To Instagram or not to Instagram

Last modified 16.02.2022 | Published 27.11.2013Media articles

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I had this idea of limiting myself to the world of travel blogging, sharing my pictures here. Period. It would seem that I was wrong. Instagram is actually a fascinating way to share photographs and to enjoy images by others.

The picture to the left, from the Plaza de Toros in Ronda, Spain is not my original. I took it myself, but I’ve had a go with the Instagram filters before publishing it on Sandalgram, my Instagram user account. I could have done the same with the pictures on this blog, but I’d rather present them in a more or less original form, like here on the blog entry from Ronda.

Opening an Instagram account was definitely inspired by others, and I rapidly became even more inspired. Hopefully the readers of this blog will feel the same. The photos will be the same, but yet different. The presentation will also be different.

Sandalgram on Mobile

The Sandalgram account do look enticing on a smartphone and on the web page. After a week on Instagram, I have shared 50 pictures. Most of them are previously published as cover photos for my videos, in an unfiltered style. I plan on sharing a lot more.

One may ask what happens on Instagram. Like so many others I read their terms with one eye open only. I believe I’m transferring my copyright to Instagram, at least offering them the right to use my picture worldwide, forever and for whatever purpose they decide. In other words, the same copyright takeover claim pushed by any other service provider on the internet. It’s remarkable what we consumers are able to accept to get access to the world on a “free” service.

Another issue is that my friend, also a newbie on Instagram, found her picture on the account of another user. This user had even received hearts (likes) for the “stolen” picture. I don’t know, this might be common practice on Instagram. I can’t say I like it though. My response would in any case be this: Once you’ve published something on the net, it stays there. Forever. And chances are it will be stolen, tweaked, remixed, abused etc. etc. by the world community. The only hope you have is that noone will ever find it, and steal it. But then, what’s the point of publishing it in the first place?

One important question remains though: Do I have time for this?