Let's really be honest here, Facebook and Instagram have changed the rules enough times now that it's driven most of the fun out of the social media platforms and it's long been time for a change. Instagram used to be great for photographers but has since become an almost pointless endeavor for anyone that doesn't already have 100,000 followers or more.
We could probably speculate for hours as to the reasons behind many of the changes that the Facebook overlords have made to both platforms, but the reality is that neither Facebook or Instagram is a very business-friendly (or photographer-friendly) environment anymore. At the start, business profiles on Instagram seemed like a great idea and came with lots of supposedly neat tools and analytics for businesses. But now the algorithms seem to be skewed against those working hard to cultivate a solid, reactive audience. This topic seems to come up often enough, both in social media circles, here on Fstoppers, and even us as Fstoppers Staff have been discussing the merits of using Instagram anymore because it feels like engagement across the board is dropping off for most people that aren't willing to fork over massive amounts of money to Facebook.
A sample screenshot of how images are viewed within the app. Images are displayed full screen, with the option of tapping to pull up image and author information as well as any comments on the image.
Realistically, Instagram has every right to engineer their app however they want, but it's impossible to deny that the user experience just isn't what it used to be. The number of sponsored posts is rocketing up and the number of engagements from actual fans is dropping dramatically as users are pushed to sponsor more and more of their own posts just so people will see them. The frustration that many users feel towards Instagram is precisely the reason why Dayflash came into being. They have built a social media experience that encourages users to share and engage freely without worrying about having to convert profiles to 'business' profiles or sponsor their own posts.
In a nutshell, Dayflash is a place where shared photos and videos take the spotlight, literally, since each post is designed to be seen full screen. It's not about promotion or paid engagement as neither followers or post engagements can be bought. The only way images make their way into public popularity is simply by producing and sharing high quality and visually engaging imagery. Dayflash sent me an invitation to join back when they were first launching and I've been a user ever since. Gaining a following is done through hard work and consistency, the way it used to work on Instagram back when Instagram was fun.
At this point in my career and social media presence, I can honestly say that I spend more time on Dayflash than I do on Instagram. I am tired of trying to cultivate an audience within the Facebook realm and I really appreciate the simplicity of the user experience on Dayflash. At some point, I will probably drop my Instagram altogether as interaction with Dayflash picks up. Right now, the app is only available on the Apple App Store, but according to the company an Android version is in process to be released in the future. If you have grown tired of the games and ever changing rules of Instagram, it might be worth your time to try another option that is growing in popularity with each day. You can learn more about the app from the Dayflash website and can download it onto Apple devices through the App Store.
Too bad it's mobile app only.
And for iPhones only to boot.
Dejavu.
that's ridicolous....
It's truly bizarre how Instagram fights tooth and nail to prevent anyone from using it on their laptop or desktop. After seeing how users find workarounds to post from their computer, you'd think the new platforms would get a clue. But they haven't learned anything. And now here's one that isn't even available to *see* on a computer??
I view IG on a computer 99% of the time. Over the years, I do like how IG has added functions like "Saved" and "Tagged" on the desktop/laptop version. The only thing missing for me is the native upload function and viewing larger images. The larger images are there. They just need to display them as such.
Desktop Example: This is the normal view:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BdTVUT3HonB/
The is the larger view:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BdTVUT3HonB/media/?size=l
Funny how the larger view on Instagram has a Facebook favicon. I know FB owns them, but they've been trying to keep that brand separate.
Now, they want to make sure there's no mistaking FB owns IG.
https://petapixel.com/2019/08/03/instagram-to-be-renamed-to-instagram-fr...
If they are fightong tooth and nail like you mistakenly say, why is there an IG app for Windows in the Microsoft Store developed by IG themselves. If you install the Windows app when you right click any image in your PC and select Share, Instagram appears in the options and when you do so you can post directly from PC and crop, add filters if you do that, and add the image description even alowing to copy and paste your hashtags copied from a Notepad file. Truely biased comment and the person writing it is missinformed. Maybe even paid by the Day Something app that might let you expose your work to maybe 10 people that have it :-)
No such app on the Mac, which is what I use. Would be nice to have one, because I have to use silly tricks to upload from my Mac. I find trying to use IG from my computer to be a hassle. And sorry to burst your bubble, but I have nothing to do with Dayflash. If you actually read my comment, you'd see I was lamenting the fact that Dayflash doesn't even let me see any content unless I install their PHONE APP. Sheesh!
500px should be the best platform but it’s become a massive let down lately.
500px I'm only sharing to other photographers (you're not my market) that don't care about my work nor will they buy my work.
I’m with you there. I used to love 500px, but it’s just not the same that it used to be.
And regardless of how professional photogs are supposed to be or how good your work is, the nude model pics are still the most popular.
Human sexual psychology is a bitch, aint it?
Might be more popular but commercial work pays way more. Likes don't put a roof over my head.
The 500px that was acquired by Visual China Group aka Getty East? The 500px that tried to copyright the first ever photo of a black hole? That 500px?
as others noted mobile app only and iphone only when will app developers learn that there are more android users than iphone users https://deviceatlas.com/blog/android-v-ios-market-share#us
Might be more, but Apple's app store makes twice the revenue of Google Play. Also, Google Play store has a pretty sizable piracy problem with android applications.
By like a 9 to 1 ratio too :-).
How about Vero? Have you tried it? Also, it's unthinkable in this day and age to have an app for iOS only, even if there is promise for Android.
