HOW I RESPOND TO “TOOLS THAT I USE TO HAVE GREAT INSTAGRAM GALLERY” QUESTION

Since instagram launched Direct Message feature, I’ve received so many messages asking everything about photos that I posted on my instagram feed. They think that I have that kind of “signature” tone color photo that make all of my photos looking more beautiful than the original one. Well, the fact is, it’s not only me that have been overdosed by so many questions about editing photo but also my friends (you can call them instagram celebrity) who have such amazing instagram photo galleries. However, there are the misunderstanding between those followers and the influencers that I would like to share here based on my thoughts.

Almost everyday I’ve received the direct message or maybe not only me but also other celebgrams asking for :

“WHAT CAMERA DO YOU USE ?”
“WHAT LENS DO YOU USE ?”
“WHAT APPS DO YOU USE TO EDIT PHOTOS ?”
“WHAT FILTER DO YOU USE TO GET THAT TONE COLOR PHOTO ?”

I’m so glad to know that more and more people inspired by my photos, therefore they want to trace the same steps in order to get the same result like mine. I feel so honored having an opportunity to be someone to look up to. On the other hand, we influencers sometimes feel disappointed by the questions.

The questions sound like that easy to conclude all of the editing process that we’ve done. Sometimes, those questions actually burden us because what we think the questions actually mean is “I want the same tone color photo like yours, what should I do ?” instead of you actually want to know the apps or filter that we’ve been using.

Frankly, the real answer of those questions from we influencer is “if you want to have the same tone color photo like ours, it’s not gonna work with one word answer. Let’s say I answer “I’m using vsco apps filter C8 and snapseed to edit my photo”. Okay, we’ve done answering your question. Now, let me ask you “can you get the same tone color photo like ours after knowing all of the tools we use ?”

No ?

“Because editing a photo doesn’t only need the same apps and the same tools. It needs skill and good taste.”
 

It would not finished in 1 or 3 minutes process, but it needs such a long process. 15 minutes minimum for myself, sometimes more. I haven’t mentioned how those pro photographer editing their photos yet, oh yeahh, some of my photographer friends even need 24 hours to get a perfect tone color picture. oh wow !! yes “IT’S NOT THAT SIMPLE, IT NEEDS PROCESS, IT DOES NEED EFFORT”

If people think once we’ve answered the filter or setting that we use for editing photo means we’re gonna use the same one for all of the photos, No, We don’t. In every photos, We use different setting, different filter and different effect. It depends on how the original photo looks like, every filter/setting will not be applicable to all photos. Every photo has different treatment, you can’t do the same shits to all of the photos. A good feeling are needed for this case.
 

These words are currently viral on social media, shared hundred times by us the influencers, because we feel exactly the same. I’m writing here from the influencers side. The moment people ask about tools that we use is the moment that actually put us down. We kept questioning ourselves why the hell you only ask about the tools, why don’t you consider our skill as the key behind the success ? Do you think by knowing the tools means you’d get those shits done ? Why do tools become the only matter ? Why don’t you appreciate the long process that we’ve done to reach this level ? Why can’t you see that there were sleepless and endless learning process behind the tools ?

Can you just appreciate skill, not tools ?

What we think would be absolutely different to what people think. This journey has taught me to not only see something from one side but also from another perspectives. I do agree with the thoughts that we should appreciate the skills, not tools, as an influencer. But, on the other hand, let’s take a look and switch your position as a follower. It now becomes non-sense hearing the way influencers answered that simple question into such an offended answer.

I believe the reason why people come out with those questions is because the influencers have been inspiring people’s life with what they do and they just simply want to be like their inspirations. Yes, they do know nothing about what shits you’ve done, how many years you’ve spent to get that skill, how much effort that you did, and how many tools that you’ve been using. Why the hell they have to know ? That’s your personal secret stuffs.

They are just individuals who’s running their own basic life. What they just know is what they see, things that are provided in front of them. What they know is just you’re such a perfect figure to look up to. They don’t learn photography, they don’t interest that deep into visual things, because they have their own stuffs. Isn’t it normal if there is someone who’s very expert at one field but she/he know nothing at another field ?

No one is dumb, maybe it’s just not their expertise.

Yes skill does matter, but process matter more. I am the one who always believe that skill could be learned by doing. Instead of assuming that those people should appreciate our skill, why don’t we share how to get those-not-so-easy-steps things done ? Don’t you (the expert) remember that you were just all same with people who ask “what camera do you use” ?. You must have spent a lot of time to understand that it’s not about the tools that only matter anymore but also the skill. Don’t you realize the expert was once a beginner ? Let’s see something from different perspectives not only from yours J

cheers,

kadek arini