Behold this atmospheric and painterly photo of the National Gallery of Art’s Sculpture Garden Ice Rink. Taken by my good friend, photographer and fellow Shepherd University graduate, Martin Cherry, with none other than his iPhone.
Thank you for sharing, Marty!
The picture was taken using the Instagram app. I’ve seen stacks of these photographs popping up on Facebook, random photos of lunches and flowers and curtains and pets, all with a nostalgic, vintage feel and arty square format. While fun to look at, I’ve noticed a nagging feeling of annoyance when viewing Instagram images. Is it that I know that the app does the majority of the work, instantly transforming snapshots into retro style images through the use of various filters?That these old-timey photos are actually the work of a quite high-tech gadget? That the app probably has the ability to make an otherwise uninteresting photo artistic and cool?
photo taken from the Instagram blog
I find it fascinating that with the current availability of relatively cheap digital SLRs (and even high quality point-and-shoots), we are so charmed by the ability to instantly create digital images that look as if they’ve been yellowing in a box since 1972. I suspect it’s just one form of the back to the earth pull for authenticity so many are feeling. Instagram images remind us of the deep color and tangibility of film.
Another photo from the Instagram blog
Anyway, who am I fooling. I’m sure to download this app as soon as I get an iPhone. Amplicate.com has a current poll up showing that out of over 36,000 users, 91% LOVE Instagram. One aspect contributing to popularity is the ease of sharing with other friends who have the app. And that is one of the great joys of photography, capturing and sharing our particular vision of the world around us.
Do you use Instagram? Even if you don’t, please, let us know your thoughts on the app in the comments.
Don’t have Instagram, but couldn’t help but send you a quick retro from this weekend from a Camera+ app (http://campl.us/hLiD).
(The app I used is not very different from Instagram, but Instagram is all the rage and Camera+ not. Perhaps the sharing options differ – I don’t know)
Anyway, I can understand why it would annoy you at this point – but it’s so much fun! And for those of us that are not good photographers, the odd effects help to hide the fact that the picture is not very interesting, and turn it to more interesting.
Adorable attack! I agree, it IS just plain old fun, even I can see that.
It’s probably more the trendiness of it that annoyed me, but more than that I just think it’s so interesting how everyone loves the vintage effects and that we’re creating it with new technology. I’m sure there are other examples of this.
Thanks for sharing :).
I love it b/c the social network aspect. Taking quick, cool, quality photos is nice and many other apps have the same capabilities. Instagram is unique because the community it has within the app. you and your friends can show cool pics of your day. Plus, the iphone is SO CONVIENT too. it’s a lot better than lugging a DSLR with a standard lens around.
Yes, I’m actually looking forward to that – the ability to randomly take some good quality photos, w/o having to lug the ol’ camera around (cuz I’m lazy about that…). Annie Leibovitz actually recommends the iPhone to people asking what kind of camera to buy!
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/45314750#45314750
I like how she refers to it as the wallet with the family photos in it…