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davidamosley · 6 years

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The Art of Instagram Etiquette

"I'm so happy I found your account! I see your work all over the place, but I never knew who made it!"

This was a comment I received on Instagram last week, and it's not the first of its kind. Last week I hit the 100,000 follower mark on Instagram, which, silly as it sounds, was a big deal to me. I know I'm supposed to act like I don't care about followers and these numbers don't matter, but when you're a brand — when you work hard to put up content almost daily and the number of people you reach correlates to your ability to actually afford groceries and rent — these numbers do matter. It was a really exciting milestone for me, but its brought to the surface some really mixed feelings I have about Instagram.

I love Instagram, obviously, and I want the platform to continue to thrive, but there are some major downsides for creators. Creators post on there, driving traffic to the app, but, unlike a platform like YouTube, creators aren't compensated for all of the work they do to bring people to the app. That's a big scale problem, and one that I don't have the capacity to directly address, but there's also the sharing (and, all too often, stealing) issue, which is what I want to talk about here.

Before I get into it, I have to admit that writing about this is difficult for me, because I feel the following:

Worried that I'll sound ungrateful for my audience

Silly for being angry about something like Instagram

Embarrassed that my ego is possessive of my work

Annoyed that I have to care about "credit" as a creator

But, as uncomfortable as I feel writing this, it's something I've been wanting to talk about for a long time. See, over the past few years, things have changed a lot in terms of Positively Present's content and audience. Part of this has been my personal growth, my desire to create and share art in addition to writing, and part of it is a shift in the way people consume content online. I used to just write (and occasionally create images or illustrations) here on the site. They would get shared, yes, but typically with a link to the site so it was a give-and-take situation: someone would take my work and share it and, in return, I would be given the opportunity to reach new people. But, with Instagram, all of that's different now. It's a lot more take than give. Because Instagram doesn't make it easy to share links (particularly if you don't have a large account) or credit creators, it's up to individuals to give credit, and many people don't know how (or even that they should).

I've shared guidelines before (the number of times a day I have to write "Check the FAQ story highlights for details on sharing!" is mind-boggling), but I thought I'd write them out again here. Keep reading for more on why these guidelines are so important for creators ('cause it's about way more than wanting more followers!).

PERSONAL ACCOUNT GUIDELINES

Creators love when personal accounts share their work because we're getting a real, positive promotion from someone who genuinely likes our work and wants to share it with family and friends. Unfortunately, because the everyday Instagram user often isn't familiar with Instagram etiquette, they often don't know to credit properly. Here's the deal:

Always mention the creator in the first two lines of the caption.

Always tag the creator in the image itself.

Never filter, crop, or edit the image (doing so is changing the work without permission).

Never share a bunch of one creator's photos in a row (it's just rude. and weird.).

Consider purchasing something from a creator, particularly if you share the work frequently.

Stop following freebooting accounts (see below) and follow creators instead.

BRAND ACCOUNT GUIDELINES Ideally, brands should be paying creators to make content for them — particularly the large brands — but since this isn't how things seem to work for the most part, at the very least, brands should do the following:

Always ask permission before sharing. Large brands that have shared my work, magazines like Shape, Glamour, and Teen Vogue, do this. Smaller brands frequently do not, and it's problematic because no creator wants their work connected to a cause / product / celebrity they don't support.

Always mention the creator in the first two lines of the caption. This is especially important for brands to do because, if you're getting content for free, the very least you can do is drive some traffic to the creator's account.

Always tag the creator in the image itself.

Never filter, crop, or edit the image (doing so is changing the work without a creator's permission).

Never share a bunch of one creator's photos in a row (it's just rude. and weird.).

Never imply the creator is a partner of or affiliated with the brand (unless a paid partnership is in place).

Never use an image to promote a sale, promotion, event, or other business-related content.

Hire the creators you really like to create custom work for you. It's way cooler than just reposting!

