Here are 10 reasons why I believe celebrity instagram users have been increasing:

Reaching Out to Fans

Fans are pretty demanding, especially at the level of some of these celebrities. Twitter is great because it’s fast but limited to the 140 characters and seeing an image requires a click.  I love when I hear about a celebrity trying something new in the tech space.  I know some of you may find this to be more annoying than anything: “Who are they to think they know anything about technology or social media!” Don’t be like that.  There are countless articles written everyday on blogs about getting more followers on such and such platform.  Just like you, a celebrity is trying to find more and more ways (easier ways at that) to connect with people that want to connect to them.

Control Release of Images to the Public

I recall hearing about celebrities in Europe speaking out about the insanity of the paparatzi. The imposing actions of these photographers upon the life of the celebrity is of control and often images are released with no context.  Celebrity instagram users are able to release their own images with the app and attach a caption.  Hearing and seeing it from the source is far superior to paparatzi and tabloid journalists.  The ability to build on your own personal brand from the palm of your hand is powerful. Check out this post on Drake using Instagram.

Celebrities Are Not A One Trick Pony

No one is doing just one thing anymore, a celebrity personality especially. We see a musician release albums, collaborations, clothing lines, doing commercials for other industries, creating their own fragrances, and more.  So much work goes into each of their ventures and they all provide opportunities for visual narrative. That’s exactly it. With an iPhone in their hands, they are able to share their life’s narrative on a deeper level.  A celebrity isn’t just a personality but is involved in everything they put their name on.  They may not have the time to write long blog posts, but a quick image with an iPhone can say a lot.

Behind the Scenes of the Workday

This is pretty cool because you get to see how celebrities are in constant contact with other celebrities.  Take a look at Ryan Seacrest’s instagram feed sometime and you’ll see exactly what I mean. On the other hand, you may see the grind the celebrity goes through if they show a lot of travel photos, photos leading up to a big release or launch, or competition.  A number of celebrities on Instagram are from the music industry and perhaps you’ll see their marketing managers see the response level of Instagram vs Twitter vs Facebook in the future. Plus Instagram is a perfect medium to tease upcoming album covers or options for them.  ( much like Tim Ferriss did with Google Adwords in the past for book covers).  Not that all the other categories don’t relate to the President Obama team being on Instagram now, but I think behind the scenes visuals on Instagram is one of the ways Obama is trying to build connectivity with voters.

To Show the Ever day Life of a Celebrity is Much like Yours

Behind every celebrity on Instagram is a real person. Celebrity Instagram users are just like you and I.  They love their pets, are annoyed when stuck in traffic, like taking self portraits, and daydream in the beauty of imagery around us.  For all the reasons you’re loving Instagram, they are loving it for the same.   It doesn’t matter who you are, we all have the desire to explore our creative urges and document our journey through life. Photography helps us with both and iPhone photography couldn’t make it easier.

Celebrity Instagram Users give Exclusivity for Super Fans

Celebrity Instagram users provide exclusive looks into their realm for the super fan instagram followers.  Sometimes the celebrity will share the instagram photo into their twitter feed or facebook page, but it’s often pretty exclusive right now.  Eventually I see major news outlets going right to the celebrities instagram feed but for now, everything is pretty exclusive. Also, Superfans don’t have to get their content via 3rd party news! Using photography, iPhone photography and Instagram at that, a celebrity is creating a deeper relationship with fans. They’re creating a much more connected relationship on a personal level – something unseen ever before.  (expand on this for your friends).

More Media Attention for Celebrities and Instagram

As a celebrity adopts social media platforms that are breaking massive ground, the celebrity also receives media attention 10 fold. This cycle promotes more and more adoption of the social platform.  I believe that once a celebrity starts making use of Instagram, the easy of use and visual nature wins them over other social media platforms. Interestingly enough, the use of instagram could increase their usage into other platforms as well.  With the simple sharing of iPhoneography into Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr, the celeb may be advised to try out a Tumblr account as well.  There are fans and fanatics everywhere. People have their preferred platforms and channels of communication, anyway to reach them is important.

