OOr rather 4.2 billion more precisely, of hearts that fill up every day on Instagram, worldwide, for more than 50 billion photos shared since its launch in 2010.
Don’t throw away any more. “Insta” has got us.
The image, here is the heart of this matrix. The photographic image of course, which is the original fuel of the network. But also the image that we build ourselves, little by little, by telling our own story, in a daily auto-biographical narrative
La Verte and Les Drus, surefire values for garnering likes on Instagram. ©Ulysse Lefebvre
Good or bad, you be the judge. But then why Insta? “Because it’s there” Mallory would say if he could tweet. Today, in an “athlete” career as they say, Instagram is a must for climbers, skiers or apprentice explorers. Many criticize it, admit the excesses, the dependence, the increasingly strong demands of sponsors who base most of their communications on the networks. But the overwhelming majority of them play the game, willy-nilly.
Take the names of the guests at the Chamonix Film Festival where we will be hosting a conference on the subject this Wednesday. Marion Haerty, Julia Virat or Charles Dubouloz will be with us. But also check out the accounts of dozens of other participants. All of them have something to say on Instagram, all of them rely on the network to “talk to their community”, whatever their generation, in their own way. All have become their own media. Are we never better served than by ourselves?
because you have to live
Because you have to attract the attention of brands to earn a little money, a little material.
Because it’s nice to be able to tell your story in your own way.
Because the press is not enough anymore.
Because a hashtag doesn’t eat bread and can earn (a little).
Because with a phone and a 4G bar, you can feed the story of a climb in real time, filming your ski descent live. And the brand always follows you.
In short, because you have to live.
Except that some people are running out of steam and are tired of this obligation to publish, this permanent showcase. Without necessarily having a solution, they ask themselves questions.
As a media, Alpine Mag also asks them, every day, sometimes with some vertigo! What’s the point of telling a story already published on a personal account? How to shout to the whole world that communication is not information? How to constantly justify one’s own job? The digital borders are held.
So, social networks, sponsoring, communication and information: in which Insta do I wander? We try to answer it together this Wednesday at 5pm at the Maison des Artistes in Chamonix.
Like but above all come!
PS : Ok boomer. I’m told in the earpiece that this editorial is a has-been paper. Today, it’s TikTok, the Chinese network based on dance and music, which makes the world go round. And by the way, it makes the world a little more like a market.
Moreover, to better resemble it, Instagram has just changed its algorithm to make it more favorable to short video clips, live and other reels, even if it means disadvantaging photographers and other photo lovers.
Come on mountain friend, you’ll have to move your body in front of your camera!