As a high school student when we started our Instagram accounts most of us started with posting random photos of our food, dogs, shoes and sometimes, one too many selfies. As we matured and developed over time so did our posts. Instagram has become quite the branding tool for models, online boutiques and blogs. While it’s being used as a marketing tool for some, it has become a reflection and theme of life for a few of our fellow Wildcats. A themed gram is surrounded around one thing food, fashion, travel, etc. sticking to the one thing can be hard, so choosing an aesthetic allows more freedom. With an aesthetic you can post your photos based off of colors in the background, changing up the contrast, or simply throwing the same filter over every post. Take it from these wildcats, they don’t care about likes or comments, it’s all about what they feel and what represents them.
@JaliyahDrenise – Reflect you, no one else.
Jaliyah Brown, K-State 2017 alumna, has used her posts to market and reflect her website since she started blogging. By spending a lot of time editing and placing the A6 filter on each photo through VSCO a popular, she has created a vibrant and earthy aesthetic. “Although, I spend quite a bit of time on each photo, most of the time it’s me overthinking each post,” she said. “For people looking to create an aesthetic in the future: Don’t try too hard or overthink, it’s just an Instagram. Be who you are and allow your page to reflect you, no one else,” state Brown.
@vivianspocket – State of heart, state of mind
There’s a lot that goes into each of Vivian Nguyen’s posts. Some of her photos are staged to create a story. “I’ll think of an idea and it will become more of a conceptual or narrative piece,” Nguyen, junior in mass communications, said. She posts based off of color schemes, but also things that she likes and that allow her to think. Nguyen shares many photos that reflect her thoughts and feelings, posting photos that embody the state that she is in at the time. Nguyen’s page has a naturally neutral theme. When looking at her photos, many of them are nature and the simple things in life viewers are able to refocus and realign, because sometimes we get so caught up in our busy days. “My aesthetic is light-hearted, airy, (and) simplistic, but it gets people to think,” she said. “My page is just my state of heart and mind.”
@HannahEckenroth – Instagram can be a vulnerable place, you just have to go for it.
“It is definitely a true reflection of my emotions and my mood.” Whether posting selfies, or photos of family and friends, Eckenroth’s goal is to bring some inspiration to people through her Instagram, and take them out of their comfort zone and encourage them to be confident in posting photos on their pages. “A lot of my friends find themselves being afraid to post photos other than selfies because they may not get enough likes and all I can say to that is, ‘Who cares?’” she said. “It is social media. I’ve come to the point where the more I’ve used Instagram, the less I care about likes. I want to share what I want to share and I don’t care. I am expressing myself.”
@brookeelizabethhello – I can post six photos in two days, I don’t care.
Brooke Roberts is one Instagrammer who chooses the same filter to bring all the photos in her grid together. She has a strategic system when it comes to choosing pictures: taking more than 30 photos in one sitting. When she finally looks through all the shots, she chooses the one with the least amount of movement. She is not your typical Instagrammer, defying the unwritten rules of Instagram. She does what she wants and she encourages new and old users to do the same. “When people tell me they’re nervous to post, I tell them ‘Look, it is social media and it is what you want to make it.’ I can post six photos in two days, I don’t care. I think the most important thing to know on social media is to spread the love. Instagram can be super powerful,” Roberts said.
