Residents in London’s affluent Notting Hill are complaining that their streets are becoming overrun with Instagram influencers staging photoshoots.
The area, setting to the film of the same name, is a regular celebrity haunt known for its Victorian architecture and colorful exteriors. But residents are now voicing their concern over what they describe as an “invasion” of young people, each hoping to get snaps for their Instagram pages. They say local streets have become the “personal photo studios” of “Insta-tourists,” picking up traction over the last six months in particular.
Daphne Lamirel, who lives in the area, said:
At first it was sweet, but it’s just getting crazier. The walls are quite thin and you can hear them laughing and directing photos from our living room. On weekends, there will be at least four groups taking pictures at the same time. It’s weird — it didn’t used to happen.
Another resident, Olivia Lamb, spoke of witnessing photographers and models setting up camp on her doorstep “for hours,” and said she frequently stumbles upon images of her front door on Instagram.
The Standard reports witnessing bloggers bringing a changing tent with them in order to be able to shoot multiple outfits in the street at a time. The Instagrammers are even said to queue up to have their chance to take photos in a picturesque spot.
Lead image: Nicole Baster on Unsplash.
Don't know whether to laugh or cry at this one.
Not a lot they can do with the effluencers shooting on the street, but if that were my wall becoming famous for doing the splits on. She wouldn't be doing it twice, that's for sure.
I'm gonna do both......
Sadly this is where we are now..."#InstaTourists"
P.S. I hate Unsplash.
I’d never heard of Unsplash until now. Really.
You must be new here.
Because I had no idea what a 500pxPinterest-esque photo sharing? exposure? site was.
Or because I wouldn't like people sitting on my wall? No, just got better things to do with my time. ;)
Luckily the people who live there can afford to move if they need to.
That has nothing to do with it.
They don’t have to live in a historical landmark.
No, but neither do people need to pose on strangers' front steps for their photos either.
I'm more worried about how many children in this world will die of starvation before I finish this sentence than I am about people who are inconvenienced by how amazing the place they live is.
Just because there are bigger problems in the world doesn't mean that this isn't a problem for the people whom it affects. If you go by that form of logic, then you must never complain about anything in your life since there's someone starving to death or dying of Stage IV cancer somewhere in the world.
Here's a thought: How about all of these "Instagram Influencers" buy their own magnificent homes and pose in front of their own homes rather than play make believe with other peoples' property?
As someone who grew up in an idyllic small town turned tourist trap, I can feel their pain. It's definitely something to keep in mind when you're traipsing through someone else's home.
My dad lived in Broadway, Cotswolds for 15 years. Bus loads of tourists arriving every day in the summer. Utter nightmare. They'd perch themselves on the cottage doorstep for photos all day long if they could. They brought money into the village though, not like these oxygen thieves who even go to the lengths of ordering clothes online for their Instagram shoots, then return them the next day.
Story on CityLab this week saying the exact same thing about a certain street in Paris.
https://www.citylab.com/life/2019/03/rue-cremieux-paris-instagram-touris...
Aw, diddums.
Everything about ig is horrible, then you go check out the posts these images are used for and it’s like “what is even the point”.
Pathetic. Reminds me a the story of a Russian business man who bought a non flying jet, fixed the interior and is renting it to the so called "influencers" so they can pretend.
http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/10/you-can-rent-a-grounded-private-j...
Thank you Alexander
It it sadly been a problem for the past 5-10 years. Not much you can do about it though. Are there any legal recourses for things like setting up a changing booth, and loitering around peoples entrances?
I would imagine there are loitering laws of some kind and I would think the steps are not public property. If one of these attention starved wannabe models got hurt on the stairs they would be able to sue.
Curious to know, too. Maybe someone from England can chime in.
Don't just complain, you spoiled unimaginative yuppies! Instead, grease the stairs, stoops, sidewalks, etc., and then record the hilarity and post it on your own IG account. You'll dissuade the idiots and grow your own following! SCORE!
Thank God I am not influenced by these images. Most of them are sad displays and attempts to get attention. The images are not natural and all you need is to throw a pretty girl in the scene and it is instafamous.
Makes the metoo movement very proud I bet.
This is also the number one reason to turn off geo-tagging. If these imature adults are this disrepective to private property imagine what they will do to public lands.
Come on children do something original for a change and stop copying everyone else. Be creative and unique. And don't even get me started on the fish lipped selfies taken in the mirror in clothing that leaves nothing to the imagination. This is the generation that will inherit the earth, wow.
Im so glad im 6 feet under by that time... lol
Instead of complaining, the residents could insert themselves into the background (and refuse to sign any model releases). Tit for tat, but that's today's society.
If it wasn't for geotagging, people wouldn't know how to get to this spot. Another reason to stop geotagging, people!
(Of course I'm kidding)
Both sides of this story annoy me. If the residents don’t like this, paint their homes white, not contrasting colours, specifically for attention. It’s like the beautifully designed glass buildings that house banks in London who hire security to prevent people from taking photos. If security is such a concern, move to an ugly building.
It's plain rude to go on someone's doorsteps. I'd try some kind of repellent to make it stink...
The Notting Hill movie had a scene that provides the ideal solution: the resident should stand on their doorstep wearing nothing but dirty underwear briefs. Clutching a bottle of whiskey would also enhance the scene. After a few minutes of this the "influencer" should hopefully give up and go bother another neighbour.