Who Celebrites are following on Instagram lets you a bit into the life of their most important friends too.  It’s interesting to see whom certain celebrities are following on instagram.  I’m not sure Bob Harper ( Personal Trainer from Biggest Loser ) is following a bunch of friends, clients he’s helped, or other trainers.  I did notice he’s following the winner of The Biggest Loser – Olivia.  It’s awesome to see those connections outside of the television screen.

Insight into the Industry of the Celebrity

Depending on the celebrity, the use of Instagram provides a unique insight into that particular industry.  Imagine a Michael Phelps sharing his morning meals, training times, quick shots of his locker and USA type imagery to pump other Americans up for the Olympics.  Someone that dreams of doing what Phelps does in the pool would follow everything related to him.  This is a bit different than the behind the scenes of their Workday but all of these reasons for the celebrity increase on Instagram blend together.

Busy Celebrities Always Have their iPhone On Them

Think of how you can’t go anywhere without your iPhone.  Now think about how important being connected would be for a celebrity like Justin Bieber, Snoop Dogg, or  Taylor Swift.  Next, connect the celebrities with the addictive nature of sharing photos and the immediate response of fans.   Some celebrities are seriously increasing their usage within the Instagram platform and it’s a clear indication that their iPhone is always with them.   Soon enough we begin to ask if the celebrity has their phone on them to be connected for important business or for the valuable interactions with the 3 f’s – Family, Friends, and Fans.

Celebrity Instagram Users follow other Celebrities

Justin Bieber is on Instagram and it’s no surprise that Selena Gomez is one of his Instagram followers.  I’m certain Drake and Beiber are friends – they are Instagram. It’s no surprise that there is a snowball effect happening with famous people hitting the Instagram scene.  Most, if not all, are already on Twitter and Instagram will send these images right into the celebrities Twitter feed as well.  Even if a celebrity isn’t in the loop of what’s happening on social media, their agents and publicists are probably looking out for what other actors, musicians, and stars are getting press with today.

Go look at who a celebrity follows on Instagram or who follows them. You’ll be able to hop from celebrity to celebrity and I believe this is a great way for them ( the celebrities) to continually perpetuate more followers and fans.

There are more than 10 reasons…

PS. Have you found any unique celebrity Instagram users that most people don’t know about yet? 

Apparently, Drake’s been known to toot the BlackBerry horn. He loved it, needed it, craved it for writing his rap. There were articles back in 2010 about how much Drake loves his Blackberry and how integral it is to his writing.  In an article on this, his friends said:

“All his raps are written on a BlackBerry, if we don’t have a BlackBerry we gotta borrow one or find one somewhere!”

And Drake even said this:

“The BlackBerry keys…my thumbs were made for touching them!”

So what’s up? Are there more need for our Canadian Rap Artist than just being able to write on the BlackBerry? Drake is consistently posting to Instagram, an application that’s only available on iOS at this point.  Has he ditched the old BlackBerry for an iPhone? Or is he using an iPad? I highly doubt that Drake is using an iPad and Instagram, but we could look at the exif data if needed.  The iPhone is the ultimate for creative output and I’m certain someone like Drake can enjoy so much more interaction with people using an iPhone.

With Instagram being an iPhone only platform, are celebrities, like Drake, ditching their old ways to connect with fans because of the emotional reward it generates? I would love to talk to Drake about this but I’ll probably have to leave it to Entertainment Tonight on the red carpet or leave it to Ellen.

It’s no surprise that Instagram keeps gaining celebrities and that we find it so much more interesting than a famous person joining Twitter.  We’re visual people by nature and love to have this voyeur look into the life of a celebrity.  When it comes to Drake, Instagram might have been the deciding factor.  Go take a look at his following list and you might see why he didn’t want to feel left out of all the fun.

As I mentioned, Drake didn’t join Instagram tonight but he might have influenced you to sign up or to ditch your BlackBerry and join in the Instagram photo sharing addiction.  I’m interested in what the celebrities are sharing on Instagram too.  I love seeing how active Drake and Bieber are within the IG community already.  They must be finding something very unique about it or they’re just as into the ability to easily photograph the world around them as you are.

