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1. How did you author (the photo or video) you recorded for upload to Instagram?
To author the video I used the rear camera of my iphone 6, which has an 8-megapixel 1/3-inch sensor with a 1.5µm pixel size. For this first week, I decided to record the video directly on the app, so my smartphone was just enough. Leaver et al. (2020, pp.41) explained it in Instagram: Visual Social Media Cultures, “while many people may still use a camera (digital or otherwise), for others the smartphone has replaced this, offering similar functionality without requiring a second device”. However, this doesn’t mean it is a better option in every aspect.
An important part of authoring it’s related to the idea you want to reflect with the content you produce. I wanted to show why the toiletry bag was an example of good design by recording myself going through the different elements of the object, that’s when I encountered the first constraint of the app feature. The camera of Instagram didn’t allow me to record just by pressing the record bottom, instead, I had to hold the bottom for it to function, making the process very difficult. I could only use one hand to manipulate the item and that resulted in me having to be very close to the toiletry bag (the length of my harm) and not being able to execute what I originally had in mind.
Once I had the best shot I could get, because you cannot choose from your other attempts, the platform had three different features I could use to edit the photo: Filter, Trim and Cover. I decided to use the Juno filter because the daylight I recorded it with wasn’t good; and also choose what part of the video it to be shown in the cover. In contrast to the edition option for photographs, the platform doesn’t let the user change the video brightness or apply any other adjustment, but I had the option to remove the audio, which I did.
My overall thoughts of the process is that, despite that the procedure is very automatic, the platform has a lot of constraints regarding their own recording feature. At least, when using a digital camera, you have the option of comparing your different recordings and choosing the best. The editing options are also very restricted, even Nam June Paik could play more with analogue videos.
2. How did you publish (the photo or video) you recorded for upload to Instagram?
As I mentioned in the first question, I decided to use the application to author, publish and distribute the video, so when I finished the editing part, the content was ready to be uploaded. But first, Instagram allows you to decide if you want the video to play automatically, put a caption to go with it and add a geotag.
The video was posted on the 9th of May. I Chose that the video plays automatically and writed a different caption than the one I put in the photo to be a little bit more descriptive: “The toiletry bag has big space for everything you need and it’s also pretty”. However, I use the same location, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and hashtags, #design #happy #colour #toiletrybag #practical. Those elements that might seem insignificant, are actually considerably important for publication because they increase the reach of the content, one of the main objectives of the platform. Leaver et al. indicates the difference the process has with analogue videos, which “do not require film or chemical development” (2020, pp.39) and the content publish doesn’t have to be necessary “photographic”.
When the app was launched, it only allowed the publication of photos, but in 2013, Instagram let its users post videos up to 15 seconds (Leaver 2020). Now it is possible to upload a maximum of 60 seconds into a post and 60 minutes on IGTV (Instagram TV). However, the late incorporation of videography in the social media app, translated into the poor execution of the publishing process compared to the pictures. It mostly has the same options than posting a photo, and it even lowers the definition once the material is uploaded.
3. How did you distribute (the photo or video) you published on Instagram to other social media services?
One of the first forms of distributing is delivered by the application itself. The main objective of this social media is to enable its users to share the content they produce and for that matter, Instagram has features that work solely for that purpose, like the hashtags and geotags. Leaver et al. explains that “Instagram posts are also not isolated structures” and come along with “visual and text-based information” (2020, pp.42). The metadata that those tags supply help the users get more visibility to their posts.
I decided to use a geotag that located me in Melbourne, Australia, hoping that would help get more reach between the people who search for photos in that place. Additionally, I use the same tag as I did in this week photo: #design #happy #colour #toiletrybag #practical. I’ve heard that some of them were the most used tags, but it was mostly an intuitive decision.
In the publishing process, the app also has the option to share the post into other social media platforms. I decided to share the video on Twitter and Tumblr, as well as the Instagram itself. I recognize that post worked better on the main medium I posted the video, because in the other two it didn’t work well with their interface. On Twitter, it shows the description, the hashtags, the location and a link to the video, which doesn’t make it very approachable because not many people will click a link without any visuals. On Tumblr, the cover photo didn’t even show up, making it difficult to have any type of interactions.
References
– Leaver, T, Highfield, T, Abidin, C, YP 2020, ‘Aesthetics’, in Instagram: Visual Social Media Cultures. Digital Media and Society, Cambridge, United Kingdom. pp. 39-74.