With society’s attachment to social media, it is impossible to not know what Instagram is. This convenient mobile application is widely used to share photos via social networking and due to its wide appeal, the application allows photos to reach a potential audience of over 10 million.
However, what makes Instagram different from any other tool used to share pictures online is the promptness of an upload, taking merely a few seconds, as well as the vintage filters used to beautify any picture. By the simple process of selecting a filter and uploading a photo, the user is then able to share their “masterpiece” with the world, sprinkling hashtags in the comments if they want more publicity.
Although Instagram has received countless compliments and seems like it is utilized by everyone who owns a smartphone, there are still those who feel that it undermines the beauty of true photography. The filters should not be the determining factor that make the picture unique and aesthetically appealing. A true photographer would utilize lighting, framing, and angle in order to highlight the essence of the subject in a photograph. The filters in Instagram dominate and mask the creative perspective of the photographer, and instead, the viewers see the overwhelming blue blur of the filters or the Polaroid edges. With this, the value of true photography is lost.
Still, the 10 million users of Instagram would beg to differ, being that Instagram plays a large part in the modern photography revolution. With easy access to a phone, users would then be able to easily capture any moment, allowing for spontaneity in photos. In addition, the especially alluring photo filters allow users to create an illusion of warm, faded vintage images or dark, contrasted photos that enhance the appeal of the photos even more by creating a nostalgic feel.
Along with Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr, Instagram has created a place for itself in the midst of our technologically advanced society. It’s free, simple, and easy to use. However, maybe the question isn’t really if Instagram is true art, but if anymore treasured longstanding traditions of photography will be engulfed by social media and spat back out as a smartphone application.