Have you ever seen a photo of a fitness celebrity’s physique that looks completely unattainable? It looks so good that it doesn’t seem real.
Well, maybe it isn’t.
Don’t get me wrong, bodybuilders and bikini models go through months of strength training and dieting to sculpt a physique for a photoshoot or even just their Instagram profile. But there are always a few tricks to make pictures look about 20-30% better.
Perhaps you’ve seen someone you know personally post a picture in the gym or even on the beach. They look totally ripped and muscle bound; but you see them the next day and think, wait a minute.
Sure they look good, but not that good.
This method isn’t a miracle worker; it won’t shave off 10% body fat if that’s what’s truly needed. But it’s nice to show off your hard efforts in the gym. At the same time, it can be a disappointment if the gym doesn’t have good lighting.
Or sometimes you like the way you look in a certain mirror at the gym, but after you take the picture it just doesn’t do it justice. It’s not a good representation of your actual physique. This makes sense because it’s hard to duplicate the exact perception of your eyes by aiming a camera a certain way.
You don’t need advanced photoshop skills to make your abs pop and show off better muscularity. In fact, you don’t need the photoshop program at all. This editing method works with the basic photo editor on iPhones and other devices. There is no app that needs to be installed.
This is not a preset Instagram filter that you will find anywhere; it works much better than that. The following protocol will make your muscles look more defined than the original photo.
After you take a fitness photo you like, use the option on your phone to edit pictures. It is usually found in the top right hand corner. After you click, adjust the settings to the following:
- Sharpen 80%
- Contrast 30%
- Brightness 20%
- Saturation 15%
- Highlights -40%
Simple and easy, the process literally takes less than a minute. You obviously have the freedom to tinker with any one of the adjustable settings, but this standard ratio is a good starting point. It’s a nice way to make muscles pop without looking absolutely ridiculous. These settings can work for both men and women.
Don’t add any filters on top of it or else the picture will look unnatural.
In this example you will notice a few subtle changes. First, there is better ab definition and muscle separation. Muscle separation is the pronounced lines between and within muscle groups like where the shoulders and biceps/triceps meet. People with developed quadriceps muscles in the legs often showcase impressive muscle separation.
The second thing you’ll notice is the increased vascularity. In this photo it is particularly evident in the biceps and forearms. Overall the skin also looks slightly more tan, but again not to an abnormal degree. There is a reason bodybuilders and fitness competitors tan before a show, as it displays muscle definition more clearly.
Overall, the second photo just looks better. The physique looks harder, leaner, and more defined.