A social media influencer who created an entirely fake beach scene for her Instagram pictures has been praised for admitting the scenery wasn't natural - with some applauding her "dedication to the content".
Kendall Kiper, 20, works full-time as a content creator and is often hired to create adverts to post on Instagram from brands looking for a specific setting to sell their products.
One recent campaign required beach-themed photos, and Kendall - who doesn't live near a ready-made tropical beach - decided to get creative and put together a fake beach scene to bag the perfect shot.
The woman, from Atlanta, Georgia, picked up six bags of sand for $45 (£34) and posed in a paddling pool to create the illusion of swimming in crystal clear waters - all from the comfort of her own garden.
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And while the pictures on Instagram turned out flawlessly, Kendall also took to TikTok to show fans exactly how she had created her images and was praised for being honest about her "Instagram vs reality" moment.
One commenter on the video - which has over 8.9 million views - wrote: “The dedication to the content."
While another said: "Just you admitting to the ‘beach’ one makes you so likeable.”
Kendall was blown away by the comments she received and said that while she has received some negativity for "creating a false reality", most people have seen the positive side of what she was trying to do.
She said: "Inspiring others is all I have ever wanted to do, it feels like a dream come true having this happen especially after I've felt like giving up so much within the past year.
"I have had a good amount of hate comments as well, mainly people telling me it's 'sad' or that I am 'creating a false reality' – I don't agree with either of those.
"I remember being 13 and on social media, I would have been spared so much self-hatred growing up if somebody had shown me that not everything is as glamorous as it looks.
"Now that I am in a position where young girls look up to me, I want them to know that."
Kendall uses her mum and her tripod to take most of her photos, with her mum coming up with ideas herself – including the “beach” shot.
And the woman said she even gets the occasional comment from passersby who see her taking her photos in front of her house.
She added: "Some people stare, others honk, some yell mean things and some don't even look. It really just depends on the day I guess.
"When people are rude about it, I just remember how lucky I am to do this. I won't let people I don't even know stop me from doing what I love, for fun or for business."
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