Therefore, expanding the realm of what, and most notably, who is considered to be of photographable value. Due to these expectations, Instagram is inevitably contributing towards shaping the visual cultures that users must adapt to. In many cases, our main criterion for uploading photographs onto Instagram is to ensure that we project modern standardisations of ‘beauty’. In other words, an individual who is ‘photographable’ is permeated by the social and cultural conventions in a particular time and context (Bourdieu 1996). But instead, refers to those that are considered as being ‘worthy of being photographed’ in a specific socio-cultural context. As Pierre Bourdieu (1996) states in his book Photography: A Middle-Brow Art, the ‘photographable’ does not refer to a range of people and moments that are ‘technically’ possible to be captured by a camera. Through the constant exposure of idealised selves on our Instagram feeds, this prompts us to imitate this act by only posting content that is perceived as ‘valuable’ enough to share to the public (Hogan 2010).Ĭonsidering that visual content is the primary unit of focus on Instagram to create an online impression, there is an immense emphasis that is placed upon the ‘value’ of the photograph itself. Impression management is recognised to be both a conscious and subconscious process, where users attempt to influence the perceptions of their audiences by presenting themselves in a manner that is socially ‘desirable’. But why is this the case? Well to put it simply, the perceptions of other individuals affect how we choose to present ourselves online. Due to this, users are encouraged to create a favourable impression that corresponds to one’s ideals. Through the accessibility and convenience of Instagram, it has not only become a ‘place’ of communication, but is also recognised as an ‘updatable public record’ of our thoughts and actions. Platforms such as Instagram perpetuates social networking as it enables their users to interact with their connections through visual and textual footages. Let’s face it, in the ever-changing modern age of digital technology, social media is undoubtedly becoming integrated into our everyday lives.
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