Well team – I’m delighted to announce that Bicycles Create Change is now on Instagram!
As you know, last month Bicycles Create Change celebrated it’s 1-year blog anniversary. It has been important to me to spend this year focusing on laying down some solid ground work to establish this blog. I have been reluctant to branch out into other social media platforms. Mostly because of time constraints given my PhD research, teaching load and other commitments, but also I am conscious of not wearing myself too thin and possibility diluting my passion and quality of content.
Instagram Origins
With this in mind, I recently had a conversation with a new acquaintance, who is a fashion designer. We were discussing different social media and I had mentioned my blog. She told me she was on Instagram and explained that as a fashion designer she more visually driven and so Instagram was ideal for her to share her identity, experiences and ideas. I asked her to show me some of the functions and was I pleasantly surprised at its simplicity. She ended our informal tutorial by saying ‘If you were on Instagram I’d follow you’.
A Different Medium
So on the 1-year anniversary, Bicycles Create Change branched out into Instagram – you can find me there at @Bicycles Create Change.
It has been a very interesting addition and I appreciate the different medium and what photos have to offer as far as expressing color, movement, places and moods – something which at times can be more challenging to express through writing. I have also been amazed at the effort that some people on Instagram put into the photos they upload. The quality and intensity of some of the images are remarkable and I’ve found it to be a great way to connect a whole new range and group of people.
Welcome to Instagram
I admit to going down the rabbit hole for a good week, checking out some of the amazing pictures, following leads and picture ‘crumbs’, exploring who is around and what they are posting. I’ve been revisiting some of my old biking trips for pictures and am certainly taking a few more photos when I’m out and about riding.
It’s been great being able to post my own images on Instagram that have not made it onto the blog (see below). I appreciate how the blog (text) and Instagram (images) are complementary as communicative mediums. Utilising Instagram has been an interesting development and I’m looking forward to seeing what might eventuate.
Thank you to those who have found and followed Bicycles Create Change on Instagram already. If you are on Instagram – drop in and check it out!