I can’t wait to hear some news that confirms Drakes movement away from BlackBerry. Not that I have anything against BlackBerry, but I do believe that Instagram is a platform pulling people to the iPhone.

Drake Instagram Photos:

Here are a few of Drake’s Instagram photos from his feed.  Remember you can also follow him on Instagram under the name of Champagnepapi.  I assume his name will change eventually as Justin Bieber changed his name away from ‘swagisme’ to ‘justinbeiber.’

If you know someone that’s into the work of Drake, make sure you share this with them. Shoot off a tweet, like, stumble, or +1. Whatever gets this out to them.

I’ve always wanted into the Wright Lithography Building, but walking around to the back I found a sign that gave me a warning about Asbestos.  Okay, it still might not be the time to get into this building.  You can’t deny that the back of this building is pretty rad and would be a great location for some people to have their photograph taken.

Do you have a location scouting routine? How often do you do it? Let us know in the comments!

The ability to take iPhone photos using the volume up button is the most exciting part of the Apple 2011 Keynote.

Did they “steal” this idea from Camera+ that tried to integrate over a year ago? You can be crazy and think that, but it’s a natural and obvious progression at the same time.

Now I just need an iPhone 4 and the Hipoflex!

Image credit: engadget

On Friday I shared our newsletter that Included some food for thought, a simple website/facebook assignment for photographers with a photography website and facebook page, and a reminder about the Food Photography course on CreativeLIVE.   I didn’t get into why the articles were super important, but according to the MailChimp report, people checked a lot of the links out.  I hope the articles sparked some thought and might even become things to bring up in their own blog!

I checked out the articles over the weekend and used a new tool to highlight information that I found really interesting.  The tool is called Scrible and I heard about it through the New Media Photographer podcast.  Normally I save the posts to Instapaper and read them over, but I wanted to try the highlighting feature of Scrible. I’m pretty impressed and recommend checking it out.

Here are the Links that I highly suggest checking out:

A Theme Develops

Unknowingly, there is a common theme that seems to develop when I look over the content in these articles.  How can you continue to improve your photography on an everyday basis, igniting the creativity within you, and make it sustainable.   Even the article by Thomas Hawk fits this because I can sense that he doesn’t feel that his Samsung Android phone is elevating his photography or creativity.

Think about this in your own life.

Signup for our newsletter to get these links early to browse over the weekend, learn a new photography tip or way to enhance your photography website, and other rad things.

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With the massive growth of mobile photography and the most interesting buzz I’ve ever experienced around Instagram, we can’t help but want the system and platform to improve.  Inspired by Joel Hughes, I had to create our own Instagram Wishlist and I’m constantly wondering what else can be brought into this amazing innovation.  I was talking with Jack Hollingsworth on Monday this week and we’ve never been so excited for something in photography – Granted Jack has 30 years experience over me.

Increased Sharing and Saving Options

• Save to Dropbox
• Save to Smugmug

If 100 Cameras in 1 app can do this, I know Instagram can implement this as another option within sharing features.  If there is enough of an interest shown perhaps it will happen.  There is another app that apparently will save the images to Dropbox and that says there is enough interest for this item.  With Smugmug, I would love to see more mobile photography galleries popping up.  Saving shots to that service would help mobilize their community and I’m sure Smugmug would promote the heck out of that ability.

Profile Information

A user profile on Instagram seriously lacks any kind of additional detail for the person. I would have to leave the app or open up a desktop browser to search for the person on Twitter or Google.  Some people have a gigantic following and I have no idea who they are! I would really love if we were able to input more information about ourselves. Facebook URL, Twitter URL, Website URL, and a short bio like Twitter offers. As we use the social channel more and more, we want to allow people to learn more about us [if they want].

