Instagram – The Instant Makeover App

Recently, photos of us enjoying holidays, our food at mealtimes and more often than not both of these combined, pictures of our day-to-day lives through vibrant or vintage filters have emerged all over our Facebook and Twitter feeds. Thanks to the growing use of ‘Instagram’, the app that lets you edit and instantaneously upload photos to all social network sites, the world now knows what you had for breakfast. It’s hard not to get hooked, within seconds anybody can take the most ordinary photograph and make it seem almost professionally edited, and instantly share it with friends wherever they are. When asked for her opinion on Instagram, one HCX contributor said, “Well it’s just an instant makeover isn’t it?” And it’s true; there has been many a time that we on the culture team have been wearing less than full faces of make up and a photo has been taken: Instagram has been the trusty friend who has our backs before everyone on Facebook sees the photo. Instagram allows you to follow other’s photoblogs, ‘like’ and comment on photos similarly to Facebook, and is a social media network in its own right. It owes its continuing success to how simple and easy it is to create and share beautiful photos, and the best part is, it’s free!

Although lately, the simple just-for-fun company has come under fire from the tabloids for announcing a change in its terms and conditions granting Instagram ownership of every photo uploaded, and giving it the ability to re-use or sell the images without notifying the original user. Thankfully, these statements have been withdrawn to be re-written! Not only can we let everyone know exactly where we are and what we’re doing at all times with our other social networks, but there is now an even simpler way to show them too, as Instagram has rapidly become a must-have app. From a generation obsessed with Facebook statuses, 24 hour tweeting, and now photoblogging in the mix, what could be next?

Photo credits: telegraph.co.uk; digitaltrends.co.uk