Presentation for a graduate course on Residual Media (at the University of Waterloo), in which I analyzed Instagram through the lens of McLuhan's laws of media.

1. ENGL 799 :: Residual Media :: Anne Galang
CRITICAL MEDIA OBJECT:
INSTAGRAM

2. What is Instagram?
Photo and video sharing social
networking service
Mobile app: iOS and Android
Launched: October 2010
Acquired by Facebook: April 2012

3. How it works…
Take a photo on your mobile phone
Apply filters to the photo
Share to Instagram, Facebook,
Tumblr
Follow others and be followed
Comment and “Like”
http://instagram.com/#

4. Who is is using Instagram?Source: pcmag.com

5. “Capture and Share the World's
Moments. Instagram is a fast,
beautiful and fun way to share
your life with friends and family.”
– Instagram
Praise and criticism

6. “Instagram combines simple-toapply photo and video effects with
an addictive social network
centered on pictures and video.”
– PC Mag
Praise and criticism

7. “Instagram is debasing real
photography. [… F]ilters are the
antithesis of creativity, and make
all pictures look the same”
– The Guardian
Praise and criticism

8. What’s new
about
Instagram?
What does it enhance?
How does it mediate better?
What does it obsolesce or push
aside?

9. Feature
Enhances…
Pushes aside…
Smartphone
camera app
Accessibility of photography
Standalone camera
(dedicated hardware)
Instagram photo
filters
Photo manipulation
Actual manipulation of ISO,
aperture, shutter speed
PhotoShop and other photo
editing software
Photo sharing
Speed of publishing
Storage limit
Reach of audience
Printing/Uploading
Physical photo albums
Social networking
Sharing images with social
networks
Text-based “status updates”
or blog posts

10. What does Instagram
retrieve?

11. VINTAGE ANALOGUE
PHOTOGRAPHY

12. The Poloroid
camera

13. “Vintage” filters…

15. but also…

16. Pre-alphabet: Chronicling events through images

17. Instagram: Chronicling events through images

18. Reversal potential

19. Technological reversal: Sociomatic – Concept for a physical Instagram
camera

20. Meaning reversal: Loss of meaningful sharing of memories?

21. Pitfalls and potential
• The mundane on Instagram
• Real art on Instagram:
– Banksy
– Museum of Modern Art
– Virtual Tourism
• Instagram as cultural database?

22. DISCUSSION

23. Possible discussion questions
•This week’s readings explores the end of print. Does Instagram obsolesce print
photography?
•VilemFlusser, in his book Does writing have a future?, argues that the written word is
losing it importance. Do you agree that photos/images other visual forms may replace
the dominance of writing?
•What are your thoughts on Instagram? Does this medium provide potential for
authentic cultural production, or does it degrade photography?
•How might use the data/information available in the massive repository of photos
that Instagram generates in a study of culture?
•How does Instagram frame our sense of time, place, and space? What about our
sense of public vs. private spheres?
•How does Instagram contribute to the idea of the “acceleration of history?”