In Defence Of Instagramming The Hell Out Of Your Holiday
Posting tons of Instagram pics of your travels is primo image curation – a way to let the world know you’re having a much better time than everyone else (whether or not it’s true). Holiday snaps can seem like gloating and leave your desk-bound friends shaking their heads, but there are good reasons to immortalise your trips on social media. Insta-holidays rule, here’s why.
RELATED: THE 10 TYPES OF TRAVEL PHOTOS YOU SEE ON INSTAGRAM
#1 This is how we do photo albums now
Gone are the days of carting film canisters around the world and taking analogue mystery pics then waiting weeks to return home where you maybe eventually remember to take the film in for processing and maybe eventually remember to pick up the photos, setting aside some downtime on a Sunday afternoon to rustle through the envelope for the twelve of 24 images that weren’t overexposed or out of focus so you can lay them out under the plastic film of a photo album then set the photo album aside so that maybe next time your friends are over for mint julips and a game of bridge you can shove the photo album under their noses and stand over them as they make cooing noises and try to look like they’re giving each boring picture a full and proper appraisal.
We don’t do this anymore. We are not animals. Hit the button, apply the filter, post. If your friends aren’t interested, they can scroll on by.
#2 Instagram sees things the way your heart does
When you’re travelling, your heart is exploding all over your shoes, because the sea is so perfect, the mountains are so epic, the tequila is exquisito and the clothes are so freakin’ kawaii.
Your travel snaps are a record of these incredible moments, but sometimes the old phone camera needs a little help. Instagram filters are amazing – they make colours more vivid, add instant nostalgia, icy beauty, black and white romance. They give us amateur photographers tools to capture the radiant edges of travel, so we can remember not just what we saw but how it made us feel.
#3 Cool, unusual places make for cool, unusual pics
Travel pics are a break from the mundane lint of your ordinary world. Yes, your dog is cute, your latte art is weird, your boyfriend has an awesome beard – these are all fine for everyday Instagramming, but how often do you get to post truly unusual sights? Your boyfriend’s awesome beard framed by the tiles of the Blue Mosque, the bubbling pink bodies in Palau’s Jellyfish Lake, a whale breaking the surface of the Norwegian sea – these are rare treats worth sharing with the world.
#4 Your social history is full of blissful memories
Social media is no real measure of a person’s life. We know this, we’re not idiots. Instagram pics are not the whole story, but they can be the highlights. Great, happy pics from your holidays trigger great, happy memories, so why wouldn’t you want to collect a whole bunch? The grind, struggle and everyday suffering of life will find its way to you regardless. Don’t feel bad about stockpiling memories that make you smile, you can use them as a buffer against the bad times.
#5 Your travel can inspire others to do the same
As a rule, it’s best not to worry what other people think of your Insta-holiday, so long as you’re coming from a good place. If you get pleasure from the idea that people are jealous of you, you need to reassess your whole messed up Paris Hilton perspective. If, on the other hand, you want to inspire your friends to spread their wings are head out on their own globetrotting adventure, Instagram is a great way to get people motivated.
“See this postcard perfect beach? You’re allowed to come too! Now is an excellent time to close Instagram and book your next holiday.”
#5 Research, baby
Lest we forget, you’ll be on the receiving end of other people’s Insta-holiday pics. How totally awesome for you. Your friends are curious about the world and this is a good thing. They are relaxed, this is a good thing too. They want to share their best memories with you and their best memories should make you smile.
Also, from a practical point of view, all that holiday hash-tagging is incredibly useful. Search for the next place you want to visit and see what flood of pictures Instagram throws up. The next person who is inspired to travel will hopefully be you.
Start planning your next Instagram-worthy holiday with Qantas.
