...And sign o' the times...this is our friend Ned Bunnell, past President of Pentax USA, who is, of course, very active on Instagram. Kids these days!
(I'd try Instagram, but there's a danger you would never hear from me again.)
Mike
(Thanks to Ned)
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Don't worry, you will miss nothing if you aren't on Instagram.
Posted by: Hugo | Monday, 01 July 2019 at 09:09 AM
Hugo does make a valid argument; but at times, a gem does surface.
Posted by: Alex Mercado | Monday, 01 July 2019 at 02:44 PM
Good for you, Ned! Sure, Instagram is mercilessly self-promotional (and brand-promotional). But it's fairly harmless. It's the only "social media" service I've joined, although I just don't find/make the time to get much out of it.
Posted by: Kenneth Tanaka | Monday, 01 July 2019 at 03:40 PM
Instagram is fine, what will corrupt your mind is listening to too many grumpy, old men*. You post photos, people mash the heart button, sometimes post “Love this” or emojis in the comments, there’s not mutual follow obligation... apart from the algorithmic curation by Facebook (so you know it’s garbage), the ads, and knowing that you’re the product...
It’s fine.
I see pictures of what my family are doing, see their friends interact, see places I haven’t seen, meals I’d enjoy (with them), art I like, what galleries are putting on. I follow a seven year old, autistic kid (actually his mum) who loves photography like an autistic person can, who his mother encourages so that she, and we, can see how he sees the world. As an inspiration to me, a late 40’s male struggling with the alienation of that same (but different**) view, it’s a joy and an enlightenment. And, if you think about it, that’s what it all is regardless of neurology - seeing through other eyes.
It’s fine. It, like Facebook isn’t, like Twitter isn’t, is what you make of it, what you follow, how you curate yourself... just don’t chase follows and likes. If you’re a photographer making a business out of it and using it as advertising, well, you’re an exception to what social media is for (unless you’re paying them) and I don’t know. If you’re the product like most of us, using it just as what it is, social media, and you can deal with the algorithms and the ads (Instagram has lots of “ad-breaks”), it’s fine.
Avoid grumpy, old men***. Instagram is pictures. Curate your feed and yourself (tip: be you).
*With respect to Ned, who from what you say is wearing the irony on his sleeve.
**You know what they say, when you’ve met one autistic person, you’ve met one autistic person.
***a general guide for life and possibly said with its own irony lol ;)
Posted by: Marc | Monday, 01 July 2019 at 05:58 PM
Ironically, this was shot on an I-Phone (according to the post).
Posted by: Glenn Allenspach | Monday, 01 July 2019 at 07:05 PM
There's been a lot of talk and writing about this lately, and it seems that T-shirt may be precisely correct -- that the 'net as a whole, and social media like Instagram and Facebook, make you dumber, because you don't have to work your brain. With Google, almost anything you want to know is more or less available at any instant. You don't have to memorize, you tend not to ruminate, or speculate, or get involved in long term, in-depth projects, because there's always something sparkly on the net to grab your attention. I believe that it's a real problem. I resolved some time ago to turn away from the net, as much as I can, which is hard when you're a writer. Doing that, I find, is both difficult and liberating.
Posted by: John Camp | Monday, 01 July 2019 at 08:21 PM
My Shot'o the day from Saturday:
Around the 5300 block of Wilshire Blvd in LA is this storefront left over from the past. Now, of course, being LA, it's a burger joint.
Posted by: Jim H | Monday, 01 July 2019 at 08:25 PM
I think you should give it a go. The discover feature it’s pretty good, and you can follow #yourfavoritesubject . I started some years ago with some pictures of my food, but now I use almosr exclusively for my russian street photography. I would honored if you would take a look at some pictures in my feed.
https://instagram.com/p/BzYDLWjgEt_/
I’m glad you are back Mike!
Posted by: Ramón Acosta | Tuesday, 02 July 2019 at 01:44 AM
I use email, the Web, texting and What's App. No longer can sleep at night. Mind is always working. iPhones, Ipad and laptop. Constant distractions and by touch screen on my car. It would probably kill me to start up with all these other anti sanity social media sites.
Posted by: Kivi Shaps | Friday, 05 July 2019 at 08:37 AM