Is Instagram stalking or just an amazing community. I say both. Here is why:
Currently I follow about 194 people that range from friends, family, photographer's, athletes, bloggers, models, and designers. I am sure I am missing a category or two.
Besides Twitter I haven't been a big adopter on social media. Maybe because I grew up where privacy was valued. Having a blog has taken me out of my comfort zone and I found Twitter a great way to post a quick snippet about my blog or just a cool article that I'd like my friends to read. What about Facebook you may ask, well I've had a test account for several years and may be finally turning it around to represent my blog. Still debating, we'll see what happens.
Back to Instagram. I can't remember how I found this app, might have been Mashable.com. In my social naivete I had no idea the images I was taking on my iPhone and posting were viewable to the public. Then a few friends started commenting..."hey you sure like those plates" and then all of a sudden BAM I realized what I was doing. I was in it for the filters and fun way to look at my photography. Now this is part of my daily routine. Every morning and everything evening I check my feed. I'm still not a big commenter on this app, and personally get annoyed at the private conversations. "Pick up the phone peeps or text your friend privately, we don't need to hear it all."
Why you ask stalking? This seems to be a theme over the last couple of months on my blog. Sometimes I feel like I'm stalking, but really I am truly inspired by the photographers, bloggers and small business owners out there. I'm shy about introducing myself when I run into them in person. What do you say, "hey I'm itsweetsavory and I follow you on Instagram?" That's really how it goes. Do you say anything? One person I follow, but didn't know, posted an image and comment that told her viewers she'd lost someone dear in death. I was moved by her pain so I wrote her a letter and sent it to her business. I just thought she should know that strangers sometimes can care too. So I ask is that stalking?
Why I say community? Somebody I follow posted an amazing picture for a book opening and tagged a rental company. So I started following that rental company. They rent vintage china, silverware, and glass for parties. Right up my alley. Now the rental company promotes a pop-up-shop to clear some of their inventory. I booked my calendar and made my way there in the middle of the day. I had to meet the person who posts on IG and tell her how I found her and how excited I was. I walked out of this pop-up-shop with the items shown above. That next week I was able to meet the person who originally posted those amazing photos and thank her and chat with her about her business and her images.
See the photo above. Well I found this similar photo (much better than mine) on IG. I commented on it and asked where was this place? The landscape in the image looked exactly like my road trip surroundings at that very moment. The photographer was gracious and gave me exact directions to find that sign. I took my photo and tagged and thanked him. He cheered me on and now I'm a regular follower of his.
The best community story is here, it's not mine, but someone I use to work with and lives locally. He's a British import, avid Spurs fan (Tottenham, not San Antonio) and recently posted a drawing of the bunny that his son lost nearby. He tweeted and IG'd the image. A few days later he posted the image to the left. Max had his bunny back. How? Instagram. Huffington Post and Today have picked this story up. Max and his bunny are famous. All because of the amazing Instagram community.
So what does Instagram mean to me? It's opened my eyes to see the world a little differently, to find the bright spots in your day all by a little 4x4 square image. I'm inspired by these images, even if it's just a cup of coffee on a lovely marble table with a lone poppy and navy blue wall.
A few of my favorites to follow:
@casadeperrin
@bonnietsang
@eltidy
@alice_gao
@urbanic
@agoldenafternoon
@tartinegourmande
@cimek
@cindyloughridge
@colonyfurnitureco
@konstruktivist
@danorst
@davidlebovitz
@eeddbbmm
@oishieats
@ejaphoto
@handsomeroaster
@holleeee
@mylifeatplaytime
@cucinadigitale
@halfgirl
Who do you like to follow? You can follow me by clicking on the button to the left or find me on IG: itsweetsavory is my user name.
