[twitter]Instagram is now over 6 months old. I know, we’ve got a 6 month old on our hands and is it time to talk about some etiquette for your activity on the photo-sharing app? We think so.
Because of an amazing architectural rendering instructor, Mike Lynn, I adopted a mantra: “BE LOOSE.” I don’t really enjoy strict rules or saying that people should act one way or another. At the same time, I think that etiquette is pretty important as we move into massive use with Instagram. We want to keep Instagram as a really positive place to share moments, memories, and really awesome photography.
Posting Photos Not Taken with Instagram
Is it etiquette to only post photos that were taken through the Intagram App native camera? Most, if not all, people with an iPhone will agree that you don’t need to shoot your images with the native camera found within the Instagram app. There are some camera apps that do have different functions for focus and white balance, but you’re still using the iPhone camera. You’re still very limited with your iPhoneography and thus I don’t think anyone should ever worry about sharing an iPhone photo in such a social app. Share photos taken with any camera and taken within any iPhone app. This happily leads to the next topic in Instagram etiquette.
Mobile Photography or DSLR?
Light and Shadow
Are we cool if we share some of our DSLR photography within a mobile sharing app like Instagram? We’re cool with any photo shared because we like to look at awesome photography. That said, in our opinion, this gets a little more debatable. If you’re sharing an image not shot with your iPhone (Hopefully using Instagram for Android soon) or iPad 2, please take a moment and tag it so. Instagram users are already asking if the shot was done with the iPhone or not. As I said, I honestly don’t care if you’re sharing mobile photography only or photography shot with you D3x. The problem, at this point, is that we can’t try and pretend a photograph was created with a mobile device when it wasn’t. Perhaps many people sharing their DSLR, edited photography, are not interested in trying to game anything; however, I am certain some people are relishing in the additional likes they’ve received from such images.
Is it too much to ask for a #dslr tag? Or for the camera fanatics, you could tag it with your DSLR model – #D3x or #Mark2.
Take a look at an opinion from Johan Rooms:
Posting DSLR photos on Instagram is like showing off your motor bike at the kids’ playground, sure professional photos, but not the right channel, an icon/button for this might be overkill though.
I believe the majority of people are shooting the images with only an iPhone or iPad 2 now. The amazing interest I have with Instagram is seeing what people are capable of with mobile photography. I’m also interested in the use of photo editing apps on high resolution DSLR images because of the opportunity they present to us as photographers; however, I hope more and more people decide to tag such images as they explore and experiment. Or as noted in our Instagram Wishlist, we wish for the ability to drill down into EXIF source of a photo if we so desired.
In the mean time, I’ve established my own way to distinguish between my mobile photography and my DSLR type images. If I don’t tag the image, it’s from my iPhone. If I do tag the image, it’s been taken with my #dslr. Any photo that isn’t tag is automatically assumed to be mobile.
Just be upfront?
Photo Sharing and Your Feed
Does it matter how many photos your share in a short period of time? I’ve seen some Instagram users post many new images in the span of under a minute. At this point, I, myself, am not that bothered by it; however, I have seen people commenting in some shots asking the user to take a breather. I understand their point and it’s why I’m bringing it up related to etiquette on Instagram.
Let’s think about the impact of posting many updates at once, but let’s not look at Instagram. Instead, how about we look at another social media channel we’re all familiar with today: Twitter. On Twitter, people don’t like one person clogging up their Twitter stream. If someone were to tweet 15 times in a minute, it becomes bothersome. A couple times is normal sometimes. Of course, clogging a feed could also happen if the follower only follows a few people that happen to tweet consistently through the day. The persons feed is going to be full twitter updates from the same people no matter how often they update.
Back to the first scenario, imagine how the people that follow you on Twitter would feel if you posted 15 instagram images that went into Twitter at the same time – totally possible within Instagram. People that follow you would get really angry and ask you to turn off the link from Instagram to Twitter. At the same time, people within Instagram are starting to push back on the same issue. Do what you do, but just realize that you may get some people starting to question you or unfollow you. Personally, you’re refining your follower list to people seriously interested in your feed; however, it’s important to think about this situation.
