Upon scrolling through one’s Instagram feed, it is common to see photos of popular locations that seem to serve one purpose: to be “picture perfect.” Teens all around the globe frequently post pictures of themselves at Insta-spots, which are specific aesthetic locations and restaurants that are deemed ‘Instagram worthy.’ However, when acknowledging the pressure that social media platforms put on the general public and teens, in particular, the integrity of such pictures is often questioned.
Several Harrisites claimed that they do not often visit “Instagrammable” spots. Freshman Benjamin Babayev stated, “I feel like Insta-spots are too cliché and not original.” He continued, saying, “I would want my [Instagram] feed to have…locations others have [not] already seen.”
Despite this, others expressed the sense of community and the arts that taking Insta-spot pictures brings. Junior Madison Bitna said that she would be likely to take one when she goes “on vacation or to Manhattan.” Although she admitted to not taking such pictures often, she enjoys taking them, as doing so allows her creativity to shine through. “[Taking pictures] allows me to practice photography and it also allows me to share what I am doing with friends and family,” Madison said.
Similarly, senior Annie Lin positively described her relationship with Insta-spot pictures. “Taking pictures at trendy places…gives me the chance to explore parts of the city that I usually do not go to.” She added that this activity provides an opportunity for her to “experience something new with a friend.”
Sophomore Adam Tully expressed thoughts on pressures social media platforms like Instagram can bring about. “Pressure to post these does not come from Instagram; it comes from the people themselves.” Benjamin agreed with this idea, as he said, “Many users may see famous models or celebrities post these pictures and may think that they should do the same thing for attention.”
Madison had a similar stance upon the prompting of this question, yet she concluded that Insta-spots are ultimately acceptable. “In the end, it is your own Instagram, and as long as you are not harming anyone, you should be able to post what you want,” she explained.
