I disagree on two points.

There are plenty of people who don’t have the ‘inner artist’, whether for lack of interest, or lack of anything else. Just like I won’t ever amount to anything as a chess player, they won’t amount to anything as artists. Nothing wrong or bad about it, but assuming that everyone can automatically be [fill in the blank] is misleading.

Instagram is just another tool, and it doesn’t level any playing field. Some (a very few) people will use it to create stunning images, others (ie the majority) will generate terabytes of dross. Much like da Vinci used paint brushes to create the Mona Lisa…just like millions of refrigerators are adorned with paintings the world over. Same tools, different results. 

Personally I don’t use Instagram because it’s a tool full of shortcuts and compromises that I prefer to not have. Plenty of other people use it and love it. All the power to them. I’ll decide what images I like based on the final image, and it won’t have anything to do with which tools were used to create it.

Cheers. :) 

This is quite funny, total bullshit, she says I am a photographer, well really, no you are not, you point a cell phone at something, a fully automatic device,  decide what you want in it and let the camera do EVERYTHING for you, total automation, then you manipulate the crap out of it with an app or two, hoping to get something usable.  It is pretty sad seeing someone live their life looking threw an iphone. 

Ian made a good point in his blog post that I think most nay-sayers of Instagram are missing.  It’s not about the tools or the simplification of the process, and the fact that it functions on a low-res camera phone with automated filters and processing apps doesn’t mean that Instagram can “ruin” photography.  Instagram is about having fun with images.  It’s about capturing something in the moment, and at it’s most serious level, it’s maybe about practice.  An exercise, or simulation, for those who take photography seriously, and otherwise it’s purpose is the pure celebration of photographic images and making it fun and social.  If you do think Instagram somehow bastardizes the art of photography, than you are likely suffering from a case of insecurity and low esteem when it comes to your own art.  If Instagram is a threat to you, then maybe you need to challenge yourself to take better photos.  It must be hard for people to take you seriously as a professional if you are in a personal competition with the millions of users of a free smartphone app that gives the everyday person the simulation of what you do for a living.  I know plenty of professional photographers who use Instagram and have just as much fun with it as I do (I’m just modest filmmaker and freelance videographer), or as my “less artistic” peers do.  Download the app.  Take all the pictures of feet, food, and sunsets as you want to.   Why the hell not?  It’s fun.  It will make you smile.  It will make people you know smile.  What it won’t do is ruin professional photography.  Garage Band didn’t ruin music.  youTube didn’t ruin cinema.  Photoshop didn’t ruin fine art.  My take… get the stick out of your bum and relax.  If you can’t enjoy something a small, fun, and harmless as Instagram then don’t use it, and don’t bother those who do.  http://www.instagram.com/uglytiki

this commentary reminds me of an argument over 180 years ago:  ”is photography art?” 
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2012/oct/19/photography-is-it-art . for me, it is all about holding up a mirror to our own version of reality.  steph is an artist.