Nowadays, being on social media means producing visual content that stands out. Having bland or average photos and videos doesn’t pay off anymore, regardless of your reason for using social networks. Social media is impacting our understanding of photography, and nowhere is it more obvious than on Instagram.
Instagram came out 10 years ago as a photo-sharing platform. Back then, very few could have predicted that the tiny app would become the social media behemoth that it is today.
With over 1 billion users and more than 95 million photos uploaded every day, Instagram is one of the most-used apps in the world. Its influence is present in numerous aspects of our daily lives from the way we perceive brands to the images we choose to share on the internet.
Photography is one area on which Instagram has had a tremendous impact in recent years. Here are three ways in which this once-unknown app has changed the art of taking pictures!
Instagram photography “inspires” our next travels
With the emergence of Instagram, several new words have made way into the vocabulary of social media users. One of them is “Insta-famous.” This connotation applies to certain users, also known as influencers, who have built a name for themselves in the Instagram community. Also, the term applies to travel destinations around the world.
If you are a regular Instagram user, you surely have seen photos of Insta-famous destinations. There is a myriad of them out there, and they range from a blazing sunset over a tropical island to wilderness landscapes and imposing monuments.
These eye-catching images are pleasant to look at, but they are way more than that. They touch us at a deep psychological level and tell us what good photography should look at, and where we should travel next. You may not notice it right away, but in the long-term, you will discover that a lot of the places you want to visit come from your daily exposure to photographs on social media.
Social media gives us a creativity boost
Instagram photos may wire our decision-making process on a certain level. The jury is out on whether that is a negative side effect of using social networks or not. Nevertheless, one benefit of using social media apps to create visual content is that it boosts our artistic spirit.
Most smartphone users take photos and videos intending to produce something that will impress viewers. Social media comes to their aid with a plethora of editing solutions that turn even the most mundane photo into a spectacular image.
Some very nifty editing tools allow you to convert your own presets into Instagram filters and turn any video into a stunning clip.
Instagram impacts our self-esteem
Last, but not least, social media has taught us that we can use it as a vehicle for obtaining validation. Most people want to get positive reactions for their visual content, whether they post photos or videos. In social network terms, these reactions translate as “likes” and “views.”
Receiving appreciation for the photography we share on social media is pleasant to say the least. However, it can also affect our self-esteem and the confidence we have in our photographing skills when we do not obtain the validation we desire.