FREEBOOTING ACCOUNT GUIDELINES

Freebooting accounts are Instagram accounts (like this and this) that do not create any of their own content, but instead share only other people's content to grow their own page. I'm not fully aware of the purpose of this and, in many cases, I don't believe it's malicious, but it's still harmful to creators and particularly unfair when these freebooting accounts grow very large and receive compensation in the form of sponsorships, ads, and other partnerships — all while creating no work of their own.

Never share creators' work unless you're going to create work of your own.

If you want to curate things, hop over to Pinterest. That's what it's for.

Why are you doing this? What are you getting out of it? Likes? Stop it.

Just cut it out.

No.

Stop.

Seriously. Why?

So, why these guidelines? Why not just share my work and not worry about the credit? (A creator I love specifically says that anyone can share her work without credit and, as much as I love the idea of that — so selfless! so altruistic! — it plays all too well into the age-old tale of the starving artist, the notion that, in order to be creative, one doesn't actually make a living off one's work.) In reality, credit — as silly as it sounds — is a huge deal for creators.

As far as I can tell, there's never been a period of time in history where creators' works were just taken and used whenever and wherever. If, back in the day, you owned an art shop, you couldn't just take a painter's work and then sell it as your own without physically stealing the paintings. Now, it's just a few taps on your phone, and you can take creative content and share it. For free. All the sharing is wonderful in that in can, if an image is credited properly, drive traffic to a creator's account.

But, most of the time, creators' work isn't credited properly (or at all). I personally struggle with this a great deal. On one hand, I want to be open and carefree and think, I'm just generous creator and I'm happy to have my work shared and appreciated, even if I don't receive any appreciation or compensation for it. But another part of me can't seem to shake the notion that this work is mine. It whispers to me, You worked so hard on this. Why shouldn't you receive credit or, god forbid, compensation for what you've done?

I don't want to feel the "mine-ness" of my work, but I do. Every time I see my work shared without credit, it feels like a sharp sting, a pinprick in my heart. Every time I see my work with the signature removed — someone's deliberate attempt to claim it as their own — it feels like I've been shoved to the ground, wind knocked out of me.

This feeling of ownership is a strange mix of selfishness (That's mine!, my mind squeals like a toddler when her toy has been snatched away) and selflessness (Hey! When you just share others' work, you're really missing out on the joy of creating it yourself!, my mind also exclaims.) It sounds silly to say, but I almost feel guilty, being part of this culture that encourages people to look and share rather than make and create. Sometimes it feels like I'm spinning around on a giant dance floor — not the best dancer in the world, but having a damn good time — with all of these people standing on the sidelines saying, "Wow! I love your dance moves! That looks fun!" and I want to yell, If you like it, get out here! Try it. Make something!

It makes me wonder: Why are creators giving so much away for free? (Answer: Because they have to in order to gain followers and be considered "successful" enough to be worthy of brand deals, ads, book contracts, etc.) What kinds of creativity are we losing by staring at screens filled with things other people have made instead of making things ourselves? (Answer: Unknown, but probably a lot of cool stuff!) Maybe we'd be better off if people put down their phones and picked up a pencil or a paintbrush. Perhaps this makes me sound ungrateful and petulant, but I'm constantly conflicted by the desire to make work that is appreciated and the desire to work alone quietly, undetected. And, as strange as it might sound if you're not in the same position, it's actually really stressful to be torn between these two things.

You might be thinking at this point: If you're so bothered by this, why don't you just not share it? Or just post it on your website? There are two main reasons I continue to share my work on Instagram (and other social media platforms): (1) It's one of the best ways to grow an audience and, therefore, make enough money to (barely...) be able to afford food, and (2) I genuinely enjoy it and want to help people. Have you ever heard that old saying, What would you do all day if you didn't have to worry about money? Well, I'm doing it. I love writing and drawing and creating and sharing and helping other people with simple things that speak to them. I really do. I don't really care about getting credit — yes, there's a part of me that thinks "mine!" but most of me really just wants to make things, even if no one sees them — but I do care about making a living and, like it or not, getting credit indirectly leads to getting paid.