Instagram Available on Android

Instagram Android App – At first I was against this because I wanted Instagr.am to focus on making this the best iPhone photography app ever. I didn’t want the team to deviate from iPhone development. The wish for Instagram on Android is because I am very interested in the growth of this entire entertainment platform.  With Apple rumored to have a photo-sharing service hidden within the code of latest update, getting Instagram onto Android devices may be more important than initially thought.  I do understand there are a lot of things to juggle when it comes to Android, but I am confident something will come soon.

Rebounds [for lack of a better word]

I would love to see a way to rebound shots, much like we see on Dribbble.  If I were to share an Instagram Photo, people could play off of that idea or theme.  A lot of things can be done with hashtags, but I would like to see an advanced feature that can allow people to not even need a hashtag.  It would almost work like a hashtag does now, ie  it would load a new window of all the rebounds.  The other side of this coin is that a rebound would have a way to link back to the original “shot.”

View Personal Likes

We have the ability to “Favorite” photos and then view those favorite photos too.  Currently in Instagram I can “Like” a photo but I don’t get to see the images I’ve liked.  Perhaps I would be able to look at my own likes and reflect a bit more.  I might compare my Instagram photos to the photos that I’ve liked from others. In doing this exercise, I could learn that I’m not shooting anything that I seem to love from everyone else.  Reflecting and looking back is important to my own creativity and expanding.   Let us see our own likes :)

Simple EXIF Information

If anything, I’d love to have the ability to grab or drill down into the device used to take the photo shared. I don’t care if your image was shot with an iPhone, a D3x, or a brownie camera; however, I am massively inspired by people that create mind-blowing images with their iPhone or mobile device. If I’m blown away by an image, I’d love to be able to see if it was an iPhone and give the respect the person is due.  If the image happens to be a DSLR shot being shared, I’ll still smack down the Like and give kudos – I just won’t be as wowed in the mobile photography space.

Improved Comment Features

Sometimes a photo in Instagram is just a small part to a bigger story. Much like with Twitter, we have the ability to include a link within the character restriction. I think many people would find it amazingly awesome to share a link to a bigger story.  At this point, I would embrace the ability within the comments.  If you follow me on Instagram [@scottwebb] you’ll have seen me experimenting with shortcodes, htlm, and forum type codes to try and get a link to become actionable. I was hoping to find it as an Easter egg or something.  I haven’t had any luck yet.

We love the current features, such as holding down on the username to mention in a comment and the hashtags. We just would like the ability of posting links.

Or would this change the way people use the system? I’ve already seen other users starting to introduce a shortlink. I added my photoblog as a “location” so that I could easily select it if I share a teaser of my photoblog post. Would allowing links within the comments become too promotional? Would it improve the user experience? Would it become an issue of sending people away from the app instead of increasing usage within it?  As an entertainment platform, I think the Instagram images become visual teasers to more information.   Could this become a higher level paid user function?  What do you think?

Trending Hashtags within the Instagram App

The popular page within the Instagram App is okay but what if I would rather see the popular trending hashtags?  I was a bit taken aback during WPPI because I thought many photographers would have embraced Instagram and the #WPPI hashtag to document the conference.  Perhaps a trending topics within the Instagram App could help to catch the attention of more users to make use of them.  It could help for Brand integration too.  We could see a hashtag become used in a comment, but we might not realize it’s actual reach or understand something bigger is happening at that moment.

Active Users At the Top

When I go to look at Who I am Following within Instagram, I would like to see the top 200 most active users that I follow. I don’t want to follow someone that doesn’t use Instagram at all. For Instance, I always noticed that I followed Gary Vaynerchuk [at least he took a moment to set up a profile photo] but Gary has never shared one Instagram shot with his audience of over 2000 followers.  He would fall to the bottom of my following list compared to someone else sharing multiple photos per day.

The same thing would be amazing for looking at the people that follow you.  I would love to see the most active Instagram users that are following me.  Right now, I can see that someone’s following me but I’m not following them. Before clicking follow back, I like to look to see when they last shared a photo in their feed.  Sometimes I see the person never posts any Instagram photos or it’s been 8 weeks since their last photo.  Why bother following them at this point? I have no desire to anticipate when they might share their next image.  I won’t follow, so can we move them down the list?

