Over recent years the western world has been bombarded with social media networking, everyday most of us channel part of our day visiting one site or another. And yes, some are more addicted than others, I myself am uncontrollably wired to Facebook 24/7, thanks to my smart phone and my education which requires me to be plastered to my computer for almost 7 hours a day. But, today I wanted to talk about Instagram and the benefits I believe this social networking site can give us. I believe strongly that instagram and other similar photo sharing networking sites are good, healthy and help our innovation.
Ok, so there has been a lot of hype about the negative aspects of Instagram, there have been hilarious parody’s made, which to be honest have made me chuckle for a solid 3 minutes.
But, what does Instagram actually give us? How can we benefit from it? And why are seemingly pointless pictures not so pointless? So lets enter the world of Instagram and try and get an insight on its benefits.
What is Instagram? Instagram is a photo sharing social networking site. The purpose of it is to take pictures using your smart phone, apply a filter and other such effects and then you are able to share it. Instagrams success I believe has come from its simplicity, it encourages even the most unconsciously creative people to become creative and share this in less than a minute. Instagram provides a medium for people to share visual images of their world and the things in their world which the individual user sees fit to share. The underlying benefits of Instagram are also well worth looking at. Looking further into Instagram, I realised that amongst my friends who have been using Instagram the longest and most frequently they had a much better aspect over photography composition. This comes down to PRACTISE…. Photography like practically every other subject or hobby, is a skill acquired from practise. Regular Instagram users start to see what composition works well and how to improve their picture without even realising. Does Instagram aid the learning process of photography? Yes, it provides a hidden education which I strongly believe we can benefit from.
But when is a photo a photograph and not a snap shot, where does the line cross? And who is it that clarifies the thin line between this? I honestly don’t know, for me a picture is a story and a channel of showing something. And I guess if I cannot see a story or something which communicates to me then that’s when I cease to think of it as a photograph. Or does this even matter?? Instagram is a tool which is open to each individual user and each user is able to use it for their own purpose.
Ok, so some people take constant photos of what they are eating, their feet, their daily lives and pictures of something’s which others may feel irrelevant. But, lets take a second to see what this achieves. At first I was irritated by people plastering my Instagram wall
with their children or what they are having for dinner. But now I see it very differently, I get inspiration for new things to try in a kitchen,I have actually become inspired by other peoples food ideas, I also know who’s house I don’t want to come over to for dinner. Feet pictures, adored by some hated by others… don’t they just show where the person is, or their new shoes? Which illustrates a different version of a story. I often see pictures of people having fun with their friends which only motivates me to get off my computer bum and go out and have fun using others activities for inspiration which I can either build upon and make better or enjoy it for how it is.
Right now I am looking at my Instagram feed and I can see someone has taken a picture of her nails. She has created an image of her own artwork, which she is proud of and therefore wishes to share. How is this much different to other artists wishing to share their work?
Is it so wrong for people to want to share their lives and when did a snap shot start becoming irrelevant. Maybe our sense of thinking has become way too narrow minded and we are trying to suppress people’s expression.
It helps our innovation in the sense when we see an images it evokes an emotion no matter how ‘pointless’ we at first perceive the image. We post when we wish to share, others learn from sharing this is how the world works. Instagram is convenient and informative, lets love it, use it and get INSTAGRAMING!!!
Tech.Stronaut is a kids club created and run by volunteers at Platform4, Denmark. It all started in September of 2012 and the first semester ended in December. The club had approximately 19 children. The aim of the project was to teach children how to build rockets out of soda bottles, create a parachute which should be attached to a Robot and work out a release system whilst the rocket is in motion.
