Instagram as image showcase pro and cons

I have been a long time flickr user. The features I like is the ability to post exif info, access to all aspect ratios and resolution up to 2048 which is fine to avoid people downloading your images

Flickr as many other sites is in trouble and now everyone seems to share on instragram.

I struggle with Instragram the maximum resolution dimensions is 1350 pixels and it only really support 5:4 and 1:1 aspect ratios

Besides it seems very hit and run on mobile platform with small screens not really a great medium to share your work but maybe I am limited and I do not see great potential

Would like to hear from @adamhanlon or @Alex_Mustard how they deal with this platform

I use Instagram, largely because it is social media for images!

That said, it has a number of issues:

1. The size/format limitations

2. The number of fake profiles

3. The sheer number of participants

4. The inability to add links, meaning that it is hard to drive traffic to "better" versions of images.

Sadly, it is pretty much the only social media option that works for image makers. 

Adam

12 hours ago, adamhanlon said:

I use Instagram, largely because it is social media for images!

That said, it has a number of issues:

1. The size/format limitations

2. The number of fake profiles

3. The sheer number of participants

4. The inability to add links, meaning that it is hard to drive traffic to "better" versions of images.

Sadly, it is pretty much the only social media option that works for image makers. 

Adam

 

 

Does lightroom have plugins for instagram? One of the thing that is really bad is that you cannot create what I would call albums or collection? I have an ancient version of lightroom so maybe it is my issue?

14 minutes ago, Interceptor121 said:

Does lightroom have plugins for instagram? One of the thing that is really bad is that you cannot create what I would call albums or collection? I have an ancient version of lightroom so maybe it is my issue?

I don't think so. I've got the latest version of LR (through the CC subscription) and can't see one.

All the App integrations are here:

https://exchange.adobe.com/creativecloud/app-integrations.html

1 minute ago, TimG said:

I don't think so. I've got the latest version of LR (through the CC subscription) and can't see one.

All the App integrations are here:

https://exchange.adobe.com/creativecloud/app-integrations.html

Thank you TimG

I will do some discovery work as usual and post my findings!

Jfriedl used to offer a Lightroom to Instagram plug in, but a change in permissions (I'm not sure at whose end) broke it.

The Publish option for Facebook from Lightroom is broken too, for the same reason I gather.

Instagram is not an image gallery. It is simply a social media channel. Think Facebook for images. The only way to collate images is via users or (perhaps more usefully) hashtags. There is no attempt to offer curated collections of images, or to provide any means of creating albums/collections. 

Adam

OK basically instagram has a hardcoded limit of 1080 pixels width and 1350 height. Within those boundaries you can do whatever you like.

Very interesting for micro four thirds as the sensor is 4:3 and this gets into instagram without crop. 

So it supports 16:9 4:3 1:1 5:4. If you give him not scaled images starts doing strange things and adding bars top and bottom

At the moment I'm only using Insta and my own website. What would you suggest as alternatives?

On 6/9/2020 at 1:49 AM, adamhanlon said:

Jfriedl used to offer a Lightroom to Instagram plug in, but a change in permissions (I'm not sure at whose end) broke it.

The Publish option for Facebook from Lightroom is broken too, for the same reason I gather.

Instagram is not an image gallery. It is simply a social media channel. Think Facebook for images. The only way to collate images is via users or (perhaps more usefully) hashtags. There is no attempt to offer curated collections of images, or to provide any means of creating albums/collections. 

Adam

 

I use this plug-in after reading about here on Wetpixel a few years ago. The app was broken for much of 2019 but was fixed in time for me to post my Xmas card in December. I posted a pic using it just a few days ago.  FYI, it is set to post pix at 640 pixels.

I've been using the platform for a few years now and I find it to be very helpful with regards to booking photography gigs.