Somewhere along the way, I developed an extreme fondness for my cell phone. Even before I got my first iPhone, I was taking pictures with my cell phone. The most I could do with those pre-iPhone pictures was put them in a text message. At that time I thought that was the neatest thing!
I could show someone what I was looking at or what I had seen! Those first cell phone pictures were grainy and blurry but they could be shared.
New cell phones with better cameras came along. The technology grew and suddenly there was a lot of ways to share phone camera photos!
I discovered Instagram in June 2011. At first I was hesitant to post a picture. There were so many really good pictures on Instagram already! My
But I posted one. Then I followed some friends and some friends started following me. Then I posted some more and I got likes and comments! Then I started following people I didn't know and they became friends!
Sometimes I wondered how people created such fantastic photos, so I would ask them in the comments of their photo. Almost every time, I would get a thoughtful reply! A new trick to try! A new technique!
I discovered lots of fun and easy ways to process iPhone photos on my iPhone!
I became an Insta-addict!
I had to always have my iPhone with me just in case I found some incredible light.
Just in case I saw some incredible clouds that I would have to share with my friends on Instagram!
Just in case something caught my eye on my early morning walks that I would have to share with my friends on Instagram!
But, for me, sharing things I see is only part of why I love Instagram.
I love to see what my friends are sharing! I love scrolling through my photostream to see a slice of life in Kentucky with Dotti (@dotshots) or take a walk on the beach with Kim (@kimatpickingpoppies) or a daily, very clever, carpool reflection from Leigh (@loveleeokc)-these are not easy! I tried one and after that I was out of ideas! And Terri (@terriporter) shares her fantastic flowers and macro shots with us!
I've been on an African safari with one Instagram friend and to the beach in Sardinia with another!
Where else can you scroll through some photos and have such an adventure?
It's a connection with friends, old and new, that makes me happy. A way to keep in touch, to share a little piece of our world with others. A way to pop in and say "hi! here I am!"
And it's fun!
Are you an Insta-addict too?
Be sure to make a connection in the flickr gallery! We love to see your world!
"We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men." ~Herman Melville
xo,
14 comments:
i LOVE instagram for all the reasons you listed. :)
i recently updated my old iPhone 3G to a 4G and i am amazed at the quality of the photos. during our recently trip cabo, it was so hot, rainy, and humid that my big camera fogged up whenever i took it outside. for the first three days i used my iPhone almost exclusively. :)
Oh, yes, fast becoming an addict! When I had my 3G iPhone, I couldn't figure out why anybody would want to take photos with it when they had thousands of dollars invested in a "real" camera. But then I upgraded to a 4G, a friend introduced me to Instagram (actually, it was our own Leigh Love) and the rest is history! I am amazed at the quality of photos I can get but it is so much more than that. It is definitely the connection with the people I follow and the ones that follow me. That connection makes me want to seek out things to share with them and as I have gotten more experienced with shooting with my phone, the photos are actually getting better and better. It has opened up a new (and very fun!) world and I love it. Yes, the photos are good and getting better but it's the connection with all the other Instagrammers out there that keeps me coming back to it. Great post, Linda!
Oh how I love my phone I could write an ode to my phone it's just the best and those connections from all round the world, it never ceases to amaze me........
Waving hello to you from another instagram addict (as if you didn't know that already!) IG is such a cool little world. I always look forward to everyone's photos everyday. I always know that I'm going to see something cool from you on your morning walk. Almost feels like I'm along with you :)
p.s. we'll see if I can keep up with my carpool reflection shots for the rest of the year!
Well hello from another Insta-addict! Good to read you enjoyed my photostream of the beautiful island Sardinia. Isn't it awesome how easy it is to connect to people around the world? Wouldn't want to miss this!
You have tempted me that is for sure. And I would imagine the ease of just taking your phone vs a big ol DSLR has to be easier on ones back. I am probably the only hold out in our group. I will be a good cheerleader though for you.
Very fun photos for sure. Best of luck on your new adventure.
No Claudia, you're not the only hold out here. I have an Instagram account and have done nothing with it. I take the occasional picture with my iPhone, but to me, so far, it's just because I don't have my other camera with me. It's very convenient, but I just haven't totally caught the "bug" yet.
Linda, you always have such great sunrise pictures, and those coffee mug pics with sun flare are hard to beat! I'm not totally writing this off - haha -every time I've done that in the past I've had to eat my words. (I swore I'd never get on facebook....) Time will tell, time will tell.... in the mean time, I can enjoy your pics anyway!
Judy, I was in the same boat just a few short months ago. Only used my phone when it was the only thing I had with me. But Instagram is so addicting! When I was with Steph and Leigh in Dallas, Leigh was taking photos and Instagramming them and I saw how much fun she was having with it, so I decided to give it a whirl. Started slowly but now I'm totally hooked. It's not like a take a shot every day, but Shutter Sisters has made it fun the past two months having a prompt every day and I try to take a shot for that if I can. I want to join more groups like "From Where I Stand" and "Fence Friday", etc. Great way to broaden my horizons. Come on, you know you want to!
Late to the game again today. Like Terri, I'm coming along with IG. Slowly. This week as I've been traveling, dSLR slung over my back, I've shot with it and only after I walked away did I think, "I should have put that on IG". I got a couple up but not as many as I "should" have.
Linda - I love your IG shot, and yours, too, Leigh. It is really cool to share bits and pieces of our everyday lives with each other. Let's just keep doing it ... we're bound to get better, those of us who are still coming along.
Wonderful post, Linda.
I have my phone with me now everywhere! You never know when that picture will be right there before you! I'm still trying to figure out IG though.
Loving IG and the instant gratification that comes with it. If I'm out shooting with my DSLR I will always take at least one image with my iPhone and post to IG as I go through the day. The best part is seeing through the eyes of others, I'm always intrigued by what people choose to share.
This is Now project is a visual composition which uses real-time updates from the ever popular Instagram application based on users geo-tag locations. The tool streams photos instantly as soon as they are uploaded on Instagram and captures a city's movement, in a fluid story. Hope the link works:
http://now.jit.su/?utm_source=Photojojo+Newsletter&utm_campaign=9204c73fd6-Instagram_in_5_Cities8_7_2012&utm_medium=email
Very cool, Michele! I did not know about that project! It looks like another fun way to view Instagram and a fun thing to be a part of! Thanks for sharing this!
xo,
Linda
I've only had mine since June, totally addicted! It doesn't have to be hard or complicated and in fact it is very freeing and quite the creative outlet without needing the "big" girl camera! I highly recommend it!!
Loved this post, love instagram!! Been an addict from the get go when I signed up in June. Still need to look into other apps, but for now have really just loved the filters in instagram! There is something very freeing about using the camera on a phone!
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