Instagram ???

BradS · Feb 6, 2020

I do not understand instagram.

How is it different from flickr or some of the other places where people upload digital image files?
Is it just a place to display images or is there more to it?
How/why is it that so many seem to have an instagram account and always have to mention it in their other on line endeavors?
Is there a method for ordinary users to monetize it - like there is with youtube?
are all images square? and tiny? Can you see a larger version once logged in?
why do they only allow very limited viewing of others public images without logging in?

I'm not knocking it. I just do not understand it and it is not obvious to me where to go to get an explanation.

Disclaimer/caveat: should be obvious but, I'm not an instagram user.

Vilk · Feb 6, 2020

registering and pushing a couple of pics would be way faster than typing--and reading--and debating--answers to all these, no?

seriously, try it, it's fun... can always shrug it off and move on

BradS · Feb 6, 2020

Vilk said:
registering and pushing a couple of pics would be way faster than typing--and reading--and debating--answers to all these, no?

seriously, try it, it's fun... can always shrug it off and move on

Not looking for, nor do I expect a debate.
I may try it but I'd really like to hear form others who already have...
I'm the kinda guy who likes to have some idea how deep the water is before he jumps in head first.

removed account4 · Feb 6, 2020

hi brad
•i think its different than flickr because it is intended to be a cellphone platform and flickr &c aren't.
and flickr seems kind of sleepy and instagram seems kind of awake.
•i don't think there is more to it, other than having fun, networking and uploading or looking, unlike flickr there are no "groups"
just a hash tag you might have something your image might relate to, like "# red "or "# grumpy cats" or # mountains or # wet cyanotypes or #film photography or #speed graphic or #kodak or something similar
•i think people don't have an online website or gallery space they like to upload images to, so they just let people know where their photos are
so others can see them ? websites seem kind of IDK 1990s these days
•sure might be able to monitize it, and its a great place create a buzz to let others know what you are up to, like lumiquest ( giles clement ) showing and doing his wet plate portraits and and nodda duma ( jason lane > pictoriographica ) showing dry plate stuff made by him and others using his dry plates or other "stuffs" like drying racks, and dry plate holders &c that he makes and sells or wants to let people know he is interested in making or ? .. and lots of other visual treats!
its kind of a fun rabbit hole to dive down into
•not everyone's images have a limited view, it depends on if someone has their "thing" on private so they grant permission to someone to view their work, or whatever ..
•not all images are square there is a doo dad you can click on to make things rectangular. images are small cause they are to look at on your phone

awty · Feb 6, 2020

I recently joined Instagram, still trying to work it out, first off when you load up a picture you need to tap the circle with the two arrows when it asks"crop your photo" if you dont it will be cropped at square aspect ratio and you wont be able to change it later. Once a picture is loaded you cant delete or edit it, so make sure its right. You can edit your first comment and add hash tags.
No body will see your picture unless you have followers and/or use hash tags.
I prefer Flickr as a viewing platform, its more tidy and better for looking at pictures, Instagram is good for seeing what the more progressive photographers are doing as a lot seem to use Instagram and facebook.

rorye · Feb 6, 2020

For me it's one more piece of the marketing equation, I actually get jobs from it and lose jobs because I don't have enough followers. That's just the way business seems to be these days. It's also really fun to see what my peers are up to. There's this one guy, jnanian, who does some cool stuff, but sometimes it's blurry...

Vilk · Feb 6, 2020

awty said:
Once a picture is loaded you cant delete [...]

winger · Feb 6, 2020

I'm on Instagram. I'm sometimes irked that I can't add images from my desktop (though there are some workarounds I've heard of but not tried), but overall it's kinda cool. You can follow people whose work you like. If you wanted to, you could follow "influencers" instead - like certain fashion people or designers, etc... I stick to following photographers and a few of my favorite sports types. How you use it is mostly up to you. You could follow hashtags and/or people.
I kinda like Flickr better, but it hasn't been getting much traffic lately.
You can view it on a desktop and the images will be bigger than on a phone. But not huge.

awty · Feb 7, 2020

Vilk said:

Yeah I guess there's probably an app for that. Took me a month before I could work out how to upload a picture.

Kino · Feb 7, 2020

It's just another Phone app that monetizes your photos by collecting/harvesting your personal data from phone sensors and probably feeds any number of AI-based analysis harvesting systems to determine who you are, where you live, what you wear, who you associate with, and how some faceless corporations can market to you and others with similar tastes; all in the guise of being "fun"...

But just call me cynical...

It is, after all, owned by Facebook.

https://www.bustle.com/p/is-instagr...w-if-youre-worried-about-your-privacy-8631780

BradS · Feb 7, 2020

Kino said:
It's just another Phone app that monetizes your photos by collecting/harvesting your personal data from phone sensors and probably feeds any number of AI-based analysis harvesting systems to determine who you are, where you live, what you wear, who you associate with, and how some faceless corporations can market to you and others with similar tastes; all in the guise of being "fun"...

But just call me cynical...

It is, after all, owned by Facebook.

yes, this is just assumed...just like you said, it is owned by Facebook after all....and nothing cynical about it...it's just the facts. Facebook don't even pretend otherwise.

