If you follow my blog or if you are my eye-rolling husband, you know I am INSTAGRAM OBSESSED. (Above are a few photos from my feed— @mommyshorts.)
Yes, I often interrupt meaningful family moments to post them on Instagram. Yes, I often try to make totally mundane moments into something meaningful by posting them on Instagram. Yes, I take pictures of Harlow napping and Mazzy in various outfits and my MUST-SEE half eaten pancakes…
But I also feel like I'm telling a visual story that is way more carefully edited than the 50,000 photos I have in my iPhoto library. Photos that no matter how many times I promise Mike, will never ever make it into a tangible album.
For the most part, I post my favorite two pictures per day. My whole family follows me so I no longer have to remember to personally email them pictures. And I have found inspiration in a community of like-minded amateur and professional mom (and dad) photographers who have breathed new life into their family picture-taking.
It's no secret— life looks a lot better with a filter and a bit of a blur.
This month, I have entered a really cool partnership with Elizabeth Street to find their InstaMom of the month.
Elizabeth Street is a New York based site that marries family life and fashion. Or, in their words, "an international collective of chic moms who know that life is best lived with style". (I guess they didn't realize the mom behind my iPhone is taking photos in her pajamas with spit-up stains on her boobs. Shhhh!!!)
To become Elizabeth Street's January InstaMom of the Month, just post a photo on Instagram that represents your New Year with the hashtag #ESNewYear and tag @ElizabethStmom. Then it will automatically add to their feed pictured here. Post as many photos as you like.
At the end of the month, we'll pick our favorite photo and that person will win a Bobble Family Pack, which includes a 13oz, 18.5oz and 34oz Bobble and one jug (value $52).
Bobble is a reuseable bottle that uses a replaceable carbon filter to remove chlorine and organic contaminants from your tap water just by virtue of passing through it. It's also the easiest way to stop wasting the plastic associated with a steady diet of Poland Spring— an excellent New Year's resolution, don't you think?
Whatever represents your New Year (whether it be something meaningful or mundane), I can't wait to see your photos, find new moms to follow on Instagram and pick the InstaMom of the month.
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I love all your Instragram photos. They are so awesome.
Going to find you on instagram now…love these!
I AM SOOOO IN! But I bet you already knew this :). Ollie & Lando vs Harlow & Mazzy death match. ::ding ding::
you should get stickygrams. they are magnets for your fridge with whatever instagram photos you pick. best thing ever!
I don’t know how you’re going to choose your favorite instamom shot! Hard work!!!! I actually have been on instagram less frequently these days. Well, if I’m inspired to take a new year’s shot, I’ll be sure to enter. Thanks! The prize sounds awesome.
Cool idea. I love finding new follows on Instagram and wouldn’t mind a few more myself (saidkristin). I added one of my favorite pics from over the holidays, in spite of the fact that Lil’ Bit and I were both felled by the flu in it. It was taken Christmas Day but we were still sick a week later, so it’s pretty representative of how we rang in the New Year!
Always love your shots on Instagram, Ilana.
Okay so I have had an account with instagram for a while but can’t figure out how to follow or be followed by anyone or for that matter even post pictures. Anyone want to help me out here? I love taking and posting pictures.
How come my Instagram pix never look as good as yours? Does the iphone have better filters than Android? (I really want to be able to blame this on the phone!)
Absolutely unrelated to this post, but I saw an article about the Rock N Play sleepers being recalled for mold issues, and I remembered that you recently bought one for Harlow.
I haven’t joined Instagram yet. Mostly because I am a social media failure. I CANNOT keep up. But more importantly…do you have any idea how glamorous your life in NYC looks to someone who visited the city as a little girl and wants so badly to see it through an adult’s eyes?! I’m living vicariously through you so please continue to share!
I wish I had instagram! I have a crappy phone.
First of all, I would go to the app store and make sure instagram is up to date. They publish upgrades frequently and there was recently a big update.
Then when you open it up, there is a small gear in the upper right hand corner- easy to miss. That’s where you can find all of your facebook and twitter friends.
Uploading pics is by pressing the disc in the middle on the bottom. That will take you to a camera that you can either use or press the picture icon on the bottom right which will take you to your photo library to upload from there.
Hope that helps!
love your instagram account. Thanks for the inspiration @janlivingston