News Feed Features

I was wondering what could be rad to have in the Instagram News feed.  Right now I can see the activity related to my Instagram photos and I can switch it up to see what those I’m following are liking within the ecosystem.  I hate rehashing the same things that would probably be the first things that come to everyones mind.  So I sat on a wishlist related to the news feed.

Most Popular of Those You’re Following

We can see the images friends are liking, why not an algorithm that displays the popular photos of just the people you follow too.  I would be interested to know the best photos of those I’m following. For instance [I didn't realize this at first], but Facebook has a TOP NEWS and a most recent.  Top news is where I was going with the popular photos those you’re following shared.

Can you think of anything that could be nice to have in the Instagram News Feed?  In Joel’s Wishlist, he thought it would be nice for an option to have larger images shown within the news feed.  Any more thoughts?

Instagram Official Website

We know from the Interview with Instagram founders that an official website for Instagram is in the pipeline.  It’s still valid for us to wish for something that will blow us away.  Kevin has mentioned that Instagram is looking at the website very carefully and that could bring some high hopes.  Since we are aware that a website is coming, what would you love to see?  For now, I’m going to be very vague and say that the Instagram Website should look and act almost exactly opposite that of which Flickr is working [besides the likes and view personal likes!].  Head over to Thomas Hawk’s website and see all the things he would like Flickr to improve on.

I wonder if an Instagram website could become one of the most visited sites on the web. Do you have any ideas to be integrated into an official site for our beloved Instagram?

Conclusions

I adore what’s going on with photo-sharing apps like Instagram.  I believe it has uses we’ve not yet explored and I’m excited.  I’m not the only one creating an Instagram Wishlist either.  You must go check out Joel Hughes Wishlist because he has some other thoughts that I didn’t want to repeat.  I’m bringing up these wishlist items as is – that means I may never actually expect every single item to become a feature.  Think of when you brainstorm ideas and how some fall to the side.  If anything, perhaps someone on the Instagram team will catch wind and put a few checks beside their whiteboard wall of ideas.  Maybe I’ll get to join the Instagram team and move to San Francisco? [hey there must be some point to having those random dreams at night].  Instagram has opened the door to the adjacent possible of social media, photography, and entertainment.  I crossed through that door and there is no going back now.

Feel free to totally bash or rip apart any of these ideas. At the same time, please chime in on ideas you may agree with and want to see implemented.

Remember to leave a comment and show us you’re still breathing out there. Also leave a comment if you’re sending a private contact with address info for a Postagram from us while we’re in Mexico!

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Bring on Instagram for Android

I don’t use an Android device.  Instagram Android was an idea that I prayed the team at Instagram would not touch with a ten foot pole until they seriously became rockstars in the iPhone space.  Fear crept in on me as I played out visions of the Instagram team slowly ignoring development with the iPhone iOS for development on the Android OS.   Don’t leave us iPhone users with a dying camera app just to please the lonely Android users, I’d cry out as I jolted out of bed from the nightmares.

A shift in development focus from iPhone to Android could have meant a stagnant photography app and the millions of adopters may start to shrug shoulders.  If you’re at all familiar with Chase Jarvis’ iPhone camera app – Best Cam – you’ll probably understand what I mean by a stagnant photography app.  I opened up Best Cam the other day and remembered when I thought it was pretty interesting.  Little to no updates left me wondering if I should just delete the app all together.  Was it a short term monetary project for Chase? I don’t know but it doesn’t seem to have any desire to compete with other photography apps in the mobile photography space.

I didn’t want my beautiful, and new best friend, to go the way of Best Cam.  I didn’t want to feel lonely.  If I wanted lonely, I could simply download the Color app and stare at the cheap icons as my photographs echoed for eternity.  No, I wanted my new best friend, Instagram for iPhone, to keep coming back with newer, better, faster, and stronger functions, filters, and toys.  I wanted Instagram to become so amazing that Android users would simply drop those phones and the official phone for photography lovers would become the iPhone.  Thankfully, Kevin Systrom cleared any anxiety of a money grab and disappearing act when he said this:

What is uninteresting to us is charge a user 99 cents and never see them again model. To be a world changing company we need to think bigger than that.

