I think it goes without saying that I love Instagram. I mean, I guess it could go without saying, but since I say it every week, I think it’s fairly obvious. I love Instagram for a lot of reasons, the most important of which is I feel Instagram is like Twitter was a few years back. In terms of my real life loves, it gives me quick and poignant glances into their daily lives. Many of my best friends live pretty far away, so seeing these little images, whether it’s a shot of their lunch or their kids or their sunset, makes me feel just a little bit closer.
But there is a whole other section of people I follow on Instagram, those I’ve never met in real life (and for all intensive purposes, probably never will), those whose shots pull me in and cause me to catch my breath. Sometimes they are simple and sometimes they are grand, but they almost always inspire me to do better. So, in no particular order, here are five people you totally should be following on Instagram:
Ryan Marshall was the mind behind the brilliant blog Pacing the Panic Room, which I loved and read for many years before he shut it down this summer. Ryan is a professional photographer and videographer, but his Instagram feed mostly covers his life with his wife, daughter and step-son. This summer Ryan did a #warriorsofsummer series, and the entire thing was breathtaking. I love how he makes his supposedly ordinary life look magical.
I’ve talked about Rebecca Woolf on this blog before, regarding her incredible blog Girls Gone Child. She just joined Instagram in the past few months, and since then, my feed has definitely been a happier place. Rebecca is a mom of four based in L.A., and her photos make me think I could totally handle two more kids (sidenote: I totally couldn’t). Her photos manage to take a life so full, I’m sure, of chaos and craziness, and show a simple calmness. The best thing she does is photograph the relationships between her children. Watching a family grow into themselves is pretty fantastic.
Bri Emery is the mastermind behind the amazing blog Design Love Fest, and co-creator of Blogshop. Her Instagram follows her throughout her life’s journey, from client meetings to photoshoots to dinners out with her boyfriend to concerts in L.A. (where she is based). She is obviously a fan of color and bold type, which she takes care to share with everyone in her images. I think I have a major girlcrush here.
Jared Chambers is someone I mainly started following because Ryan Marshall mentioned him and I’m so, so glad I did. He is the creator of the hashtag #smallpeoplebigplaces, a series in which he takes photos of people in massive circumstances. His work is mainly based on the west coast, which is my happy place, so I crave his images of seaside fog and gigantic rock formations. He is a true artist of Instagram, whose images are solely created on the iPhone (which is rare these days on Instagram), and is an absolute must follow.
James from Bleubird is someone I’ve mentioned here a few times for her incredibly inspiring blog, and if you’re not following her on Instagram, you’re missing out. Her feed is full of her beautifully simple life in Texas. She homeschools her two older children, and watching them on their journey has completely changed my mind about what homeschooling can be. Her photos convey a sweetness and a great love for her family, which always make my day.
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Do you follow anyone on Instagram who makes your day with their images? Please share, I’m always looking for inspiration! And as always, you can find me on Instagram at @crazy_bananas. Happy snapping!
