Being a social media influencer is a pretty lucrative business. Nano-influencers (up to 10,000 followers) can make up to $100 per post. If they post just once a day, that’s and extra $700 in their bank. Mega-influencers (over 1,000,000 followers) can rack in over $10,000 for a single post.
With that kind of cheese being spread around platforms, it’s no surprise that the world of social media influencing has become cutthroat. Influencers need followers and the way to get them is to stand out from the millions of other influencers out there. That’s where photo-editing programs enter the mix.
You all remember the countless times Kim Kardashian has been busted for Photoshop fails but it’s not just Kim K., (and her fam) who get busted. Influencers at all levels are vulnerable to the public’s eagle eye. Here are 40 times influencers got caught editing their photos.
1. Starting Out With a Doozy
This is so egregious, we had to get to it first. The picture on the right is the original. This model edited her photo–probably using filters–to make herself look at least 25 years younger. How she ever thought she could pull this one off is anybody’s guess.
2. Not to Shock You or Anything…
But here’s a member of the KarJenner clan being accused of editing a photo. I know, it’s okay; we were beside ourselves when we found this /sarcasm. The left side is an image she posted to the ‘Gram. On the right is a screenshot from an interview. While Kylie edits her photos, she’s also been accused of getting cosmetic surgery. She’s denied that rumor but has admitted to getting fillers. She’s 25 now, wonder what she’ll look like in 10 years?
3. STOP.
Ladies, stop editing your images so you come out looking like this. No one buys this is really you. The original Redditor claims his friend met this girl and she “looks nothing like this.” We don’t even care if that’s BS or not; we don’t need a polygraph to tell us she looks nothing like this IRL.
4. Umm, That’s a Tsunami Coming for Her
This young girl is trying to look her best. But it’s all for naught as she’s about to be hit be a tsunami in a matter of minutes. Obviously, that’s not true. Just like her “top priority” is “body positivity.” Is it really?
5. From 72 to 27
This woman is 72 years old. She’s gorgeous! She didn’t need to edit herself to the point she lost five decades, but here we are. It’s a shame, really. Women like Jennifer Coolidge, Jamie Lee Curtis and Michelle Yeoh are proving that there is a lot to be said about aging gracefully.
6. Triple the Photoshop Trouble
This girl had three chances to get it right. What she did was fail so many times she should be banned from Instagram. Not only did she make her legs unrealistic, the background looks like something from “The Princess Bride” and she’s walking on water (like you-know-who). What she should have done was leave everything as is and focus on Photoshopping those socks clean.
7. Don’t Lose Your Head
There has been a trend for a couple of years where men edit their images so their heads are tiny. Maybe the point is to make the arms bigger and the head is just a casualty of a Photoshop fail? In any event, we’re pretty sure this kid’s knee isn’t bigger than his head.
8. Take Me to Your Leader
This is scary. Any way you slice it, this alien/anime look is off-putting. It’s like uncanny valley territory. We’re sure this girl is lovely. We just can’t know for sure (if you catch our drift).
9. What He Needs Is a Change of Scenery
Either this guy is the luckiest SOB in the world and all his pictures magically have the same sky appear every single day or he photoshopped it. We’ll give you three guesses, but you’ll only need one.
10. She Takes “Oops I Got Your Nose” to a New Level
This young lady did so much editing on her IG image that she erased her nose right off her face. What’s even wilder about this is that everything except her face looks like a photo. It’s a shame it’s a fail; she has real “blur” talent.
11. Where Are Her Intestines?
What in the actual heck happened to this young woman? Where are her ribs? Vital organs? This is obviously a photoshopped fail but we can’t help but yelp “Ouch!” when we look at it.
12. Don’t Blame Her, She’s a Victim Here
The poster found this image at an online store. That means this young lady is off the hook. The company selling the dress employed someone to edit (quite poorly, may we add) her legs and hips.
13. We Prefer iPhone Anyway
What is with all the android editing? Actually, strike that: what is with the “Japenese
Doll” look? It’s everywhere these days. This beautiful young lady looks like an android from another galaxy.
14. You Missed a Spot
Our guess is that this young lady had nothing to do with this. It screams “photo shoot” vibes. Unfortunately, the editor forgot about her shadow. It really is a shame the standard of beauty is so extreme; she’s gorgeous without that tiny little edit.
15. Where Do We Start?
Maybe we should ask the question, “what is real in this image?” From the looks of it, not much. That may be a real giraffe, but who knows for sure? This woman made sure nothing was off-limits. If it weren’t so odd we’d be fascinated by it.
16. Real Vs Fake
An IGer decided to come clean about the use of photo editing software on social media. They pointed out how Instagram users are creating a whole new “fake” person by editing themselves. Here’s the kicker: The Redditors who commented on the thread preferred the original.
17. The Original Is Better
In the edited photo, her makeup looks amazing. Her nose is practically non-existent though. However, in her natural pic, she is a lovely young lady who shouldn’t feel pressured to change her appearance so drastically.
18. Photoshop Isn’t Only for the Ladies
This guy looks nice enough. But clearly, he doesn’t feel that way. He went to questionable lengths to ensure it looks like he’s wearing a mask and to shave off a little around his waist.