I wanted Instagram all to myself [and other iPhone users].  Where was that line that defined Instagram as rockstars in the iPhone space? I had no idea, but I was certain that it was too soon to start fragmenting focus and developing for a different platform. I wanted Instagram all to myself [I had to say it again].

Something Changed

I no longer want to be selfish when it comes to Instagram on Android.  The inclusion of Android will easily double the Instagram user base and bring with it even more creative minds.  I love finding people that shoot amazing images with their iPhone and I know there are Android users capable of the same thing.

I’m surrendering my selfishness and the desire to keep Instagram only on iOS devices.  The sooner Instagram is available on Android the better. There has been intense interest from Android users from the very beginning – just go to the older Instagam support site and you’ll see quick proof of that.

The most popular request on the old Instagram support site was and still is “Instagram for Android” with 306 votes [more votes had been added over the last week].  6 months ago the request for Instagram Android was requested and they’re still waiting. Let’s not forget that “Instagram Android” was one of the most searched for phrases from Google Trends [see article]. In my opinion the wait will be worth it for those users, but lets look at a few comments from the idea thread.

Instagram for Android! Plz :(

Okay, totally off the top of my head here, but let me know what you think. I’m thinking: Instagram for Androids! I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m willing to pay for it.

~ Notorious USB

I would really appreciate, and others would too, if you make this app available to android users. We don’t have much fun photo taking apps for our phones and it would be pretty awesome to have an app that iphone and android users can use together.

~ Justine

I did send an e-mail to instagrams contact email, and got a reply a few days ago and thought I should share.
“Right now, we’re focusing on making the iPhone app better, as we just launched a little over two weeks ago and need to make sure bugs are fixed, but expanding to other platforms is certainly something we want to do in the future.”

So lets hope the future is near.

~ Andreas

Personally, I’m an avid iphone user/supporter, however I agree with this %100. Instagram for Android will enable this community to grow even more popular

~ Aaron Jackson

Considering how many slight variations to Android there are on different phones, and how many different cameras, it’s probably not as simple as I’d like it to be. I’m always surprised at how frequently my fave Android photo app, Vignette, updates (99% of the time it’s with notes indicating the update pertains to a minor bug on a single handset model).

I believe Google has announced that Android 3.0 will be more unified, and allow less tweaking by various manufacturers, so as to provide a more consistent platform for users and developers. Personally, if I were writing or porting an app for Android I would hold off for this release.

~ Nox Dineen

Patiently Waiting

Many of the additional comments in the get satisfaction thread are positive and mention interest.  These Android users are patiently anticipating Instagram Android! They know it’s going to come for their phones at some point, but when? That’s what’s so fascinating! When?

The release of an Instagram Android App will be huge out the gate – I mean it was huge out the gate for iPhone adoption.  There are a bunch of ducks to get into a row and I’m sure I don’t know the half of them.  You’ve got to hand it to the Instagram team for their own patience as well.  Their patience is a really good sign in my opinion.

We know Instagram Android is Coming

Even though I have no plans of switching from iPhone iOS to Android, I am excited for the Android community to start experiencing Instagram.  With my massive interest in Photography Lifestyle Design, mobile photography is an integral part. Funny enough, mobile photography is becoming a foundation to that simple idea now.  When I first thought of using that phrase it was because I was determined to make photography and integral part of my everyday life.  Along came Instagram with this app that desires to help us document the world in front of us.  If you want to do this for the world, you’re going to include the Android platform.

Instagram Android Will Mean Something HUGE

And while both co-founders do insist that an Android app and website are both in the works (they’re “thinking really critically about them”), their grander goal for the product goes beyond any particular avenue for distribution, “Our vision for Instagram in the long run is seeing the world as it happens through other people’s eyes.”

