Dear Instagram

I've been a long time user and fan, and I’ve watched you evolve into the influential global platform you are today.

Instagram has shaped the way my peers and I have grown up in the last half decade. It's become the way we learn to know the world—personal acquaintances, influencers, and brands—through beautiful curated photos. I am so inspired by the diverse range in content found on Instagram, as well as the communities that have developed within personal, artistic, and industry niches. I'm constantly astounded by Instagram's ability to transcend distance and language barriers to bring people together from around the world. Seeing perspectives from people’s unique visions moves us, inspires us, teaches us, and ultimately unites us.

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I’m a photographer, and I use Instagram as a creative outlet to share my work, get feedback, and reach out to other creative collaborators. I use Instagram as a tool to learn and get inspired, because it contains the most up-to-date artwork produced by some of the most innovative contemporary artists. Instagram creates a network for people with common interests, and provides a way for people to easily connect to one another—reaching out, giving feedback, and following people's journeys through day to day content. Instagram Stories has been a great feature that gives us a way to share the trivial snippets of our lives, that when put together, tell the story of our lives—ultimately the most spectacular story we have to tell.

Over the past few years, my work has revolved around collaborating with other creatives, producers, writers, designers, and marketing managers to create and curate visual content for various purposes including marketing campaigns, personal work, or editorial publications. As a creative storyteller and photographer, I’m familiar with industry-standard photography and video gear, studio lighting equipment, and post-production editing software.

I’m constantly inspired by other artists around the world, and I want to share their diverse talents and unique stories. I love Instagram's Weekend Hashtag Project and InstaMeet opportunities that allow me to meet like-minded creatives who share my passions within a community. However, I believe platforms such as Instagram’s blog could use more engagement and playfulness to bring a global awareness to the passionate and talented role models in the world. Let's tell their stories.

“I believe Instagram is an influential platform with endless opportunities to grow, share, and inspire people around the world in meaningful ways beyond what the eye can see.”

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