A woman sits on a stylishly decorated coffee table and takes a selfie. In the background lies a garbage dump. The picture was taken and created by Andreas Varro, who this week was awarded a silver medal in the international photography competition International photography awards (IPA) for his work.
- This was an art picture about how we only show good pages on social media. When you scroll in the flow you only see happy people. This should show something different, says Andreas Varro.
The competition is based in California and last year 12,000 entries were submitted. Andreas Varro won the silver in the Advertising-Self-Promotion category. The picture he competed with, the one with the woman on the coffee table, is called Perfect lie.
"Think you don't feel as good"Andreas Varro tells us that he starts from himself when he creates his pictures.
- People show vacations and fine food that you eat. So you sit there yourself, scroll and think that you are not as good. Then you compare yourself and think that everyone else is doing well and that "my life doesn't look like that".
Has changed his social media himselfAndreas Varro himself has been thinking about how he uses his social media.
- I have tried to switch to social media myself and started showing difficult things. I focus on other photographers in the industry and tell about tough things in private and professional life, so that people understand that if you want to be successful, it's tough.
What response have you received?
- I notice that few dare to give feedback in the comments field, but many write private messages and say it is inspiring. So there has been a positive response and many who have opened up directly to me.
But maybe you can boast a silver in an international photo competition?
- Yes, it is a balance. You have to show that you are proud without people taking offense, it must be balance, says Andreas Varro.