With this post, it’s not my intention to sound whiny or thankless — particularly amidst the joy of reaching a big Instagram milestone! 100k! Hooray!! — but, as much as social media feels like a frivolous time-waster, for a lot of creators — including me! — it’s really not. It matters. It's how we find work, sell products, build brands that will attract publishing houses or product distributors or whoever else can help us to grow our businesses. And, remember: the more a creator succeeds, the more content you'll likely get.

Mostly, I just wanted to get all of this out of my mind and into words. It's a weird and wonderful time to be a creative, and I'm incredibly grateful for all of the appreciation and opportunities that have come my way as a result of Instagram (and social media in general), but I think it's important for people who aren't creators — those who are consuming the content — to think about the other side to all of this free art. Creators are real people, people who work really hard to make things, and if you like what they do, you should support them — at the very least, by crediting their work, but, if you can, by actually paying for their work.

If you can, buy something from a creator you follow this week. Pick up an art print. Buy a book. Or, if that's not an option, try creating something yourself. Above all, that's what I'd really love to see: more people creating, fewer people consuming. (Stay tuned for more on this soon!)

I obviously had a lot to say on this subject, but I'd love to hear from you, too! Are you a creator? What is your experience with Instagram / sharing / social media? If you're not a creator, do you think about this? What are your thoughts now? Let me know in the comments section below!

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movietvtechgeeks · 7 years

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Latest story from https://movietvtechgeeks.com/brangelina-coming-back-together-plus-billion-dollar-kylie-jenner/