BradS · Feb 7, 2020

jnantz said:
hi brad
•i think its different than flickr because it is intended to be a cellphone platform and flickr &c aren't.
and flickr seems kind of sleepy and instagram seems kind of awake.
•i don't think there is more to it, other than having fun, networking and uploading or looking, unlike flickr there are no "groups"
just a hash tag you might have something your image might relate to, like "# red "or "# grumpy cats" or # mountains or # wet cyanotypes or #film photography or #speed graphic or #kodak or something similar
•i think people don't have an online website or gallery space they like to upload images to, so they just let people know where their photos are
so others can see them ? websites seem kind of IDK 1990s these days
•sure might be able to monitize it, and its a great place create a buzz to let others know what you are up to, like lumiquest ( giles clement ) showing and doing his wet plate portraits and and nodda duma ( jason lane > pictoriographica ) showing dry plate stuff made by him and others using his dry plates or other "stuffs" like drying racks, and dry plate holders &c that he makes and sells or wants to let people know he is interested in making or ? .. and lots of other visual treats!
its kind of a fun rabbit hole to dive down into
•not everyone's images have a limited view, it depends on if someone has their "thing" on private so they grant permission to someone to view their work, or whatever ..
•not all images are square there is a doo dad you can click on to make things rectangular. images are small cause they are to look at on your phone

Ah-HA! the first point, about it being a smart phone ap tells me a lot! Thanks. I did not know /realize that.
I poked around the instagram website on a real computer for a while and this was not mentioned, I don't think.

I think it also explains why instagram is "lively" as you say and flickr is sleepy.

Thanks

BradS · Feb 7, 2020

rorye said:
For me it's one more piece of the marketing equation, I actually get jobs from it and lose jobs because I don't have enough followers. That's just the way business seems to be these days. It's also really fun to see what my peers are up to. There's this one guy, jnanian, who does some cool stuff, but sometimes it's blurry...

It is an interesting observation. It seems odd to me but the fact that it is true cannot be disputed - even to an outside observer.

it's an interesting world we live in.
Best wishes Rory.

BradS · Feb 7, 2020

Thanks everybody for the replies and for sharing your insights.

logan2z · Feb 8, 2020

awty said:
Yeah I guess there's probably an app for that. Took me a month before I could work out how to upload a picture.

You can delete your images from the Instagram app. Just click the icon that looks like three vertical dots above the image and tap 'Delete'.

mark · Feb 8, 2020

I teach 12-14 year olds. I was informed last week that “It is not Instagram. It is Insta. Only old people call it instagram.”

that being said, I think it is a platform that once figured out is user friendly. I don’t have the patience nor a “cool” life so I don’t use it for personal stuff. Just follow family stuff. One company I have bought leather from generates most of their business from there. They post a side or shoulder and someone calls and buys it. If it does not get bought right away it goes on their website. You have to be real quick to get the good stuff too. So it works for them.

Ko.Fe. · Feb 8, 2020

It is not made to be in use for posting photography in quality. And as result, it is kind of big preview icons. It is nothing but mobile phone application. It is for viewing pictures on the phone. So those who sell their photos are using it as free marketing tool. Square only and in low quality. But it works for masses. Of those who became gulls. Like-like-like-like-like-like.

removed account4 · Feb 8, 2020

mark said:
It is Insta.

yes and if it their real account but it is the one that they want you to see
and not their real account its their "f'insta"... usually kids give g'rups their f'insta
and keep their insta for their friends and maybe locked down so their 'rents and other g'rups don't see it.

awty · Feb 8, 2020

logan2z said:
You can delete your images from the Instagram app. Just click the icon that looks like three vertical dots above the image and tap 'Delete'.

So you can, just cant replace the picture if you forgot to change from default square setting?

logan2z · Feb 8, 2020

awty said:
So you can, just cant replace the picture if you forgot to change from default square setting?

Nope, you have to delete the photo and repost it

pentaxuser · Feb 8, 2020

Ko.Fe. said:
It is not made to be in use for posting photography in quality. And as result, it is kind of big preview icons. It is nothing but mobile phone application. It is for viewing pictures on the phone. So those who sell their photos are using it as free marketing tool. Square only and in low quality. But it works for masses. Of those who became gulls. Like-like-like-like-like-like.

Could this change, perhaps? If the revival in film is driven by the "young " who respond to the likes of Insta then will their discovery of film alter attitudes in terms of sharing negatives. To sustain the revival that we are told about film will have to compete with iPhone won't it? Unless the youngsters feel there is enough enjoyment and use to film then when the old film diehards die the use of film may die with them

pentaxuser

removedacct1 · Feb 8, 2020

Instagram is a conversation constructed from photos: a newsletter to the world. It streams by at real life pace.
Flickr is an archive: more of a portfolio, one which isn’t as fleeting and ephemeral as Instagram. Flickr is a serious promotional tool (if you want it to be), but Instagram streams by, to be seen briefly, and then you move on.

Nodda Duma · Feb 8, 2020

Mechanics of using it aside, the Analog photography community at large — younger folks In particular — seems to have taken a liking to sharing images on instagram.

Ko.Fe. · Feb 8, 2020

pentaxuser said:
Could this change, perhaps? If the revival in film is driven by the "young " who respond to the likes of Insta then will their discovery of film alter attitudes in terms of sharing negatives. To sustain the revival that we are told about film will have to compete with iPhone won't it? Unless the youngsters feel there is enough enjoyment and use to film then when the old film diehards die the use of film may die with them

pentaxuser

I don't know it. But where are some demand for difference. I'm the oldest person to bring and buy film at Downtown Camera in Toronto. The rest are young ones. All kinds. I have seen Somalian Muslim young females buying film camera where.

Kilgallb · Feb 17, 2020

During watergate, George Carlin had a famous routine. He said his friend was sure the FBI was bugging his phone so when it rang he always answered f### Hoover.

Now a large number of us have been convicted we should give our privacy away for free, under the guise of some useful tool.

Instagram ???

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency