A new social media trend has photographers sharing contrasting images of their photo setups and the finished results that often show a staggering contrast. Previously, we talked to Jordan, an Instagram photographer and social media influencer from Virginia Beach who said that a good setup often plays a quintessential part in creating a successful shot.

Jordan said that photographers customize their setups to come up with a good shot, and “it is always the one that brings out details in every picture.” “The kind of setup I made to come up with that shot was a regular pink sheet for a bed that I used as a backdrop and put in the water,” he commented, referencing his own viral Tweet.

The setup can be produced by virtually anything, from DIY gadgets to makeshift tricks that all require extra time and effort. Paradoxically, what happens backstage remains invisible to the eyes of the viewers, but adds huge value to the end result. The handmade setups also prove that not every shot requires expensive equipment and professional preparation.

Bored Panda reached out to photographer Kimberly, a California-based photographer also known by Twitter handle @kihmberlie. With a whopping 188k Twitter followers, Kimberly is a must-follow talent that’s been creating some of the most beautiful and viral photographs on social media. Her recent post “the setup vs. the shot” amassed 70k likes and counting.

“I create my own photo shoot sets at home and show the process/behind the scenes of each shoot,” Kimberly told us. She continued: “I do every aspect that goes into each of my shoots, from photographing and editing to modeling and building the sets. I got into creative direction and photography because 5 years ago I was trying to get signed to a modeling agency, but didn’t have the resources to build a portfolio, so I figured I would do it myself until I didn’t have to anymore.”

Since Kimberly started posting her shoots back in 2018, she has always posted everything, “from the struggles to the mistakes to the inspiration, all the way to the final outcome of the photo.” “So everyone who follows me has always kind of seen what goes on prior to the final shot,” she added.

Kimberly said that she puts a lot of effort into her sets. “I want every shoot I do to be better than the last, although that’s not realistic because no one is always at a 10,” the photographer laughed. “But I do try and think of smarter or simpler ways to create an effect or set that I want because sometimes I overcomplicate something that can actually be so simple but even with that, it’s a lot of effort, stripping everything back.”

She believes that effort is very important in producing an outstanding photograph and “if you’re not putting in any effort, then what’s the point,” Kimberly concluded.