So I've been making the effort lately to get more active in the social media space (hence this blog) for my own education and entertainment. Way back when (you know, like 2003), I was one of the first to rock a MySpace account with customized HTML. Remember having to plop some code in your "About me" field? Ha, you hacker.
Back in the day I tried the still-excellent DeviantArt (DA) briefly, but after early photo manipulation experiments, lost interest. Instagram takes care of that almost completely with its built-in filters — and now apps like Photoforge2, Juxtaposer, and especially Noir (think dodge/burn/B&W made super-easy) let me do with my thumb in five minutes what would have otherwise taken hours in PhotoShop — and to the same net effect. This part is key. The most fun element of DA for me was the community interaction/comments, and it's still there in Instagram, super-fast, and in the same spirit... while my creation tools are always in my pocket, ready wherever I'm at. There are a couple of DA browsing apps I might explore for inspiration, and I still recommend the site for all the same reasons (they have a solid mobile version), but I'm not going to be losing interest in Instagram anytime soon. Come say hi sometime; I'll be over there as rsmithing.
What do you think is the most interesting aspect of Instagram? Where do you think it will be a year from now? Have you found yourself recently inspired or newly fascinated by/addicted to mobile photography? Tell us your experiences in the comments!
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| The most-tapped area of my phone. |
Anyway, most of my social activity lately has been via the amazing Instagram photo-sharing app for the iPhone (and maybe one day other platforms). Plenty has already been written about this, so I won't go into detail for now, but just let me say that it takes smart phones to an entirely new level and is one of the most fun things to do with a phone camera. Having had a career as a graphic artist, and having always been driven to be creative — and now with the bit of social media Instagram integrates, I am continually satisfied and excited about this app. It's like Twitter for visual thinkers, and social media for visual-creative types.
Back in the day I tried the still-excellent DeviantArt (DA) briefly, but after early photo manipulation experiments, lost interest. Instagram takes care of that almost completely with its built-in filters — and now apps like Photoforge2, Juxtaposer, and especially Noir (think dodge/burn/B&W made super-easy) let me do with my thumb in five minutes what would have otherwise taken hours in PhotoShop — and to the same net effect. This part is key. The most fun element of DA for me was the community interaction/comments, and it's still there in Instagram, super-fast, and in the same spirit... while my creation tools are always in my pocket, ready wherever I'm at. There are a couple of DA browsing apps I might explore for inspiration, and I still recommend the site for all the same reasons (they have a solid mobile version), but I'm not going to be losing interest in Instagram anytime soon. Come say hi sometime; I'll be over there as rsmithing.
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| Cats, flowers, architecture all figure prominently in my Instagram feed. Viewable here at Statigram. |
What do you think is the most interesting aspect of Instagram? Where do you think it will be a year from now? Have you found yourself recently inspired or newly fascinated by/addicted to mobile photography? Tell us your experiences in the comments!
Nice man thanks ;) , i also like Instagram and use but usually forget about it.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely. It's still early, only one year old, so I hope they keep doing things right. Thanks for commenting!
ReplyDeleteYourwelcome Richard we need these comments ;)
ReplyDeleteLove Instagram!!! When I first started using it, I felt addicted. I was taking pictures of the most useless crap just so I could use it! Gotten over my addiction slightly, still a great tool for a phone. Can't imagine what the iphone 4S can do with pics!
ReplyDeleteNo kidding... it's dangerously addictive. And to your first point, I've definitely become more selective. I've also started noticing what would make for better photos, too. I call it seeing the world through "Instagram Eyes."
ReplyDelete