I have been digging Instagram these days, and apparently I'm not alone; Instagram now has over 300 million active users that spend on average 21 minutes a day in the app. Now, I understand that not everyone loves it like I do, and I see why. Instagram is often strongly associated with selfies, but I see it for more than that. For me, I see Instagram as an endless stream of creativity; a network filled with amazing moments captured in unique ways. I follow a collection of amazing videographers, photographers, and athletes, not to mention all my creative friends; and as a result I come across some pretty incredible content every day.

I also like following brands and seeing the marketing opportunities that Instagram has brought to them. Detailed photos of their products, insight into their operations, a sneak peek of an event, or even a promotion can catch my attention as I scroll through the app. Generally, the more creative the post, the more I am drawn in and likely to engage.

And of course, I like adding my own content as well. I enjoy sharing moments with friends, preserving a memory or expressing my creativity. Over the years, I have gone from posting exclusively iPhone photos to posting everything from photos to videos to animations. I even post photos or video clips taken by my friends, granted they are usually taken of me. Some die-hard Instagrammers believe that Instagram is reserved for posting photos that you take on your mobile device, but I welcome all types of media.

Producing a full video can take days or even months, meticulously planned shots linked together with a carefully crafted story can be a lot of work. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing I like more than to produce an engaging feature, but find it increasingly fun and less time consuming to set up a rig for a quick experimental video shoot. No planning or plot needed, just 15 seconds or less of something cool. And if I do post something engaging, an instant feedback loop. Critiques from fellow-creatives and comments from friends appear quickly after posting but I try not to get too caught up all of that. I don't use a ton of hashtags or promote my posts very hard and as a result, I am pretty sure I will not become Instagram famous anytime soon. One thing I do know is that I will continue to create and post whenever I feel inspired.

Or for at least until I fall in love with the next social media platform that comes along.

Want to see more of my feed? Check out my Instagram page or follow me @craigmccallion.