~ Alexia Tsotsis

If I were Instagram [I can dream], I would obviously develop for Android; however, it’s release would be coupled with even more news. Instagram doesn’t view it’s app as a simple photo-sharing service. The purpose is much greater and I hope to help more people see that.

Once Instagram is opened up to the entire world of devices, you’ll want the web presence to be in place.  We know that the web presence is in the works from Instagram as well and I am beyond excited because this company is seriously considering a movement in the photography space. Instagram has a purpose and a cause to believe in! I can’t believe that my reasons for getting out of bed everyday actually align with the vision of Instagram.

You have to appreciate a company that isn’t looking to extract cash from their user base instantly – even though I a majority of people would happily pay [myself included].

I’m confident that an Instagram Android app will actually bring us all much more in the long run.  Instead of hoping to keep Instagram all to us iPhone users, wishing for an Android cousin will mean many bigger things.  This is a very interesting time to be interested in photography and social media.  What’s going to happen within the Instagram News Feed? If there’s a web presence, what will the news feed look like there?

There are so many, seemingly, never ending questions that are so important in launching into new spaces. Until you sit down and start thinking about what spaces will look like, you’ll think it’s a simple switch that can be flicked [we know it's not that simple].

I surrender my selfishness and remember that good things come to those who wait.  I’m excited for Android users to get on the new drug [no, not Charlie Sheen] called Instagram!

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Make sure you watch this video from TechCrunch and view our instagram gallery:

Two Kinds of Photographers

Technology is creating two kinds of photographers: The scared photographer and the democratized photographer.  The scared photographer fears what is happening around them.  They live in the past and and harp on camera phone photography as gimmicky, uncreative, and creating a whole new generation of mediocre photography.

The Scared Photographer

The scared photographer is worried because anyone can claim to be a photographer and it’s simply not fair to them.  On most websites, you’ll find photographers trying to separate themselves from the democratized photographer – usually through more technical equipment and by stating the years of experience in photography.  On Nuwomb, we support the democratized photographer instead of trying to put you down and scare you away from photography.

The Democratized Photographer

Because the bar is lowered to enter into digital photography, more and more people are shooting photography and considering to start a photography business.  These photographers are like warlocks with tiger-blood.  They are fearless, creative, trying new things, shooting non-stop, and building a following based on their love for photography.  These photographers don’t care what camera they’re using because they’re creating photography and feeling good.

The democratized photographer is slowly building a portfolio whether they know it or not and they’re everywhere online.  The interest in photography starts out innocent and grows into a desire to make a living from it.

If the democratized photographer upsets you, get used to it.

The fact that technology has empowered many new photographers is not sad. It’s inspiring and motivational. If you’re put off by having to work harder to stand out then it says more about you than these democratized photographers.

More than Perfect Pixels

I find that many people seem to forget what photography is about.  In the past, there were fewer photographers because equipment was very expensive.  The best equipment is still expensive but you don’t need the “best” to create amazingly emotional, raw, creative, and breathtaking photography. Remember that photography is about more than just the final picture. There are some emerging qualities in photography that are overtaking perfect pixel photography.

There is an article on Blackstar about Chasing the new in photography and how it sucks the passion out of the industry.  I honestly have no idea what the heck that means, but we’re told that people are trying to find the next new trend and thus creating mass amounts of mediocre photography.  An art gallery curator even told a photographer that there was nothing new in their portfolio and sent them on their merry way.  The response of the curator, in my eyes, was one that said nothing in the portfolio stood out. Nothing in the portfolio was exceptional and extraordinary.

Good is not good enough.

This gallery curator doesn’t care if you’ve been taking photographs since you were in the womb.  This curator probably doesn’t know you from a hole in the wall and doesn’t care if the lighting is perfect, the composition is perfect, and doesn’t care if you have used the highest quality binding for your book.  The curator doesn’t care if you’re a professional photographer or not.

