Facebook and Instagram

I've been using Instagram since the end of March. It's my favourite thing at the moment. It's the first thing I check in the morning and the last app I close down at night. During the day, I check in regularly during the day via my phone and a myriad of Instagram viewers out there such as Statigram, inkstagram, and Webstagram. It takes up an amazing amount of time but I love it because it brings little sips of beauty into my life every day. Plus, it allows me a little space and time to be creative. A few days ago, there was a flutter in the news about Facebook trying to buy Instagram. Clearly the folks at FB had recognized the competition. Instagram has a huge number of users I used to share photos on FB, and still do on occasion. But now I post to Instagram first and elsewhere later, if at all. Facebook is a closed space. I have set my privacy settings so that only my friends see my photos. This is where I interact with my friends and share moments of life - posting status updates, responding to invites, sharing news and photos. Facebook is incredibly good for this sort of thing. However, I use Instagram in a completely different way. While Instagram is an open space (I can't really restrict who sees my photostream if they happen to trip across my feed, unless I become a private user), its audience is interested in photography. Well, most of them are. Some are interested in that popular social media past-time - amassing followers. I guess some are more interested in quantity rather than quality. Of my 142 followers, I know fewer than 8 personally. And really only two of my real-life friends on Instragram are into photography and post regularly. Instagram is where I go to be with other fans of photography. Some post pics of their family and lives, others post images of landscapes, cityscapes or studies of objects or people. Whatever the subject matter, it is always presented through a lens of composition, colour and line. That's why when I want a fix of good photographic imagery, I go to Instagram. But when I want to know what my friends are up to, I go to Facebook. Of course, how Google + fits into the mix remains to be seen. I'll have to play about with that before I decide how it fits into the mix.

The Allure of Instagram

According to Statigr.am, I made my first post on Instagram on March 27, 2011.

In case you don't know, Instagram is a photosharing social network. It's like Flickr crossed with Twitter and Facebook, and it's my absolutely favourite app on my iPhone.

Instagram allows you to take a pic and post it immediately or pull an old image from your photo library. Like another photography app, Hipstamatic, has an assortment of filters that can be applied to your photo. But there are any number of filter apps you can use to process your images before posting on Instagram.

Not only is it exciting to see the support and feedback I've received from other Instagramers (IGers), some of whom are existing friends, many are now new ones, it feeds my soul and imagination to be awash in a sea of beautiful and engaging imagery every morning.

You know when something has taken a serious hold on you when you eschew checking email first thing in the morning to see what @msuze, @mordafoca, @imagraphicartist or @mariannehope have posted. In fact, I spend a good 20 mins every morning reviewing the IG feed (liking and commenting on awesome imagery) and checking on the likes and comments left for me. And every now and then, I get a notice that someone is following me. It's always a treat to find someone new is following but the best is to receive questions and comments.

Like other social media experiences, participants fall into different camps. There are the professionals, serious photographers and designers who have large followings. I'm sure their great posts on IG get them other work. At the very least it's a great marketing channel for them. There are folks who are only interested in having a large number of followers, but to get there, they have to follow thousands of people and pester people about looking at their photos.

There are people who are sharing details of their personal lives - their cats and dogs, kids and spouses, their neighbourhoods and travel destinations. Others are more interested in studying people, still others take pictures of architecture. A large group appear to be fascinated by sunsets and I have to admit I fall into that category sometimes.

The most curious group to me are the bigwigs on other social media platforms who've decided to join IG. Some like @scobleizer, @johnperrybarlow, @mathewi and @waynesutton give us glimpses of their lives hobnobbing with VCs, tech and internet giants. Some are clearly interested in photography. For others, it's a window into their personal lives. It's fun to see this side of them after having followed their Google+, Twitter and blog lives for a few years.

I am continually and pleasantly surprised by the talent out there, especially from folks who don't have backgrounds in art and design. It reinforces for me a belief I've long held that creative acts are not the sole domain of so-called artists and designer. If you want to take pictures, dance, paint, design handbags, what have you, just go out and do it. Enjoy the process and don't get fixated on the outcome.

Here's a sample of my IG posts:

If you'd like to follow me you can find me on Instagram at @zanipooh