Instagram
and our addiction to photo
What is Instagram?
Instagram is a social-network. It is a photo sharing
and editing ‘application’ that allows user to filter the photos taken on their
camera phone and post them to the social network such as Facebook and Twitter.
Instagram photos are opened to public and let users to browse the interesting
photos of people whom they follow. Users can ‘like’ and comment the photo. It
was launched on 2010, and has 1 million users in two months. Today, Instagram
has more than 150 million users actively upload image as well as view and
comment on the other’s photos.
Why do we share our photo on Instagram?
When it’s hard to communicate in words, you might be
struggling about what to say. Sometimes photo makes task easier. Especially
when you attempt to express yourself perfectly on the social network, where all
your friends are reading it. Instagram provide the technology of photographing,
filtering and sharing them with your friends. So the photo are not just taken
to record the important event, but also to broadcasting what you are
experiencing. The photos are not only preserved in an album for memories. They
can be shared on Instagram where there is more audiences to ‘like’ and
‘comment’ your photo.
Addiction to photo
Scott (2007) found that “Mobile device-based
communication is evolving rapidly, expanding from voice and text, to including
photo sharing and as internet connectivity on mobile devices proliferates,
other communication media such as instant messaging.” Photo sharing sometimes
is more convenience than text messaging, instead of writing a long sentence,
people are more likely to share a photo of what they are experiencing now.
“Personal photography is one of the most successful
mobile technologies of the last century. Not only has digital photography has
rapidly supplanted film photography, but ever-present camera phones may be
poised to replace stand-alone digital cameras in many of their roles. The
ubiquitous camera phone brings new opportunities to media capture, as these
devices are always at hand, and increasingly programmable, network-connected,
and context-aware.” (Morgan, Dean, Mor, Mirjana and Nancy, 2010)
Now, camera phone has allows us to take a photo
anywhere at any time. A majority of the photo that user upload on Instagram are
things we would normally see in everyday life. For instance, the breakfast they
have on the morning, or their selfies and feelings, individuals post
photographs that emphasis their emotions. They also post photographs that is
motive or upset, and inspiring. Sharing an image through Instagram not only
communicate what we are experiencing and feeling, it gives people the ability
to be creative in their everyday life and actually share a small piece of artistic
snap.
Why Instagram:
Audiences:
There is a large audiences on Instagram that will like
and comment on your photos. Instagram creates a community that have audiences,
and you can also be an audience for other peoples’ photo. Basically, people can
get very popular and have a lot of follower/friends. Furthermore, you can get
immediate audience for your image. Plain and simple, especially if you are a
skilled photographer, you certainly generate a fair amount of followers in a
short period of time.
Quality of images:
The quality of the images and filters are quite high.
Instagram is well-designed with a simple interface to let you choose a variety
of filters after the photo was taken. Through the filters, people can edit
their photo using special effects such as, shade, or make it brighter. People
with little creativity can drastically change the look of any photo they taken.
Instagram &
creativity:
A status update on the
social network of “Bought a new basketball” can be pretty dreary, but use a
snappy photo including a border and a retro filter effect is visually appealing
and allows the user to show some creativity. People can use Instagram can show
their artistic sides. Usually, any objects can be transformed into a piece of
art in a few moments, then shared it on Instagram and other social network
friends to admire previously and have a feeling of satisfaction.
Reference:
Figure 1.0 (2013). Google. Retrieved from:
http://www.oudpoelgeest.nl/uploads/images/contact%20icons/mini-instagram.png
Figure 1.1 (2014). How Instagram started. Retrieved
from:
http://notes.fundersandfounders.com/post/81999963246/how-instagram-started
Figure 1.2 (2013) Living with Photography: The
Influence of Instagram. Retrieved from:
http://files.tested.com/photos/2013/06/18/49032-2_compare.jpg
Scott, C. (2007). Group-Based Mobile Messaging in Support
of the Social Side of Leisure. Computer
supported cooperative work, 16. Pg.75-97. doi: 10.1007/s10606-007-9040-9
Morgan, A., Dean, E., Mor, N., Mirjana, S., Nancy, V,
H. (2010). Requirements for mobile photo ware. Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, 14(2), 95-109
