We all take photos, but would we… should we…consider ourselves photographers? More than likely, most of us would answer that question with a big fat “no.”
But then there are those of us who use Instagram. We would probably answer that question with a resounding “you know it.” We may not have any actual photographic training, but damn, we can make any decent smart phone camera photo look pretty freaking good. Just add a blur here, a filter there and poof, you’re ready to shine, sharing your picts with everyone from your best friend to Snoop Doggy Dogg.
A recent article on cnn.com noted that Instagram, purchased by Facebook earlier this year for a measly $1 billion, has boasted over 100 million users and well over a billion uploads since it launched in 2010, finding great success where other companies known for photography have begun to fail in the digital environment. Not bad at all for a company who had 13 employees at the time they were purchased.
But what do professional photographers think of the app? Some are embracing it as a way to experiment with their shooting style. Others, according to an article on the Huffington Post, are lamenting at the ease with which people can call themselves “photographers,” simply by adding “parlor tricks” to their picts.
I use Instagram all the time and love it. The camera on our phones may not be as good as what professionals use, but does it need to be? All I need is to add one of those “parlor tricks” here and there to enhance and share those super awesome photos of my dog, those particularly tasty looking meals I occasionally eat and even the occasional photo from Brown Bag’s very own Club 21.
Haven’t tried Instagram yet? Download it from the Apple App Store or Google Play and try it for yourself. Then, let me know what you think!
