Instagram was always my favorite platform; that was, until the algorithm changed, and it became only that. A platform. With the change in algorithm came a change in the way I used the popular social media network, and with it, a change in the enjoyment I got from it in the first place. If you've been living under a rock - or you have more sense than to waste away on Instagram like the best of us - Instagram altered the way it displayed images. No longer was it based on when you posted, instead, pushing out posts that it perceived people to like the most. Instagram was never a platform I used to promote myself, to share my photos or to even connect with others - initially it was less about the creative aspect for me and more about the inspiration. A way to people stalk. My own feed was (and still is) mediocre, but my follow list was curated. It was a direct representation of the people I aspired to be like, the places I wanted to go and the lives I wish I had. I didn't care about followers, and felt no pressure to succumb to a the cohesive feed, brick wall backgrounds or an overhead coffee shot. My Instagram may not have been nice, but it was an accurate representation of my life, one that was not dictated by a grey demeanor, bright light and cacti.