19. “The Lie Detector Determined…”
This woman claims that her transformation is due to “makeup and expensive wigs” but there’s not a snowball’s chance in hades that photoshop isn’t involved. The Redditor says the top image and bottom screenshot were posted on the same day. She wouldn’t have enough time to take off all the makeup it would take to turn the clock back three decades. So, it’s a lie.
20. Are We Being Punked?
21. She’s a Bobblehead Come to Life
So far, we’ve learned that men like to shrink their heads, while women want to make theirs look gigantic. Pretty girl, but her obviously photoshopped head looks ridiculous. It’s not even same skin tone.
22. Huge Sale: Everything Must Go (Including Body Parts)
Here’s another instance of a brand having its models edited. This young woman is a striking lady, so there is no reason for this brand to remove her belly button. At least, none that we can think of.
23. “It’s Me, Hi, I’m the Problem, It’s Me”
There are so many things edited in this photo, we could make an entire slideshow with just her and Giraffe Girl. Everything from this woman’s face to her arms to her chair is unrealistic. She looks like an adult cartoon character that came to life.
24. Photoshop Vs Tummy Tuck
The big debate on Reddit about this photo is whether it’s been edited or if she had a tummy tuck. Both sides make compelling arguments. What say you?
25. This One Is Sad
We’re not going to jump all over this woman’s looks. What makes it sad to us is that she feels the need to go to great lengths to edit her Instagram posts. This lady has probably been bullied by internet trolls so she now feels the need to use photo-editing software.
26. Something Is a Bit Off
People 100% have crystal-clear eyes like this model. Where this one goes astray, however, is that not only does it look like two different colors were used, the shape of her iris, as well as the way her pupil looks, is just…off.
27. Nope.
That’s it, just nope. We’re going to pretend we never saw this, and you should too if you don’t want the government knocking down your door.
28. The Most Circumstantial Evidence so Far
The original poster asked Redditors if they can see the “purple-ish rectangle around her head.” They also claim the proportions “just seem off.” Her head was likely photoshopped. But the proportions? They seem fine. Although, we may have seen too many of these and are starting to get jaded…
29. It’s a Male Bratz Doll
A Redditor spotted this profile on Tinder. We imagine he doesn’t get a lot of right-swipes, but ya never know. We also aren’t sure if he intentionally wanted to look like a Bratz Doll or if that is just a bonus.
30. Swipe Left
We don’t know this young lady. What we do know is that her profile probably doesn’t look like this and she’s probably much better looking in real life.
31. IG Vs Reality Doesn’t Add Up
If you don’t know this young woman, let us introduce you. This is Liberty Poole. She’s a British reality TV star, who appeared on “Love Island” and “Dancing on Ice.” You may not have recognized her if you only looked at the top image. That’s from her IG account. Most fans know her as the girl in the bottom pic, which is from TV, and like her natural features better,
32. There’s More Than Editing Going on Here
It’s been over 20 years since “The Osbournes” premiered on MTV, taking reality TV by storm. Now 38, the world watched Kelly (Ozzy and Sharon’s youngest child) grow up before our very eyes. In fact, if you haven’t seen her in a while, you’d hardly recognize her! No, we mean it; you won’t recognize her. There’s more than just photoshop that comes into play here.
33. What Are We Missing?
It’s hard to believe, but these are the same person. What confuses us is why did she make these ridiculous photo edits when she is already a smoke show? Not only is she very attractive, but she is fit! This one just baffles us.
34. Her Booty Is Sending Those Shelves Into the Fourth Dimension
The easiest sign pointing to a photo being edited? The way objects in the background are never touched up so they appear wavy. In this young lady’s case, the shelves are so far out of whack, it’s like they’re afraid of her big, fake booty and are trying to get away.
35. But It’s Not as Bad As…
What is wrong with this door? And what does this woman actually look like? Because you can tell that she’s a beautiful lady. So what is she editing? It’s just bizarre.
36. Beware of the Gray Halo
Along with the wavy background items, another tell-tale sign that someone photoshopped their image is when they leave a “gray halo” around their body. In the case of this young lady, she edited the lower part of her body (for whatever reason) and left the halo so it looks like she’s floating. This would explain a lot, actually, because she looks as light as a feather.
37. “I’m a Pony!”
This young lady was found on Tinder. No doubt she gets swiped right on a lot. The real question is, how many men follow through, knowing she’s missing half a foot and torso?
38. You Know What’s More Beautiful Than a “Fresh Set of Claws”?
Having fingers that bend. Why this woman edited out her joints is beyond us. Usually when women get their nails done this long and pointy people ask “How are you going to pick anything up?” But with this woman, they’re asking because she doesn’t have any knuckles. Odd thing to be self-conscious about.
39. Instagram Vs Livestream
Okay, so here’s the thing. We get that some people who want to be influencers feel the need to alter how they look to gain followers. But there is a big difference between filtering out some wrinkles and removing decades from your pictures.
40. “Men in Chains”
So this guy has an OnlyFans. We’re guessing his “abs” aren’t the only thing he photoshops. #amiright
All photo credits: Reddit
