Hey friends,
Greetings from somewhere in the mountains!
This issue has been written before-hand as I am currently in the Himalayas. Right now, I should be driving to the base camp.
Curse the algorithm!
Photography is the art of choosing what to keep in the frame and what to exclude. This is the one golden mantra that must be followed while taking the shot and editing it.
I had gone to the Taj Mahal a few weeks back, and funnily enough, my favourite images from the trip were not of the monument itself but of the squirrels that roamed the surrounding gardens. I guess we all have our priorities.
As I finished touching up the image in Lightroom (my photo editing software), I faced a nagging question.Â
Do I crop this for myself or the Instagram algorithm?
I love cropping my photographs in various ways. I feel extremely wide or close crops add a new artistic dimension to the shot.
But sadly, Instagram does not feel the same way.
Here is the original shot. Since these squirrels were accustomed to humans (and a sad topic for another issue), I could get very close. As a result, I could use a wide angle to capture the squirrel in its habitat. To get this interesting perspective, I placed the camera right at the base of the tree.Â
But sadly, this wide crop isn’t favoured by Instagram (the social media platform I use to promote my photography. The ideal crop is 4:5. Below is the image cropped in such a manner.
What happens when you use this cookie-cutter approach to art? Doesn’t it make everything bland and stale? Doesn’t it make all images look the same? These are the questions I struggle with every time I reach this stage.
My workaround for this problem is to first save MY version and then crop it to fit Instagram’s requirements. In my head, MY crop always comes first. We must prioritise art over distribution (at least on some level).
Here are some links I enjoyed this week:
8 IMPORTANT Composition Tips for Better Photos: This is one photography video THAT ACTUALLY GETS IT RIGHT. It is really tastefully done, and the insights are good.
SECRETS Of WILD INDIA | David Attenborough: Found this gem on Youtube. Felt so nostalgic. Definitely recommend.
Ali Abdaal on the Keys to Productivity and Re-Defining Success: Exactly what the title says. Interesting podcast.
Postcard
This isn’t my photograph. My father (who is the OG photographer in my family) took this a few months ago when he was in the Himalayas. Just look at the lake! I could stare at this image forever. (Sadly, I couldn’t go on this trip…)
Now imagine cropping this to fit Instagram’s standards. Could there be any greater sacrilege?
Favourite Quote
“Most events in life can be categorised in one of two ways: a good time, or a good story." - Margot Leitman.
Have a creative, wild and inspiring week!
If you’re new, welcome to The Owlet! My name is Ishan Shanavas, and I am an Artist, Photographer, Writer and Student of the Natural World.
Here I talk about my work, along with curating the most interesting ideas on the internet. I confine them to topics like Nature, Culture, Photography, and Art but often fall prey to other genres.
I would greatly appreciate it if you shared my newsletter and work with your friends. It really helps me out :)
I agree, man. We must prioritize art over distribution. I haven’t started putting any of my photography on instagram yet, but I have found that same issue when trying to use my photos other places. I wish everything used the same format!
That lake!