. This one doesn't belong here, I don't think.

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#12

Can‘t Believe How She Thinks That’s Acceptable

Can‘t Believe How She Thinks That’s Acceptable

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Meanwhile, the Instagram Reality community moderators further shared their own thoughts about photoshopping pictures in a previous interview with Bored Panda.

According to them, Instagram users want to see influencers post natural photos of themselves, not something that’s been “edited to hell” and back. The mods remain optimistic that influencers will eventually realize that, especially with part of the global population still stuck at home due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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#13

The Original Has Finally Seen The Light Of Day

The Original Has Finally Seen The Light Of Day

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Kisses4Katie
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These women are really insecure. I'm not saying I'm not, but I don't try and fight it.

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#14

I Literally Have No Words...

I Literally Have No Words...

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Awia
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He is also a croatian wannabe celebrity. He did soooo many plastic surgery he doesn't even look like a human anymore. Google Neven Ciganovic

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#15

Blursed Rich Man

Blursed Rich Man

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The things that make people yearn to photoshop themselves into ‘perfect’ human beings are “insecurity, envy, and money,” as well as avoiding embarrassment because you think you might have hang-ups about some parts of your body or face.

However, natural photos have a lot of charm because they’re authentic, honest, and more people can relate to them.

#18

Don’t Compare Yourself To Photoshopped People

Don’t Compare Yourself To Photoshopped People

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#19

Ribs? Only For Dinner

Ribs? Only For Dinner

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#21

Oh My God

Oh My God

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#22

So What Now, Are We Supposed To Be Ashamed Of Our... Ankles?

So What Now, Are We Supposed To Be Ashamed Of Our... Ankles?

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#23

Had This Saved As Inspiration To Lose Weight When Struggling With An Eating Disorder. Now, I Can’t Believe I Never Noticed The Water Bending Around Her Waist

Had This Saved As Inspiration To Lose Weight When Struggling With An Eating Disorder. Now, I Can’t Believe I Never Noticed The Water Bending Around Her Waist

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troufaki13
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This should not be a body standard to be inspired from, even if it was real

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#24

Eyes, Skin, Cheekbones... So Natural Looking

Eyes, Skin, Cheekbones... So Natural Looking

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#25

I Guess She Thought No One Would Notice Her Editing If She Blurred Out Her Surroundings

I Guess She Thought No One Would Notice Her Editing If She Blurred Out Her Surroundings

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#26

When One Person Posts The Edited Photo And The Other Posts The Original

When One Person Posts The Edited Photo And The Other Posts The Original

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#28

Jawline Looking Like The Hull Of A Ship

Jawline Looking Like The Hull Of A Ship

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#29

So We Gone Talk About That Leg Or Nah

So We Gone Talk About That Leg Or Nah

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#30

On Instagram vs.on TV

On Instagram vs.on TV

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Elizabeth Molloy
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I know people look different with and without make-up, but if you were going on TV, wouldn't you at least TRY and look something approximating your line image?

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#31

"Water" At Popular Instagram Location In Bali Is Actually An Optical Illusion. It's A Piece Of Glass Under An iPhone

"Water" At Popular Instagram Location In Bali Is Actually An Optical Illusion. It's A Piece Of Glass Under An iPhone

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#32

Armpits Are So Overrated

Armpits Are So Overrated

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#34

Burmese Influencer Claims Her Skinny Waist Come From Eating Healthy

Burmese Influencer Claims Her Skinny Waist Come From Eating Healthy

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#35

Are You Sure About The Non-Photoshop Part?

Are You Sure About The Non-Photoshop Part?

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#38

When I First Saw This, I Thought I Was Still Asleep

When I First Saw This, I Thought I Was Still Asleep

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#39

This Is Why Instagram Needs To Get Banned Like Tiktok

This Is Why Instagram Needs To Get Banned Like Tiktok

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#40

Bendy Grass Around The Waist

Bendy Grass Around The Waist

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Catlady6000
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At least this looks almost realistic. Her organs are probably still where they should be

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Note: this post originally had 84 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.

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