Color is Key
So many accounts on instagram have become dedicated to the art of memes, fashion, news, celebrity drama and showcasing what you and your friends are doing at any second.
It is rare to see an account that brings Instagram back to its roots: pure photography.
I was so excited for this assignment because I realize that I do not follow a SINGLE photographer on Instagram who is solely dedicated to sharing beautiful and creative pictures, and that is what I originally signed up for in the first place, before the added networking aspect of Instagram rocketed.
After some research, I started to find some pretty cool and unique instagram accounts — some with thousands of followers and some with hundreds.
Initially the accounts I discovered had interesting still images of objects or scenery on their grid. The collection of images didn’t give me much information about who the Instagrammers were as individuals, but rather seemed to exist there because of their artistic value.
I decided that if the images placed there were to show the quality and creativity of the photos and the professional competency of the photographer, then this is a good way to promote one’s self as strictly a business account.
But something was missing for me in these accounts.
I was also looking for Instas that revealed more about who the person behind the camera was. Time for more searching.
I stumbled across this account called @sophlog. It’s the account of a photographer named Sophie Lohgman.
The first thing that drew me to this account was the vibrant eye-catching explosion of bright colors that are apparent in almost every picture she posted.
I saw that although most pictures were of the world around her, there were also pictures with her in it, with her husband in it, and her dog. This gave me a peek into her life as a sense of her exquisite artistry.
Every photo is almost fantasy-like as if it’s a cartoon come to life, or a trip into a candy store. There is not one bland post on this page. Some images have a central focus or main character, like the picture below of Sophie’s dog in front of a bright patterned painted wall. Her attention to color and texture spice up what would otherwise have been an ordinary shot of a very nice looking dog — but just ordinary without the backdrop.
Some of the other photos are everyday items spread out in interesting arrangements like pastel cookies stacked together or antique china plates spread out in layers creating an illusion of a field of flowers.
I thoroughly enjoyed the vibrancy, color and joy in her photos. They made me feel happy just by looking at them. They remind me of summer fun like the photos of the heart shaped floats in the turquoise pool and the yellow, blue and pink striped beach chairs lined up on the beach. Her images make me feel the excitement and liveliness I would feel when I would take walks through Time Square in New York City before the pandemic hit. @sophlog is like a little mental vacation. Especially during these trying times, her magical images have the potential to remind us of the colorful and creative world we have waiting for us.
I took Sophie’s style to heart when I started photographing. Because I crave the summer colors found at a pool and a beach right now, I have been setting up my own tropical oasis in my backyard. I tried to emulate exactly what would be right next to me as I lay in the beaming sun with my toes in the sand, but in this case, in the grass.
I made sure that I had a bright colored towel, eye-catching beach bag, and colorful accessories to attempt to mimic the colorful photographs Sophie takes. I also turned the grid on for my camera and paid attention to what side of the frame the main focus (my products) were in, how the light was hitting them, and the placement of the product to make sure they are all seen but arranged in an interesting way.
I wanted to make sure there were some shadows in the picture, just as there would be with trees hanging over a pool or a beach, but also wanted there to be a subtle awareness that the sun was blazing over me. Trying to capture this “feeling” in a picture was difficult and gave me even more appreciation for Sophie’s work. This assignment gave me a great appreciation for photography Instagrammers.
Just like a trip to a museum, spending time on someone’s Instagram account could be a wonderful way to appreciate true art.
