Instagram is fun but it's not really "photography"
I detest ppl who post shitty pics, slap a filter and then call themselves a photographer.

This post has been edited by LegendLee: Nov 10 2012, 04:08 AM

If they call themselves pro photographers, they must at least know the standard/definition of it.
You can't call yourself an expert if you've no idea what an expert is.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
What I don't agree is taking photos of every of meal you eat, random clouds in the sky, feets in sand or grass, shots with no compositional value whatsover and slapping the early bird filter... Followed by the comment "I'm an amazing photographer"
I do use instagram and I do take those random shots for fun but some people are too obsessed with how good their instagram pics that they lose themselves to it.

Photography is an art, it's a way to convey a message. When the message is a poorly taken photo of your breakfast with an early bird filter, to me that's not photography. Like how Art is subjective to different people,that's not art to me. I'm not saying its wrong, it's just not something you will brag about to show "you're a photographer".

PS: Regulars here do take good photos occasionally. At least some of them really know what they're doing. It's just gear talk is a lot more "conversational".

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Added on November 10, 2012, 4:52 amAgain take note that I'm not against people who use instagram. I'm just against those who take horrible pics, slap a filter and call themselves photographers.

Most if not all reputable photography competition will ban instagram images with filters.
Heck, try submitting those photos to professional photography associations and they will roll down on the floor and laugh at you.
So it's not me who's judging them but big names in this industry. The day someone wins a Pulitzer with an instagram photo will be the day I recognize these "instagraphers/iPhongraphy".

Long story short , TL;DR version
1. Instagram takes snapshot not art generally. However, it can still take something of real artistic value in rare occasions
2. People who use instagram to take horrible photos then slap a filter of it is hardly photography. If it is, it's probably near the lowest point.
3. I don't care how they express themselves. But they are not photographers if all they use is instagram to take horrible pics with their phone.

This post has been edited by LegendLee: Nov 10 2012, 05:12 AM

I understand where you are coming from, and the people I follow do take amazing photos on Instagram.
However, I'm not saying this based on my instagram account alone but rather in general.

There are many reasons to why instagram isn't real/serious photography
1. It's never meant/designed to be used for serious photography in the first place
2. Filters are a throw to 20 years back where photos quality are generally worse with lens flare and overdone colours/contrast.

But that's a good thing that it's not "photography" in a serious way.
I appreciate instagram because it allows me to take random photos without giving much thought about how people will judge my photos.
It's more fun and light hearted, and I can just post whatever I feel like it to document my life.
I do take shitty photos in instagram, I am guilty of all the food photos with an awful filters and so on , but I don't pride myself that these are great photos.

I think it's very important to know the difference between snapshots taken for fun and "photography" where your photos are being judged.
The latter being exhibitions, published materials, portfolios, photography blogs and to facebook photography page.. you can't post nonsense there but good photos there are really good.

The former being instagram and "phone uploads". It should stay distinctively away from serious photography because I want to take simple, sometimes horrible photos just for fun without people judging me.

If people start claiming that real serious photography is their horrible instagram photos, this defeats the purpose.
It's just that certain people aka hipster who thinks their awful photos on instagram are awesome pieces of photography who irritates me.
"Hey look at my poorly taken instagram photo, it's so awesome that I'm a pro photographer" - Those kind of people should be banned in instagram.


http://instagram.com/legendlee/

This post has been edited by LegendLee: Nov 10 2012, 12:11 PM

I disagree.

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Definitions aside.
One cannot call themselves a painter after painting a horrible picture once in their pre-school.
One cannot call themselves a chef or a cook if they can only cook instant noodles even if they own expensive cooking utensils.

As such, one cannot call themselves a photographer just because they've instagram on their smart phones.
They're not photographers, they're smart phone owners, they're instagram users.

No.
Someone who can only cook maggi mee is not a chef or a cook.
Someone who has only paint horrible pictures in their primary school is not a painter.
Someone who has only sang horribly in Kareoke is not a singer

At that time it's simply someone who cooks instant noodles, someone who's learning to paint or someone who's simply bad in singing.
Not a cook, not a artist not a singer.

It's not just about the output.
It's about the purpose, knowledge, skill, and effort.