Is Brangelina coming back together, plus billion dollar Kylie Jenner

When it comes to the past decade or so, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s divorce announcement was arguably one of the most shocking celebrity-related stories. When it comes to A-list Hollywood couples, Angelina and Brad have long reigned supreme. However, in 2016, the duo announced they were parting ways after experiencing some notable marital problems, some of which stemmed from Brad’s struggle with substance abuse. Now, as nearly a year has gone by since the news of their divorce hit the tabloids, sources close to the two actors claim that they are looking to try and save their faltered marriage. According to an insider, Brad and Angelina have made no progress in finalizing their divorce, as they both believe there is hope in keeping their family together. In this week’s issue of US Weekly, one insider told the magazine, “The divorce is off. They haven’t done anything to move it forward for several months, and no one thinks they are ever going to.” The same insider went on to explain that there are still very strong feelings between the two celebrities, noting, “[Angelina’s] still so in love with [Brad]…He got sober to try and win her back. He knew he had a problem that he had to take care of. And that’s all she ever wanted…. Everyone thinks they are going to get back together. It wouldn’t be surprising if they announced that they’re calling it off and trying to work things out.” It is no secret that anything Kylie Jenner slaps her name onto sells like crazy. From her fashion line to her makeup products, the young starlet is undeniably a successful businesswoman. This week, publication Women’s Wear Daily published some more detailed information about just how successful Kylie really is…and the numbers may shock you! According to Kylie’s mother Kris Jenner, Kylie has made roughly $420 million in the past 18 months through her makeup brand Kylie Cosmetics. While this is an astronomical number, it makes sense as the 19-year-old mogul continues to sell out countless of her products and puts out new lines nearly every month. In the recent issue of Women’s Wear Daily, the publication put Kylie’s cosmetic brand’s successes into perspective. In an article which pointed out the young reality star’s incredible riches, WWD also noted, “The Estee Lauder Cos Inc.-owned Tom Ford Beauty was said to have reached revenues of $500 million after a decade, and the brand is considered to be one of the two fastest growing in Lauder’s portfolio, along with Jo Malone. Bobbi Brown also part of the Lauder stable, took 25 years to reach the billion-dollar mark in 2016, with L’Oreal’s Lancôme finally hitting the milestone in 2015 after 80 years.” If Kylie continues on this path, she is set to hit the coveted billion-dollar mark (with her cosmetic line) by the year 2022. Assuming she hits this mark, this would mean that she only took 6 years to get to the same milestone that many major makeup brands have taken from 25 to 80 years to reach. Now, this might be great news, but it’s also got Kylie a little concerned about those around here. In her mind, the glam squad might be getting a little too comfortable for comfort. In a clip from an upcoming episode of Life of Kylie, Jenner particularly worries she’s starting to get taken advantage of her hair stylist Tokyo Stylez after he continues to bring his boyfriend Chris along during her glam sessions. In the clip, Stylez approaches Jenner’s assistant Villarroel after finding out that his boyfriend no longer would be welcome to hang out during styling sessions. Villarroel said, “So we’re trying this new thing where whenever she needs glam, only the people that need to be there have to come. Kylie said, ‘If I request Tokyo, I just want Tokyo. I don’t need someone else to come.'” After her older sister, Kim Kardashian was held at gunpoint last October during a traumatic Paris robbery in her hotel room, Jenner says during a confessional interview that she’s trying to be more aware of who she lets into her inner circle. “I do have limits as a boss. I hate conflict, but I also learned you can’t really let people working around you get too comfortable because that’s when you get taken advantage of,” the star said to the camera. “It’s happened way too many times with my family.” Life of Kylie airs Sundays (9 p.m. ET) on E!. The women of "American Horror Story: Cult" came to Fox Studios promote the new season for an audience of television critics Wednesday, but they couldn't actually say anything about the show. Stars Sarah Paulson, Alison Pill, Leslie Grossman, Adina Porter and Billie Lourd gave vague answers to critics' questions and apologized for saying so little. The actresses appeared alongside makeup artist Eryn Krueger Mekash, costume designer Lou Eyrich and executive producer Alexis Martin Woodall. Here's what they could reveal: "Cult" involves a lesbian marriage, a broadcast journalist and what Woodall described as "an exciting trip to the grocery store." "As with all good horror and suspense, knowing less is actually so much more because it's going to unfold for you," she said. Though show creator Ryan Murphy has said "Cult" was inspired by the election of President Donald Trump, Woodall said the seventh self-contained installment in the "American Horror Story" anthology "is more about the world around us." "This particular season has a streak of paranoia that I think is infectious," said Pill. And it's scary like past seasons. Pill said that about two weeks into filming, she started checking behind her shower curtain at night to "make sure there's nobody in the