How I Use Instagram
Up until recently I never had an iPhone, so playing on Instagram required an iPad or a web app that let me browse photos. On Twitter I shared all of my Instagram photographs as they happen. I use a web app to automatically send any of my Instagram photos to my WordPress driven Phone Blog. I use the same web app to automatically download all of my Instagram photographs to a Dropbox folder. Each week I upload new Instagram photos to an album on Google+. This week I received an interesting comment on one of these photos. The comment sparked this article. However, it’s not the first time I’ve read something like it.
“i’m not a fan of instagram for strictly personal prejudices (!!)… but this image really captures a mood and moment- can see why you chose to post it!”
Instagram’s Social Network
Instagram is one of those love/hate photo applications out there. I’ve heard people complain that they don’t like the effects as it degrades the quality of a photo. Well, this might be true however Instagram is more than just an extremely simple photo editing app. It is a social network, like Flickr, like 500px, like Google+ and Facebook and Twitter. You can share, comment, like, search by hashtag, etc.
Should every photographer be on Instagram? It of course depends on the photographer, but I believe the answer is yes. It’s another outlet for photographers to network, create and inspire.
Instagram Photo Editing
Getting back to the editing portion of Instagram. Did you know that you can post photographs without any edits whatsoever? Just this past weekend I photographed some beautiful cake using my iPhone 4S. I put the camera on HDR mode so it captures as much detail as possible. I knew the subject wasn’t moving so HDR mode worked out nicely. I then imported those pictures into Instagram to share with the world. I did not touch the image once inside Instagram. No edits, no blur… just posted it out there. To me, these look incredible.
Yes Instagram is a love/hate product. I think more people should embrace it and help it grow to where it’s a love/love product.
But that’s just me.
Thanks for reading and happy shooting,
Scott
PS, please join me on Instagram by searching for my profile: scottwyden, and don’t forget to join me every Friday for #SelfPortraitFriday
Leave a Reply