A Movement

Look at Instagram because it is a space in which non-photographers are creating amazing photography.  These non-photographers have 10′s of thousands of followers, followers that love their work.  People don’t care if the person they’re following is a photographer or not.  People simply love to see great photography and anyone is capable of creating it.   If a follower loves this photography, created with an iPhone, imagine what they could do with a DSLR.  Even better, the follower could be so impressed with the photography feed that they request this person for photographic services.  Your social presence and continuous sharing of photography can have a great impact.  This is the movement of the democratized photographer.  The movement of people exploring photography, poking the box, and pressing the shutter more than you (the scared photographer).

The more the scared photographer tries to put down these mediocre and wannabe photographers, the more the democratized photographer will rise up.  We totally support the democratized photographer – yea the ones shooting camera phone photographs and finding creativity and interest in photography. Who are we to put that creative expression down?

Things change. You better be willing to try new and different things because other people are and they might be the ones that don’t have your decades of bland photography experience.  The scared photographer needs to end the campaign against the fact that everyone can be a photographer today.

Motivation

If you’re one of these democratized photographers, don’t take the heat from these grumpy old photographers. Use their negativity as motivation. Show and share more photographs than them. Shoot more photographs than them. Their years of experience in the darkroom while be eaten up quickly. Have fun and talk about your photography more than them. The last thing you should do is join them in their quest against new explorations in photography.

We’re currently in the most amazing time period of time that photography has EVER seen. Everyday something new is happening within the photography world and we are encouraging you to embrace it. Let’s ride this wave instead of trying to building a wall around it.

Which Photographer Are You?

I am not a web developer, app developer, or iPhone developer but I started getting interested in the Instagram API a few weeks ago. With at least 300K photos being uploaded per day, there is something special that can happen when you start to filter out images around a theme, geolocation, or tag.

With our Nuwomb Facebook page, we’re included the ability for any instagram photos with the hashtag #nuwomb to become posted via the RSS feed. The facebook RSS application we’re using is checking the feed every 30 minutes and post to the wall for the community to discuss or simply view.

How would using the Instagram API differ?

Developing an application that makes use of the Instagram API would allow the images to be posted in real time. While this isn’t really something I’d want feeding into a Facebook Wall, I could definitely see it’s use in another type of Facebook application that goes under it’s own tab. Brands could definitely make use of it for events.

Here is how developers will be able to interact with the real-time Instagram API:

1) Users of the developer’s application: every time a user of an Instagram-linked application posts a photo, the developer’s application will receive a notification. Developers like Foodspotting and sites like Dropbox now both utilize this new functionality.

2) Tags: An application can track a given tag and receive updates every time a new photo is posted with a given tag.

3) Locations: Every time a new photo is geo-tagged with a specific location, the developer will receive a notification.

4) Geographies: Sometimes individual locations are too specific. For these cases, we suggest subscribing to Geographies. Geographies consist of a latitude and longitude and a radius. This allows developers to subscribe to a given area like Austin or a specific city block of Manhattan.

The quickest integrations of the Instagram API will probably be linked-applications. Applications will offer the ability to login into your Instagram account and pull specific images you share.   I was reading the Mashable article and they gave a great example using the Foodspotting application and it might help out here too:

If you’re a Foodspotting user, for instance, and you’ve linked your Instagram account to the app, Foodspotting can now automatically pull in your Instagram “#food” photos from the API as you post them.

This example helped me to wrap my head around some possibilities for using the Instagram API.  I’m still generally confused on any sort of development front.  Developing anything myself may never happen, but I’ve got to wonder what might be possible due having a huge interest in merging everyday life with photography.

Ideas for utilizing the Instagram API

The Foodspotting application is a great use of the API.  Flipboard, Memento, and About.me apparently have some great Instagram integration on the way. I got a few ideas after hearing about how Foodspotting makes use:

What are your ideas?

I’d love to hear your ideas or possibilities for using the Instagram API now that it’s public.  It should be very interesting to see what actual developers come up with for us that love using the application.

We’re in for some interesting times! We love Instagram!

Coming up later on our photoblog is more London Architecture!

Here is a tease using our favorite iPhone photography apps – Instagram and Express App.

Yup, this post is 100% done via my iPhone. Express app is awesome as it works with the WooThemes Canvas Theme tumblog functionality.

Too slick!