Saturday, July 3, 2021

Take Meaningful Photographs

[First published on Instagram Stories]

Thank you to everyone who gave your thoughts about Instagram’s new direction. My take: its definitely sad but not surprising as it became apparent years ago that Instagram would be in the place it is today, since the introduction of the algorithm.

This is not to negate the opportunities and connections that this app has given me through the years, which I am forever grateful for. The direction of no longer being a photo-sharing app marks not only how far Instagram has gone since its early days, but more importantly, what drives its decision makers to implement this change – a shift in preference on how we consume and make content. Apps like TikTok became serious rivals to Instagram because it gave users a new way to be creative, coinciding with a shift in demographics of users led by a younger generation.

For me, the longer I witness the evolution of Instagram, the more I start to appreciate the craft behind making a photograph. By scrolling through one image after another, it became evident for me that seeing an old photo from the 90s, or a moment where the light hits the park bench at just the right angle, creates an emotional sentiment that stands out from the sameness I see on my explore page. For some time now, I embraced that kind of sentiment generated by the simple park bench, and it made me see the world a little differently.

I still believe the making of square photos will always have its beautiful moments. But I came to see this only be playing along with the very changes that Instagram has gone through and put me through. It made me realize I’ve taken a step forward in my journey as a photographer, by looking back to the essentials of what makes a photo a meaningful one.