[Remember, feel free to disagree with me on any of this and make a case in the comments.]
Here is where I find sharing multiple photos [all at once] okay:
If someone is taking interesting images with the iPhone and creating something worth looking at, I don’t make it at all. Infact, one of the ways I love browsing the Instagram feed is with The InstaGallery App. Using InstaGallery on my iPhone or iPad, I can tap the screen to ONLY display the Instagram photos and not show the usernames. This gives me a much more objective look at each photograph as it comes into view. I don’t become concerned with who shared what or how quickly they are sharing images.
The important point is to share images that are moments that you are really happy about or proud of. Ones that you feel your followers would love to see in their feed. That half crooked photo of the ceiling probably didn’t need to get in your feed. Just sayin’
Etiquette Take-Away?
Instagram is what you make it. You decide what goes on and you create your own experience. There really aren’t any rules to follow – you’re not limited to 140 characters or 2 photos per day. The only restriction is that you can only share one photo at a time. We love Instagram so much that we want to see it continue to stay a really positive place for sharing photography and media.
Shoot with any app and any camera! We don’t care because we just want to see what you’re seeing out there in the World.
Be kind and tag your images shot with something other than an iPhone [or Android one day - I'm prayin' for you all]. Saves you from having to answer a question later.
Consider others as you share your own photos. Maybe you should pause a minute or two before sharing that next amazing shot. Browse some images that are being shared by the people you follow and comment on a few of them. After that, go share another shot or two. That’s how I have been trying to operate within Instagram and it’s been nice. I think you’ll find Instagram even more enjoyable too.
Anything Else?
Is there anything you feel should be added to the list of Instagram Etiquette? We’d love to know if there is something that grinds your gears as you look at your news feed or social image feed. Should we add anything related to posting other peoples photos?
Show us you’re out there by giving feedback on these issues and if there’s something you want to address!
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I don’t like seeing dSLR images in Instagram. That’s what portfolios and blogs are for. Some people do this because they are not there for mobile photography but for the illusion that every image they make is perfect. I like seeing actual mobile photographs edited in Instagram or another mobile app on Instagram. If I want to see portfolio images, I go to portfolios.
People can share what they want but those who only share the 18MP dSLR images there are ones I don’t follow. Thus, we all have chives how we use Instagram.
I also try not to post more than 6 in a row just to be kinda polite since I’d cloud someone’s stream but I think if people want to post more it’s their right to do so.
Good post.
I totally get that. I want to see mobile photos because it’s amazing to see the things people can do or think up. I have experimented with dslr images into 100 cameras in 1 on my iPad and then moved them into Instagram. I’m experimenting and trying things out. But I have tagged them or I’ve created a custom location that stated the type of camera I used. I didn’t want to feel as if I was trying to say I snapped a shot with my iPhone that looked like that.
On the other side, if I want to share a portfolio item, I think I could in a different way than simply loading the image into Instagram and not applying any filter. I have teased photos on my site using instagram, but I actually take an iphone shot of the screen and only part of it. This then becomes a play on what happens over at Dribbble but for designers.
It’s a way to create intrigue and mystery – ultimately building some sort way to fascinate the people following you.
I love your comment and I don’t need to see portfolio shots within Instagram. Although, we’re all secretly or unknowingly creating a mobile photography portfolio as we go.
Your comment actually helped me realize another item for the wishlist:
Ability to post to feed or to your library only. It would Default as post to feed and to library. And you’d have to untick the post to feed each time or something. That’s for those programmers to figure out.
I will not follow someone if their whole feed or most of their feed is dSLR shots, even if they tag them.
Part of the charm of Instagram is that I’m getting a unique and kind of hazy look into someone else’s life! Sometimes they might not be the prettiest pictures, but they tell a story. When you just throw your best dSLR shots up, you’re not telling me that story and it loses that charm quickly. (I make an exception for a guy who takes and edits the dSLR shots as he posts them!)
