Coming into photojournalism I had a strong opinion about Instagram. I believed that Instagram had no place in photojournalism; that it should never take the place of a photojournalist’ dslr images. I was against primary coverage of war using Instagram, against coverage of Hurricane Sandy using Instagram. But as Instagram has grown older it seems that it has now become an integral part in photojournalism and documentary. Rather than taking away from the value and tradition of photojournalism, it seems that Instagram has added a layer of beauty. Instagram has made the world that much smaller and continues to chip away at the sense of othering that photography often brings. I now believe that Instagram can be used in interesting ways to help add on to the documentary field.
Here are some interesting Instagrams by photographers Marcus Bleasdale Lynsey Addario Randy Olson.
I have also started to use Instagram for my documentary work. Harlem Still is my Instagram that follows my exploration and interest in Harlem. It’s about exploring the change and searching for the fleeting soul of Harlem.