Picture are everything nowadays. “Pics or it didn’t happen,” or “WAIT, let me Snapchat that!” are phrases that we hear every day.
So what is the ultimate app for Collegiettes who want to post their favorite snapshots? The two contenders are Instagram and VSCOcam.
First up is INSTAGRAM:
PRO: Editing – contains 23 different filters that are set for you to choose from. You can also edit the filters to adjust to your liking – which is a total plus.
CON: Sizing — A fault of Instagram is the fact that your photos have to fit into their square photo-fit size, which can be annoying if you took one that’s landscape or at a different angle. Some people tend to try to add their image on a white background to help it fit this requirement.
PRO: The hashtags — While some may think that hashtags can be tedious and annoying—others love it! It allows users to find people with similar interests and see what’s trending on the app! #YAYHASHTAGS
CON: Finding users – While on others social media sites like Facebook or Twitter, you can search by someone’s actual name OR username, Instagram only allows you to search by username, which can be troubling if you’re trying to find someone who has an unique username.
PRO: Privacy — What’s also cool about “IG” is the privacy settings. With this app, you are able to set your profile private so only requested viewers can see it.
CON/PRO: Likes and comments — While this may differ from person to person, there’s no getting around them. Likes and comments on photos may serve positive purposes (like, let’s be real, serving as a self-esteem booster) but, it can also have a negative role. Cyber-bullying can happen in the comments section (just check out some celebrities photo comment sections like Selena Gomez or Justin Bieber).
It can also crush self-esteem or make someone obsess over getting X number of likes, which shouldn’t be the point of posting a picture. It should be for yourself and to show off things you’re doing. It should be posted for YOU – not likes.
PRO: Commonality – As of September 2015, according to the Instagram Press Page, Instagram has reached 400 MILLION users. That’s insane! Instagram is a huge community, to say the least. Many celebrities, political figures, authors, and even countries have Instagram pages (which is awesome for updates on your interests).
PRO: Videos – Instagram also allows videos to also be posted on your profile! Sometimes pictures just don’t do a moment justice. These videos allow users to see even more of someone’s life or interests.
PRO: Themed accounts – Some users choose to make their account theme-based. They may make one dedicated to things such as their favorite celebrities, favorite food,poemsporn) or strictly fashion (like FashionNova). The varieties are endless on Instagram!
Next up is VSCOCAM:
PRO: Filters – VSCOcam is known for its amazing editing features. Some users even have the app just to edit their photos.
CON: Privacy – There are no options for private profiles, which some may not be confortable with.
PRO: No likes — Many see this as a pro for VSCOcam. Some people get way too caught up on likes and making sure everyone loves their photos. Neither you nor your photos are defined by the number of “likes” you get.
Also, there is no pressure of you feeling the need to “like” someone’s picture so they’ll “like” yours. Some may see this as a fault, however, because you aren’t sure how many viewers your photo reaches.
PRO/CON: No hashtags – Hashtags allow for trending and similar interests, yet some people believe it can make photo sites such as these too cluttered, chaotic, and cause the artistic-feel for photography to be downplayed. With VSCOCam, there are no hashtags so the photos are the central point.
PRO: You don’t know who is following you — This is cool because you are able to follow someone and get inspiration from them, yet there’s no need to worry that they won’t follow you back. The number of followers doesn’t matter – whether it’s 2 or 2 million, you can post wonderful pictures and feel happy about it.
CON: Community – VSCOcam is a fairly new community. The company was founded in 2011, which makes it younger than Instagram. It is still growing, but certainly isn’t as large or connected as Instagram. There are also fewer celebrities and verified users than Instagram.
PRO: Different uses – VSCOcam can be used for very different things. Some may use it with the “Journal” feature and use it to photo-journal their travels—almost as a blog. You can make a very professional-looking portfolio, so someone can check out your work. The “Journal” feature also allows you to have writing with the photo if you’d like. Additionally, one user can also have several different journals.
The app can also be used just for fun and updates on what’s happening in your life with the “Grid.” Lots of users like to get their creative-juices going and post “artsy” pictures on here, which gives it a unique vibes. The “Grid” is sort of used as another social media platform.
CON: It’s hard to change your username/URL — Since VSCOcam uses a link to share your profile, you must contact them to change these settings for you.
PRO: Sizing – On VSCOcam, you can have whatever size photo and orientation you’d like. This allows your profile to look very distinctive.
PRO: The library – What’s awesome about this app is that you have the “Library” feature. It allows you to upload pictures that you’ve taken, edit them and save the edits before posting them.
PRO: NO SPAM ACCOUNTS OR ADVERTISEMENTS – It’s hard to have a spam account or advertisements on VSCOcam, which makes the photos the focus.
AND THE WINNER IS…
IT’S A TIE!
Both Instagram and VSCOcam certainly have their pros and cons! There are so many great features on both of them. It’s truly up to the user what they like best and what’s most important to them.
Get one of them, get both of them, or don’t get either. Have fun with taking photos and sharing them online. Just make sure to live in the moment, too! People may say that “pictures are worth a thousand words,” but your personal memories are worth even more.
What’s your favorite way to edit photos, Collegiettes?