Behind The Highlight Reel

I finally scheduled my photoshoot, I had my outfit picked out and three pairs of shoes because honestly who wants to walk in the park with peep toe, stilettoes? My photographer was absolutely wonderful, Jenny Garrett handled the session with such care and professionalism.
She asked if I had an idea of what I wanted my photos to look like and to be honest I just wanted my photos to turn out good. My day was already going in the wrong direction I was having a bad hair day, I was running late to the session and I didn’t have enough time to get my nails painted. With everything going on I was just happy to be completing something that day. We started our session on this amazing bridge and went on towards a gazebo. What most people didn’t get to see was the constant dodging of the goose droppings and the runners getting in our shots.

Jenny Garrett Photography 

Jenny and I just kept going, we had a vision in mind and we wanted to get some great shots.  My favorite pictures just happened to be the ones where there was bird poop on the beam. I know, I know you are asking why someone didn’t catch that. How did you guys miss that? Why wasn’t it edited out? To be completely honest we didn’t notice the bird poop, we were too busy ensuring that Jenny didn’t step in anything and wasn’t being attacked by critters (she was literally standing in the weirdest locations-determined to get the shots). Once I received the edited photos I picked out my favorite ones and began posting them all over social media. It wasn’t until a few days later that I realized I was sitting right next to this bird poop and it was noticeable (well at least to me it was).
And it dawned on me, how often do we only project or post the good photos; the ones we like the best failing to realize that our highlight reel is just that, a highlight reel. It doesn’t give a real glimpse at what took place behind the scenes. When it comes to our lives we tend to make the same approach, we cover up the things that we don’t want others to see. We hide behind our jobs, friends, vacation or etc. and we only talk about the good moments.  I’m not saying that we should blast our personal struggles or issues to the world but we need to check our highlight reels.  We need to be mindful that the highlight reel doesn’t change what’s really going on behind the scenes. Once the camera is put away, once our phone battery dies real life is waiting right there with all its issues and trials. I struggled for years with comparing my life to what I saw on social media failing to realize that I am only seeing what they want me to see.

Jenny Garrett Photography 

I don’t see the screaming toddler in the background, the car with the flat tire on the side of the highway or the night before where they laid in bed wondering “What’s next?” I didn’t see their behind the scenes I saw their favorite selfie after 25 retakes. The struggle became so intense that I ended up having to take a break from my personal social media pages and had to focus on my behind the scenes. I had to understand that although life wasn’t going the way that I planned it was all apart of Gods’ plan.  I was living the life he wanted me to live and I was experiencing the behind the scenes moments that he had predestined before I even entered the world. This was his plan all along and here I am basically saying that my behind the scenes wasn’t “highlight reel worthy.” And even with an ungrateful heart and a bottle of emotions I began to trust that my behind the scenes was so much more meaningful than my highlight reel. My rough day meant so much more than the photoshoot that took place, my bad hair day couldn’t compare to the amazing testimony I was able to hear from my photographer.
My behind the scene moments are worthy of the highlight reel and Instagram posts. It’s up to me to share it!
So click the “post” button and keep it moving. Likes or dislikes, hearts or thumbs up, comments or not keep posting. Keep living, keep striving and know that your behind the scene moments will be the greatest moment of your life!