To my delight, people had liked my muffin picture! Shame slowly replaced my elation as I realized I had copped out and the picture wasn't terrible. I knew the lighting in my room was better. I knew that holding food in my hand with the camera overhead takes a great shot. I knew that bitten food revealing the texture performs better. While I didn't edit it, I had taken three steps to get the shot. That was how nervous I was of posting a picture that wasn't staged. I felt pretty lame about it. For day two, I was determined to be the gross person I sometimes am but would never dare show on Instagram. Like my eating habits.
Generally avoiding any semblance of adulthood in my diet (hi, Mom) I ate candy corn for breakfast.
It was stale.
I took a picture of it.
I posted it.
Much like with #muffingate, I immediately wanted to punch up the picture, whiten the background, increase the sharpness, cool the picture a bit (those office florescent lights are not forgiving), and maybe slap on the Clarendon filter at 30 percent. I also could have arranged it differently so it wasn't such a full-on shot. Anything that made eating solidified sugar for breakfast seem more aspirational than the fact that I was just hungry and eating anything I could find on my desk.
Immediately after posting, I received concerned texts from friends asking me if I was "OK" and why was I posting these kinds of pictures. For all the hubbub, I barely lost any followers. If I wanted to get "raw" with my life, I'd have to get even more serious and break away from my food pictures.