I don’t mind a dSLR shot every now and again. Tagging is for sure mandatory on this list of etiquette rules. I was confused when I first joined Instagram. It’s misleading if not downright dishonest. Some iPhone shots are AMAZING especially on a tiny iPhone screen. Don’t leave us to guess.
Unless people are dumping their dSLR or other shots into the feed, I don’t mind at all how frequently a person posts.
I have a couple of friends that post dSLR pics, and it so obvious! I joke and call them cheaters, but I don’t have a major issue with it. To me, it just seems to take the fun out of Instagram, especially when they post them without filters. I think I’m more bothered by unfiltered photos than I am dSLR pictures. Maybe they’re just fond of the square format? If so, there are apps just for cropping…
As far as etiquette goes, I try not to post back to back unless I happen to be taking pictures at event. Even then, I still limit which ones go onto Instagram. I don’t want to be a show off, but I don’t want to lose the moment either.
I too wish there was a way to post directly to my library without having to post to the feed. There have been so many times where I’ve cancelled posting pictures because I wanted to save them without having to send them to the feed, but I didn’t know how. If you ever get news about this, I would love to hear about it!
Not sure if this is still a need, but putting your phone on Airplane Mode is the way to go for posting to your roll without it going to your feed.
David! Where have you been all my life. Thank you for this tip as often just don’t want to post to my feed. Brilliant
I don’t use instagram, but these are etiquette questions that have broader ramifications. I like the open-mindedness of the discussion here, and the lack of hard and fast rules.
I agree these points could be extended outside of Instagram only. With the rise of many more social photo-sharing apps, many of these issues will become increasingly important.
It’s really weird to see how some people start using such a service. I love seeing the creativity but I’m not big on mass exploitation. I’m amazed that I’m learning a few new things about people that wasn’t expected. Some photographers forget how to compose the simplest of shots – even if you’re not out to create perfect pictures all the time, it all rubs off. Like a great basketball player sucking in a game with friends.
I also find that since Instagram is so simple to use and taking a photo with your mobile phone is a new level of quick, 365 photography projects are almost silly – unless people start to define the projects beyond “taking a photo a day.”
Our creativity should be on the rise.
Hi,
I don’t mind seeing dslr shots but they should be tagged – it’s just that with IG you kinda *assume* it was taken with the iphone.
Saying that – i don’t want to follow someones dslr portfolio – and you can spot such images a mile off.
I’ve have not (yet) published any of my Canon 550 shots but, if i did, they would be tagged #dslr
I think also IG allowing folks to have a bio would help here – you could state how your shots are nornally taken.
As far as feed hoggin – i only let a small % go to twitter – hopefully this acts as a lightning rod for relevant users to engage with me on IG.
As far as flooding the IG stream – i try to be sensitive to this – but if they are good shots then ok – however, we don’t need 20 shots of your feet in the sand on the beach – one will do – be brutal.
A final etiquette point is perhaps never responding to comments; like ignoring twitter replies, this is plain rude
Joel_hughes
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i like the idea of tagging your non-mobile shots with DSLR. good one.
selfishly speaking, i would like Instagram to champion more and mostly Iphone photography.
there are plenty of other channels (flickr, blog, twitter, facebook, etc) for the DSLR stuff.
love what you’re writing about here scotty. keep up the great work!
If only there were more clever poplee like you!
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Although i think we should not restrict creativity (and mobile apps are much more fun and easy to use than photoshop) we should avoid sharing them trough instagram or other mobile apps. What i like about mobile photography is the challenge of doing great work using just the mobile with our without apps.
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I find when people post pictures they’ve found on Google or whatever much more annoying. Especially when they’re all blurry or you’ve seen the same picures on others page.
Hey Nicole,
I’d probably end up unfollowing someone if they did this. I’m pretty loose on the unfollow once I do follow someone but that might be the line in the sand.
What’s your name on Instagram? If we’re not connected already, find me @scottwebb and say hi!
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