Y’all know that I love Instagram. It’s been a place of constant motivation for me to get outside, and try new places and experiences. Not only can I get the inspo,  but I can help create a community of adventure through my very own page. I can’t see myself doing it for a living, but it’s a fun hobby to create and share snapshots of my life. Not to mention, at least once a week, I’ll insta-stalk myself to see all the fun stuff I have done, like my very own digital photo album (who doesn’t).

Recently, I’ve heard through many different platforms that some people get down on others for “doing it for the gram” or “living for the picture, and not for the moment”. But I think that this is just a way that people want to express themselves in today’s world.

I absolutely don’t think there’s anything wrong with doin’ it for the gram. At least it’s getting people out there! People are getting out of their houses, and getting outside. Or supporting local restaurants. Or sharing their experiences with others. While they may have staged a photo to look a certain way to evoke a certain feeling, they are still putting themselves in a new situation that they may have not done otherwise than for the picture. Not to mention, they think that the moment was so significant in their lives, that they want to share it with their irl friends, online friends, family, and the whole internet.

Personally, I have definitely used the gram to motivate me. I’ve gone on a solo hike instead of staying inside watching Netflix to, yes, enjoy nature, but also to get a photo of me standing next to a waterfall that I could post when I got home. And honestly it was so worth it. The nature part. The photo part. Everything. I got to channel my wild side by going into nature, and I got to channel my creative side to stage a self-timer photo. It created a very well-rounded experience for me. And now get to go back at any time thanks to a plethora of photos in my phone, and a “perfect” one posted on my page.

Instagram can get me out, but it can also help me do things that I may not have done when I was out. I have wanted to drop a cliff, but it’s the biggest one I’ve ever done. And the one thing that was in the back of my mind was that the person below was going to be taking a kick-ass video of me either failing or stomping a sweet drop. (alot of these experiences happen to be jumping off cliffs into water or jumping off cliffs into snow)

However, getting pictures for the ‘gram can be addicting. My one thing is that I want it to be authentic. I never want to post something that I didn’t eat. Or post something that I didn’t do. Or pretend to be somewhere I have never been. My instagram will always be a collection of pictures and videos of points in my life that are completely genuine.

On another note, using lighting and angles to you advantage is totally cool (That’s what makes photography amazing!), but you never need to alter your photos to change your body. You’re perfect just the way you are, and I hope that instagram helps motivate you to become a better person, try some new things, and share your love of the world with others. Also, know that it’s okay to take a breather, post the picture, and get back to enjoying life.

But yeah, I do stuff for the gram, and I am damn proud of it.

Til’ the next adventure,
AJ