This months Preston Social was titled “We are all photographers now” the main debate was about Instagram and if it is ruining photography. It was clear to see there was a lot more to discuss than just the question of apps.
The evaluation of photography apps was interesting in itself, with post-production editing being king of all digital photography at the moment. It was odd to see those opposed to instagram were still pro photoshop. It then boiled down the images being “forced” upon others through social networks.
The part that amazed me is the reversal of opinion when it came to discussing developing an interest in photography, using what ever equipment you have available is the best way to start.
The floor seems to neither be for or against instagram or other apps like it. Just more opposed to seeing every single meal that the user has consumed over the past 24 hours. To me it is the Polaroid for a generation that no longer gets pictures developed, instead choose to upload to social networks.
The discussion still goes on, personally I can’t see instagram doing serious damage. You have to have an eye for a photograph the same way you have an ear for music or a taste for good food. You cannot replicate talent.
If you’d like to hear the event for yourself check out the audio feed from here http://mixlr.com/3manfactory/showreel
That is all from me for now
Amy
I’m glad this got blogged.
In many ways Instagram is very much the current generation’s Polaroid Instamatic. It’s possible to take pictures and quickly share them with friends and family, without having to finish the roll and pop it in the post hoping that nothing would go wrong and your snaps would find their way back to you without any misadventure.
And that’s what they are generally, snaps. Point’n'click cameras made such an impact for a reason, not just the cheap price that they eventually got, but because they made it easy to take an image and to share it. When digital cameras we built into mobile phones this took a step closer. It’s said that the best camera you can have is the one you have with you, and it’s true. And our modern smart phones with the cameras built into them prove this. We’re seeing more and more of our world through the eyes of the cameras of people out in the street. News agencies are constantly using images and even video footage sent in (or often lifted from Twitter) that was taken on a mobile. This isn’t professional photography by any means, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s Point’n'click that’s always with us.
And Instagram takes this one step further. We’re now so used to seeing all digital imagery being put through a post production stage, whether it’s models being airbrushed, lighting adjusted or special effects added, it’s very rare to see an image just taken and shared. And with Instagram the skills needed to do this to a professional degree are handled by the software. It’s not as good as firing up several thousand pounds worth of tools on a computer that costs more than a small car, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s still snaps.
Instagram has provided for the snapper a cut down set of tools that professionals might use.
As for it being everywhere, so what? I’m happy looking at my Twitter feed and expanding the images I want to see. And not those I don’t.
To come clean though, I don’t use Instagram. I tried it, I didn’t particularly like it. But I have seen some of the wonderful photography others have achieved with it and wish I had that talent.