Yes, it definitely has. I find it very interesting to see how my taste, style and photographic interests have developed over time without me even being aware of it. I mean, we are inspired by everything we see, live and experience and that has an affect in what we create whether we realise it or not. I know for sure that all the different input I have received these past years have strongly influenced how I create images and how my eyes see and analyse my surroundings. Since the beginning of Instagram and my studies I have been interested in so many different genres, I started being really into wildlife and nature and after my workshops to Vietnam and New York, I wanted to focus on documentary and street style. All of these different genres seemed at some point really appealing and interesting to me and I think it was a good thing since your interests are continuously changing. Being curious and excited to try new things is very important to be able to evolve and learn on your creative journey, don't you think? A while back, for example, I was very into white and clean minimal spaces with lines and bright light and now I've slowly found myself going in a darker direction and lately I've been more and more in the lookout for interesting light and shadows situations with a darker mood. That said, I constantly find inspiration in all sorts of locations and moods.
Myself and Olja started with Instagram right before we started our studies because we thought it made sense to use the app and we slowly started sharing what we were doing. It took me a while before I really got into it, in the beginning I was sharing images randomly without giving it much thought. Another reason why I think Instagram has influenced my language is because the fast changing media really encourages you to produce content. This can be really good as it can motivate you to continue improving and sharing pictures, but the bad thing about it is that the pressure of all of it can also make you feel the need to have to create content non-stop. I guess I’m probably not the only one who has felt this pressure, rightI? It takes time to create quality work. My content means a lot to me and I really try to deliver images which I'm excited about.
Throughout my photographic journey there have been many things that have interested me and have caught my attention, especially when travelling and visiting new places. This is why I've always found Social Media and especially Instagram challenging when it comes to sharing my work. I always ask myself, what do I share next? I think that Instagram usually works best for those who find a theme or approach and stick to it, because people usually want to know what they can expect from you. There are of course exceptions out there and people who work within different fields etc and it can still work well, but I think it's safe to say that in general, choosing one direction is a safer bet. Sometimes I struggle a bit as I just don't want to stick to one theme. I want to share whatever I feel like sharing, but of course since we are working with so many different brands on Social Media, it's important to find a balance between what we love posting and what we think will be interesting for work and potential clients.
What do you think about this? Do you also think that Instagram has influenced your visual language?