shower, hiding, with a knife." Grossman also confessed that she's typically had to record "American Horror Story" episodes so she can watch them during the day. "If I watch it before bed, there are terrible sleeping issues," she said. The show returns to FX on Sept. 5 for 10 episodes. Jennifer Lawrence has opened up about her relationship with director Darren Aronofsky. Aronofsky directed Lawrence in "mother!" which was shot last year and comes to theaters next month. Lawrence tells Vogue magazine she and Aronofsky began dating after filming wrapped up. She says she likes Aronofsky's directness, saying she's "never confused with him." One point of contention in the relationship is the Oscar-winning actress' reality television obsession, which she says Aronofsky finds "vastly disappointing." Lawrence appears in four different cover shots for the magazine. One is of an oil painting of her, done by artist John Currin. Channing Tatum has hosted an impromptu dance party in a convenience store at a North Carolina gas station. The "Magic Mike" star stopped by the Sunoco in the town of Statesville on Tuesday night for some coffee and a candy bar. He bantered with the cashier and later danced with her to the tune of Nas' "If I Ruled The World." Tatum joked with some puzzled customers that he was the store manager. He took time to snap a photo with a fan. The episode was streamed to Tatum's fans via Facebook Live. Tatum is promoting his upcoming film, "Logan Lucky," which centers on a heist at a North Carolina NASCAR race. Taylor Swift took the stand in Denver federal court Thursday and recounted how a former radio DJ groped her at a 2013 meet-and-greet, calling it a “devious and sneaky act.” “It was a definite grab,” the pop star told the eight-member jury at her civil trial. “It was a very long grab. He stayed latched on to my bare as s ch eek as I moved away from him visibly uncomfortable.” Swift said former KYGO radio host David Mueller “grabbed my ass underneath my skirt” as she was posing for a photo with him at Denver’s Pepsi Center before a concert on June 2, 2013. “It was a very shocking thing that I have never dealt with before,” she said. “After this happened, it was like a light switched off my personality.” Mueller sued Swift in 2015, claiming she’d falsely accused him of groping her and got him fired from his job. Swift, who is only seeking $1, countersued for assault and battery. After the photo op, Swift said she thanked Mueller and his girlfriend, Shannon Melcher, in a “monotone voice” and continued meeting with fans. When Mueller’s lawyer, M. Gabriel McFarland, suggested she could’ve taken a break from the meet-and-greet after the alleged grope, Swift shot back: “And your client could have taken a normal photo with me.” Anna Faris and Chris Pratt, who announced on Sunday that they’re splitting after eight years of marriage, have been having problems for at least a year and a half, we’re told. “They’re very competitive with each other,” says a source. “At parties they compete over who’s funniest and get insecure if they’re not.” The discord also has to do with Pratt’s soaring career, with leads in “Jurassic Park” and “Guardians of the Galaxy.” “When he started getting big roles and losing weight, she wasn’t the big star anymore,” the source said. “He’s also very, very religious, and she’s not religious.” Reps are keeping quiet as to questions pertaining to this. Rihanna has been accused of a photoshop fail in a saucy snap from her carnival outing – after fans pointed out she has an “extra thumb” in the pic. The superstar posed wearing a barely-there showgirl get-up for the Instagram snap, but if you look closely she has an alien-like left hand, with two blue thumbnails, apparently due to an editing glitch. One observant fan commented “Why does her thumb got two nails,” with another adding “am i the only one seeing two nails coming from her thumb.” The beautiful portrait blue-haired Rihanna posted on Instagram was captured by photographer Dennis Leupold who is yet to comment on the accusations. It was taken at the Crop Over Festival’s Kadoonment Parade in Barbados, an event which 29-year-old Rihanna attends every year. The photoshop scandal follows Rihanna’s recent battle with online body-shamers, including a journalist who called her fat. The We Found Love singer’s mutant hand did not put her ex Chris Brown, 28, off the picture, however. He posted a flirty, ogling emoji in the Instagram comments which riled RiRi’s fans. Many told him to stay away from the star after he was charged with assaulting her back in 2009, with one blasting: “Please keep your negative energy away from Rihanna @ChrisBrownOfficial.” Meanwhile, Rihanna has been called a pop hero once again after a hilarious story about her dissing DJ Diplo’s music emerged. In an interview with GQ, Diplo revealed that Rihanna not only turned down the chance to sing on Major Lazer’s “Lean On,” snapping “I don’t do house music,” but also smacked down one of Diplo’s recordings. The star, who’d already listened to hundreds of songs, deadpanned: “This sounds like a reggae song at an airport.” Rihanna responded to the “airport” diss report by posting her own Instagram reaction, writing: “#DutyFree My bad @diplo.” NBC News is sparing no expense on its new star, Megyn Kelly, and the lavish spending is ticking off some of her new colleagues at the Peacock Network. Kelly is on a five-day nationwide tour to visit affiliates in major markets, and she is traveling on a charter jet with a support staff of five or six people, including a hairstylist, a makeup artist, a publicist and a security detail. “People are outraged over her divalike ways,” one network source told media outlets. “They wonder, ‘When does NBC stop throwing money at her?’ ” Kelly left Fox News in January to take over the 9 a.m. hour of “Today,” which launches on Sept. 25 as “Megyn Kelly Today.” Her salary is said to be $18 million a year. NBC hired new staff, built a new set and will be spending extra on a live audience for the show, which Kelly’s been touting in Dallas, Houston, and Denver. “She’s working sunup to sundown every day — some days, two cities a day,” an NBC insider said, and shooting multiple promos and pieces for the new show. “It’s a standard affiliates tour, which many new NBC News anchors have done before her. There’s huge excitement for ‘Megyn Kelly Today’ in these markets, and it’s a great thing that the show is covering people and places outside of New York City.” The insider said most staffers for the morning show were already working for “Today,” and that the expenses for the show’s launch were all budgeted long in advance. Kelly’s newsmagazine show “Sunday Night With Megyn Kelly” debuted in June to much fanfare, but had mediocre ratings and ended after eight episodes. It is expected to return after the NFL season and the Winter Olympics. Kylie Jenner’s new TV show has been slammed by critics and fans as “fake” and “boring” – and now the Kardashians are desperately trying to rescue the show. The Life Of Kylie only managed to draw in half the viewers that brother Rob Kardashian’s reality series Rob & Chyna managed to on it’s debut – and The Sun Online can exclusively reveal that the second episode is being re-cut to make it more exciting. “The show was a disaster – no one liked it,” says an LA TV source. “The whole family is panicking, and the rest of the series is now being recut to make it more exciting.” “The ending of the second episode needed more ‘bang’ – like Keeping Up With The Kardashians, you need something that viewers want to come back for.” “Everyone’s worried that Kylie’s life isn’t exciting enough for viewers who want drama and fighting.” “They want to include more footage of her sister, Kim, as they think people will tune in to watch then.” “They’re also telling Kylie to get out there and promote it,” says the insider. Fans have dismissed Kylie’s reality show about her life – in which she admits to being jealous of model sister Kendall and wanting to “run away” from fame – as “unrelatable”, with one saying “a lot of pressure to post a selfie, oh god” and another calling her “a superficial idiot.” TV reviewers weren’t much kinder. CNN said that the show saw Kylie “combine self-pity with a lack of self-awareness.” “It makes Kylie look shallow,” said Business Insider, while Complex called it “the fakest reality show ever.” “She’s so rich she can’t even invent a convincing obstacle to surmount on her reality TV show — when Jenner and her gang get devastating news that the private jet they’re supposed to take to Sacramento has broken down, they just call and ask for a different private jet,” said The Daily Beast. Before the show started, Kim Kardashian posted a sweet Instagram saying she was “so proud” of her little sister. The criticism doesn’t seem to have affected Kylie much – she’s been back on Instagram posting a series of seriously hot selfies. And last night, Kylie’s family – including sisters Khloé and Kim and mum Kris – threw her a surprise 20th birthday party. We think she’s going to be alright, guys. There’s no love lost between Josh Brolin and James Cameron. Speaking with Esquire, the “Deadpool 2” villain recalled a tense encounter with the “Avatar” director, after Brolin turned down a role in the franchise’s upcoming sequel. “If I don’t want to do ‘Avatar,’ I’m not going to do ‘Avatar,'” Brolin explained. “James Cameron’s f–king calling me this name and that name. Whatever.” Cameron’s anticipated follow-up to 2009’s blockbuster has long been delayed. In March, the Academy Award-winner confirmed the second installment would not hit theaters next year. “Well, 2018 is not happening. We haven’t announced a firm release date,” Cameron, 62, told The Toronto Star. “What people have to understand is that this is a cadence of releases. So, we’re not making ‘Avatar 2,’ we’re making ‘Avatar 2,’ ‘3,’ ‘4,’ and ‘5.’ It’s an epic undertaking. It’s not unlike building the Three Gorges Dam.” It sounds like Brolin, 49, is prepared for a possible confrontation with Cameron. “If James Cameron came to me and said, ‘Hey, man,’ why’d do you say?’ I’d go, ‘Because it happened,'” he said. In addition to “Deadpool 2” with Ryan Reynolds, Brolin is also slated to take on Robert Downey Jr. and company as Marvel foe Thanos in 2018’s “Avengers: Infinity War.” Taylor Swift’s team wants to make sure that her court battle with a DJ who allegedly groped her isn’t turned into a laughing matter. Insiders told media outlets that Swift’s camp has been frantically calling late-night talk shows to ask if hosts are planning to make jokes about her case against Denver DJ David Mueller, who denies Swift’s claim that he grabbed her buttocks during a 2013 meet-and-greet. “[Swift] doesn’t really want to be in the media cycle unless it’s on her own terms. She loves to control her narrative,” a music insider said. “I’m sure she doesn’t want to have this moment right before she’s gearing up for an album release.” Another insider told outlets Swift’s releasing new music this year and will go on tour in 2018. Her rep didn’t comment.

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#Angelina Jolie #Brad Pitt #Channing Tatum #Chris Pratt #Featured #Jennifer Lawrence #Kylie Jenner #Rihanna #Taylor Swift

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