Varanasi – the problem with Instagram

Last night as I connected my Nokia N8 to our new LED TV, I was amazed to see how great the Leica M8-9 pictures rendered through the HDMI connection. What an amazing way to view pictures! Then I started to go through other pictures I had loaded in my phone and found a full series of Instragram-like shots ("Molome" on Nokia devices ) I had taken in India. Well, I was stunned to see the large difference in quality when viewed on a 32" screen. Contrast, sharpness, colors …. my Molome pictures looked like they were taken with a pinhole 1950 Fed camera. The fact that they were square did not help them as the 24x36cm is way better adapted for TV screens.

Obviously, nothing new here, yet it led me to the thought that one should shoot Instagram for what it is : a fast food like consumption of images through a tiny 4 inches screen. Thank you nostalgia filters for all the Likes you get me and for helping to hide my terrible compositions as well as my meaningless scenes.

Yet, if you actually plan to print your pictures in large sizes, sell them, organize an exhibition or simply view the trip of your life on your large TV Screen, then make sure you take along a real camera too. Because looking backwards, I wish I had taken all these pictures with my Leica M.

All pictures taken with Nokia N8 and Molome

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