Instagram is the photography app that has taken the world by storm and made the idea of snapping photos more appealing to the masses. Every person you know probably has an account on this photo sharing site, even the guy who usually does your dry cleaning. It wouldn’t be surprising if your grandmother also has an account. In the age of technology and the Internet, just like in love, age does not really matter. Some netizens see Instagram as an app which simply gives its users the option to apply a series of filters to their photos which make them think they could be a photographer. Some even consider themselves professional photographers even if the only portfolio they could brag about is their Instagram accounts. Either way, you cannot deny the power of this photo sharing app.
It makes you wonder if Instagram is a good thing for photography in the long run. It is like when communicating apps like VoIP services were first introduced to the market. Sure, they have revolutionized the way people communicate. Not only have they eliminated the crippling costs of long distance phone calls but they have also made it extremely convenient to get in touch with people from any part of the world. But if you really think about it, how do communication platforms such as this affect the way people relate to one another? It certainly made communicating easier but what about personal interactions? Are they totally forgotten? The same thing applies to photography when new technology is introduced. What then, are the effects of Instagram on the art of photography? The answers will highly depend on a personâs perspective.
- Not so good for business – If you have been a photographer for years, worked your way up and strived to gain recognition, then the app is detrimental to your career and business. With more people using the app to edit their photos, the number of people who hire photographers will decrease over the years. Although the quality of images produced in Instagram with the help of filters remains far behind when compared to the ones taken and edited by real professional photographers, it does not eliminate the fact that people will choose to stick with their Instagram-edited photos since it will not entail any costs on their end.
- A sad case for teachers – If you are a photography teacher, you might have noticed a decline in the number of people attending your classes. Some studies involving Instagram showed that avid users of this photo sharing site think that they no longer need to attend photography classes because Instagram already provides them with everything they need to know about photography. Somehow, Instagram was able to convince them that there is nothing more to learn in basic photography classes. They stop wanting to learn the proper and time consuming methods and choose to just use the app instead.
- Sparks interest – You could turn that last point around, though, and claim that the app has made photography more appealing. People sign up for classes because they get a taste for it and want to learn the proper photo techniques. The more photography enthusiasts there are, the better.
- Revenue - With the advent of Instagram and other photo sharing sites, there might be a noticeable increase in the number of people buying high-tech and professional cameras. The reason for this is that Instagram may possibly make them feel that they want to get involved. This will in turn increase the revenue of suppliers, manufacturers and distributors. The last thing we want is for the suppliers to go out of business