Middletown at Night, December 2011
iPhone 4s, Hipstamatic
iPhone 4s, Hipstamatic
When I first got my iPhone, back in late 2011, I was creatively inspired by the plethora of what seemed to be a million different photo apps. I'm not going to lie, I went for the iPhone solely for the Hipstamatic app. It was before Instagram's surge in popularity , before it was acquired by Facebook, before everyone and your mother had it for selfies. Granted, there were still a lot of selfies and even more pictures of food, but there was something new about it.
When I finally got my coveted iPhone (leaving a broken Blackberry behind), I didn't know what I should use Instagram for. I had Hipstamatic for filters, why use two apps for the same thing?
I decided to use Instagram as a daily photo diary. For some reason, I was inspired by that, and that alone.
It's been almost 3 years since I started my "photo of the day" project and honestly, I don't feel so inspired by it anymore. Most days I have a hard time searching around for something to take a photo of, and it's been like this since long before my son was born or I got pregnant or whatever.
I had gotten a lot out of the photo diary at first. It captured a lot of emotions in ways I couldn't quite put in words, and maybe that's why it was so inspiring at the time. It captured the awkwardness of the first time my husband and I hung out outside of work, EVER.
When I finally got my coveted iPhone (leaving a broken Blackberry behind), I didn't know what I should use Instagram for. I had Hipstamatic for filters, why use two apps for the same thing?
I decided to use Instagram as a daily photo diary. For some reason, I was inspired by that, and that alone.
It's been almost 3 years since I started my "photo of the day" project and honestly, I don't feel so inspired by it anymore. Most days I have a hard time searching around for something to take a photo of, and it's been like this since long before my son was born or I got pregnant or whatever.
I had gotten a lot out of the photo diary at first. It captured a lot of emotions in ways I couldn't quite put in words, and maybe that's why it was so inspiring at the time. It captured the awkwardness of the first time my husband and I hung out outside of work, EVER.
Yes, it really was this awkward.
(February 2012)
(February 2012)
However, it also captured some beautiful moments that I've since blown up and framed on my wall--I have an entire photo essay done over the course of a week on Instagram.
This is a far cry from what shows up on my Instagram feed presently. It's a far cry from what would show up when I was on assignment for...anything.
When it feels like my instagram has been a year of "look at the stump in my yard on fire" and "God, I eat a lot of hospital quality pudding" and "I really don't want to be one of those parents who only post pictures of their kids...but my son is all I look at all day" it's hard to not want to just give it up and post when I photograph something really COOL.
A part of me wants to give up on the photo-a-day thing, but maybe I shouldn't. It's not like I don't know how to keep a journal or a blog --I've been keeping a journal on a regular basis since 1997 and on and off prior to that since 1992, and writing is the one thing I can seem to stay with.
Sometimes, my instagram serves as a reminder of things I need to write about, but when a lot of my days are the same thing over and over, I really start digging. I don't have this problem with writing, I can write about anything. Photos for a "photo of the day"...not so much.
I know I had terrible "I am SO not inspired" days in the beginning of my instagram account, but the fantastic shots far outnumbered the "I did my taxes all day and got Chinese food takeout for my photo of the day" shots.
If I gave it up, what would I miss? I've only missed less than 10 photos per year since I started it. I miss being surprised by the art that my ever-present phone can help me create, maybe I miss the fun of exploring a new photo app.
I was going to post all my awesome photo diary shots from 2012-2014 but they ended up being far too numerous for just one post. I also discovered that I shied away from black and white photography in the beginning and yet that seems to make up the majority of my favorite photos now.
Anyway, here's a couple highlights.
When it feels like my instagram has been a year of "look at the stump in my yard on fire" and "God, I eat a lot of hospital quality pudding" and "I really don't want to be one of those parents who only post pictures of their kids...but my son is all I look at all day" it's hard to not want to just give it up and post when I photograph something really COOL.
A part of me wants to give up on the photo-a-day thing, but maybe I shouldn't. It's not like I don't know how to keep a journal or a blog --I've been keeping a journal on a regular basis since 1997 and on and off prior to that since 1992, and writing is the one thing I can seem to stay with.
Sometimes, my instagram serves as a reminder of things I need to write about, but when a lot of my days are the same thing over and over, I really start digging. I don't have this problem with writing, I can write about anything. Photos for a "photo of the day"...not so much.
I know I had terrible "I am SO not inspired" days in the beginning of my instagram account, but the fantastic shots far outnumbered the "I did my taxes all day and got Chinese food takeout for my photo of the day" shots.
If I gave it up, what would I miss? I've only missed less than 10 photos per year since I started it. I miss being surprised by the art that my ever-present phone can help me create, maybe I miss the fun of exploring a new photo app.
I was going to post all my awesome photo diary shots from 2012-2014 but they ended up being far too numerous for just one post. I also discovered that I shied away from black and white photography in the beginning and yet that seems to make up the majority of my favorite photos now.
Anyway, here's a couple highlights.
Double Exposure, Aftermath of Hurricane Sandy at Misquamicut, November 2012, iPhone4s, Hipstamatic
No Name Castle, September 2012
Mountain Laurel with Bee on Lantern Hill, June 2013
Engaged at Irving Cliff, August 2013
Rocky Point, October 2014
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