1. How did you author (the photo or video) you recorded for upload to Instagram?
I authored this photo using my iPhone rear-camera within the Instagram app. I used the Instagram app so that I could get a square images that would fit nicely into the Instagram format for my first post. I was walking down the street one afternoon in the town I live in after we receiving this assignment and thought this was a nice looking door to begin my account.
Although Instagram awkwardly doesn’t have great options to adjust the camera when taking a photo (such as zoom or auto-rotate), I managed to fit the door into the full square. I used the Lux filter to make the image colours stand out a bit more and quickly posted my image as I was walking.
I noted that unlike the generic camera app on iPhones, Instagram only allows you to take one image and then edit, rather than taking a few before editing.
2. How did you publish (the photo or video) you recorded for upload to
Instagram?
I took one image once I was happy with the shot, as I was in a bit of a rush. After editing I added a simple caption and location to the image. I chose to use the address of the door as this initial door had the big ’28’ on the door, and I wanted to post the caption as something that would be unique to the image. This seemed like a quick and obvious solution to a common troubling dilemma, “what should I caption my insta picture?”
I also included a few hashtags to join, such as #doorsofinstagram. Instagram affords quick and easy publication of images with simple and minimal editing tools, to direct users easily through the process of posting.
3. How did you distribute (the photo or video) you published on Instagram to
other social media services?
I could easily share this image to my Facebook page but I prefer to keep that for images with family and friends so I chose not to share this account as I didn’t feel it relevant to what I wanted to post. I have had experience sharing across from Instagram previously and find it a smooth and instant process.
I added hashtags to my caption which helped distribute my image. Using #doorsofinstagram and #networkedmedia I found that I gained a few followers and likes as people searching these hashtags found my posts and others similar. Hashtags allowed me to not have to write a big long title, ‘thus inverting original Instgaram’s intention to be an image centered medium‘ ( Manovich, Lev. Instagram and the Contemporary Image. University of San Diego, 2016. p14)
Reference:
Manovich, L 2016, Instagram and the Contemporary Image, University of San Diego.