In defense of Instagram.
This is in response to a post from Seldo.com, titled “Why I Really, Really Hate Instagram”.
http://seldo.com/weblog/2010/11/03/why_i_really_really_hate_instagram
OK, today is Sunday, which means i’m a day early for a new post. But i just happen to read this article and i strongly felt that i had to respond to it.
First off, i don’t own an iPhone, but i don’t need to have one to know how Instagram works. It’s basically a post-processing app that gives your photos instant polaroid/vintage look with a few taps on the screen.
Enter Seldo.com author who describes himself a “data lover”, and considers Instagram an utter blasphemy for stripping off precious, original data from an already low-quality photo captured by a “pathetically inaccurate instrument”.
An Instagram-inspired photo break:
Among the many paragraphs he wrote, this one struck me the most:
Think about what these filters are doing: they’re taking the already horribly limited amount of visual data contained in a cellphone snapshot and destroying it… Colours are washed out, contrast destroyed, borders are cropped, blurs and scratches applied… You are fucking up your photo.
The last sentence is a strong accusation. The essence of this argument is like saying that the whole process of photography, from your camera processing a RAW file to JPEG, to editing it in Lightroom/Aperture/Picasa/{insert your software here} is all about fucking up a photo, since they all rewrite the original raw data. Makes sense?
An Instagram-inspired example of fucking up a photo:
I have had enough. Stop fucking up your photos… It breaks my data-loving heart…
Stop deliberately destroying your own memories. Stop using the filters on Instagram.
Instagram users add filters because they like the look of those filters in their photos. I view it as experimentation and creativity and most of all, having fun. I believe that users are not deliberately destroying their own memories; maybe they are making it into something better than the way they remember it.
An Instagram-inspired photo break:
If the creation of Instagram is a big mistake, i’d say kudos for making a very creative mistake. iPhone users who can’t even be bothered by photography and DSLR cameras are now taking more pictures. I’m happy for the fun and appreciation for picture-taking Instagram has brought them. Who knows, maybe one day the app will carry them to the next level of getting into real photography.
Whew. His sentiment against Instagram is worse than a purist. There are photographers who hate Instagram as well, although not on the grounds of data loss (that’d be funny), but that’s another story. I rest my case on this one. :)
Funny. My friend who wields both a Canon EOS 1Ds Mk II and a Canon EOS 5D is a purist AND uses Instagram on his iPhone as well on his spare time basically just to explore and have fun.
I guess that’s just the essence of Instagram. To have fun on our spare time in a creative way (ie. square snapshot filter). Simple. Spot-on. At least that’s what we do. :)
As for my two cents given to Laurie, it’s mainly his own data-loving opinion. Preference. Like others hating on ketchup. :)
April 24, 2011 at 9:42 am
Hi Arlo! Welcome to Shutter Slacker, i see it’s your first time to post a comment^_^
I don’t intend to bash the blog autho and his preferences. What irks me is that he spoke in such a way as if using Instagram filters is an evil thing to do to a photo. He’s not simply airing his thoughts, he’s totally proclaiming Instagram boycott as the “right thing” to do. Nowhere in his post did he say something like “i don’t mean to offend Instagram lovers…” or “this is just my opinion, it’s up to you guys if you’ll buy it or not…”
Instagram is indeed a fun app, and i kinda hate Nokia for not thinking about it first. :)
April 25, 2011 at 12:09 am
To me it is important that a photo convey a mood of some sort – that’s part of how a viewer makes a connection with a photo. Now, it is true that there are probably other ways to do this with processing techniques that are less data destructive, but we’re talking about iphone photos here anyhow! I might agree that overzealous processing of a raw file resulting in a loss of data (and therefore resolution or print quality) should be avoided if possible, but iphone photos probably aren’t meant to be of the highest quality in the first place. To each his own!
April 24, 2011 at 10:54 am
i totally agree. anyway, speaking of raw files and post-processing, i don’t shoot in raw… i just make separate folders of the original JPEG file and the post-processed JPEG file, like a “before” and “after”. i think shooting in raw requires me to spend more time in Lightroom. Now how many pounds of data am i gonna shred from that?:)
April 25, 2011 at 12:15 am
I’m an Instagram user… see http://joshintaiwan.com/2011/02/12/instagrammingtaiwan/ for a post of mine… and I love it.
I think this person is bordering idiocy. If you are taking iPhone photos, why are you so concerned about data? Are you going to email these photos to a stock agency to blow up to the size of a billboard? I doubt it. It’s a fun app, no more, no less.
Great post/response!
April 24, 2011 at 11:46 am
” It’s a fun app, no more, no less.”
Now this about sums up my post! I could’ve saved all those wordy paragraphs with this sentence. Thanks Joshua!
Now i have two reasons to get an iPhone: Talking Carl and Instagram. :)) Hey, when are you gonna shoot a new round of Instagram shots???
April 25, 2011 at 12:24 am
I constantly shoot Instagram shots – maybe I’ll post something tomorrow – thanks for the idea :)
April 25, 2011 at 2:21 am
wow!! I openly admit to being a non purest, I majored in photography 20 yrs ago and found it ridiculously frustrating as My first love is painting. however with instagram it has allowed me to love photography again, because it’s not about perfection or “data” but it’s about creativity!! my paintings inform my instagraming. And when I pick up my brushes again my whole intergram experience will then inform my future paintings!!! Laurie clearly doesn’t understand the buzz of being creative. As for me I’m soooo lovin my intagram!!!!lol
April 24, 2011 at 2:37 pm
Hey there Tamar! I’m glad you found your way back to your paintings through photography(instagram)! I look forward to see more Instagram shots from your blog! I’m a journalist, my first love was cartooning but i fell out of it, then i got into photography last year and now i’m loving it! Instagram for me is still photography, just one way to express yourself through photos whatever other people say about it.
Enjoy!^_^
April 25, 2011 at 12:39 am
Well we can’t please everyone, others treasure can be a trash to some. Filters and PP’s boost our craetivity and there’s nothing “evil” with it. That’s maybe also what the sofware inventor thinks. We can also keep original raw photos anyway ^_^
April 25, 2011 at 12:28 am
well i was affected by what he’s trashing hee hee! sorry for the rant:-(
April 25, 2011 at 1:50 am
Pingback: More from Instagr.am | joshintaiwan.com
Interesting odee! For me I always “keep the memories” by keep the original of my shots, in case i wanna do something different with them, I just need to call the original one… I believe you do it too..
I think this guy just try to make difficult an in-difficult thing… :lol:
May 17, 2011 at 4:55 am
yup my original shots are filed under the folder “Negatives” hee hee!
May 18, 2011 at 11:37 am
odeegulmatico is clearly and obviously a moron
May 22, 2011 at 3:54 am
you know what Jess i would appreciate it if you’ll tell me why you find me a clear and obvious moron… otherwise your comment will clearly and obviously not get us anywhere^_^
May 22, 2011 at 4:56 am