Do people even still use Vero?
Did people ever actually use it?
I gave it a shot, once. If I remember correctly, it was such a pain in the ass to get to the top of my newsfeed. It wasn't as simple as in FB and IG.
But, I did like how when viewing horizontal images, it rotated and best fit the screen, similar to FB.
That was a thing for a week then there was a thing about the owner being an asshole or something and it all stopped.
I think you meant Vero. You know, the other hot fad about a year ago whose hype train rose and fizzled in less than a month.
Here's the problem. Like Facebook, Instagram is so well established with it's user base that a mass exodus is unlikely. Even if it is the best thing for photographers, what good is it if all you are doing is showing off to other photographers frustrated with slipping between the IG cracks and lacking exposure to potential clients.
Dayflash, I am sure is another wonderful social media outlet. But do we really need another one?
Yes Steven, if we are ever to break free of the money grubbing tyrants of Instagram/Facebook we need a new platform. I grew my IG account organically to over 8K followers starting in the fall of 2015. Between 2016 and 2017 I was getting as many as 1-2K engagement. In the last year I get 200-300 engagement :-( I have been algorythmed out of sharing on IG. Just my 2 cents.
I think what Steven was trying to say is, while on paper this new platform do seem promising, it's very new, and the total number of users is nowhere near instagram.
Reading about the features, I, as a photographer, am interested. I want to put a few of my best works there. Now the problem is, put it there for who to see? Most probably to a lot of fellow photographers who couldn't stand instagram anymore, and a spoonful of possible clients.
An analogy: you own and operates a camera shop. Now there's a new photography mall opened. It's a new concept of putting every photography needs in 1 place. Superb facilities, big spaces, everything is awesome. The catch is, consumers don't know about this place. So if you move your shop there, you'll be joining a lot of other camera shops, with only a spoonful of buyers.
I just want everyone to go back to using flickr.
Their new updates are really nice!
Flickr is the best
What happened to EyeEm? Or Vero? Doesn’t feel like anything will break the stranglehold of Facebook. Everyone knows what’s wrong, but nobody can do anything about it. Except Facebook, apparently – they either don’t know or don’t care what’s wrong.
Dayflash sounds ok, but why do all these apps insist on having a camera function too. Just want somewhere to share my photos. I’ve already got a camera thanks.
EyeEm has awesome talent from around the world and although I'm not a pro I've sold some stock photos multiple times for anywhere from $2-$37 profit.
Vero may still be small but it has a great, active community. Pro photographers I've followed usually get 200+ likes on photos which is decent enough in my mind.
Facebook/IG won't die until we all decide to quit. I have them all but I've made the choice to only check them a few times a year... Much more important things in life to pay attention to than social media... Get out, make real friends and experiences, enjoy!
Decentralised, open and free network is maybe the best bet, but might be too hard for avrage user to understand principles and why you need to host instance for yourself. Check Pixelfed as it is the closest clone to IG to get the idea.
Only for iPhone users, so it's not for me...
Dejavu.
It's not a bad app but there are few things that should just happen automatically. Ex I have to pin each photo after 24 hrs? That's an unneeded action.
Thanks for your feedback. Feel free to email contact@dayflashco.com if you have any other feedback or suggestions. It's super helpful and we greatly appreciate it. Thanks again!
Ello.co is yet another option and one that seems to be photographer friendly, high quality, and easy to use. True it is a platform for creative and artist almost exclusively but there are some selfiesluts there too.
It's really difficult to take a platform seriously when the makers think having an iOS-only app is good enough.
So as many have said above iOS only, they haven't created an agnostic PWA app nor Android let alone anything for Windows Store. So it's a niche (hipster?) app that doesn't have any reach. So why join?
Hi Daris, I'm one of the co-creators of Dayflash, and appreciate your feedback. We're growing fast on iOS and are working hard to release an Android version in the near future. It's one of our top priorities. Feel free to sign up on the following typeform to receive an email invite to join Dayflash when the Android version is available: https://dayflash.typeform.com/to/N902E8 Thank you again!
If you are serious about your app you would have released it when both iphone and Android versions are ready (and windows version too).
It is easier, quicker and cheaper to develop for IOS but seriously, coming out with IOS version only is very 2010...
You're stepping a little out of bounds here to project the co-founders seriousness about their product.
I'm confident they're very serious about their app. And most of the time (as I'm sure is the case here) people create things and release them based on the resources available to do so. The fact that they release an iOS app first says nothing more than they had the resources available to do it.
There are lots of reasons to start with iOS. And I'm glad they even started at all.
There are many reasons to start with IOS and I mentioned it in another comment. It's faster and quite easier with Swift IOS code rather than Java. I have no idea about coding apps but I know it's easier on IOS.
However, I am not out of bounds at all. Today's coding environment is a lot easier than what it was 6 or 7 years ago and the resources available (programmers) are much more plentiful.
Besides, although Miss. Renjen mentions here that they are working on an Android version, there is no mention of it anywhere on their site. Pitty. Not a good message for Android users
Appreciate the suggestion. We'll definitely look to add Android coming soon to our website. Thanks again.
With all due respect, in my opinion that's really bad advice. I'm a software engineer, making apps, and I can tell you now that if you have an idea and you have the engineering capacity to build out a 1.0 version on one platform then just do it and get your thing out there. You can add support for other platforms as you grow. Sure, this doesn't always apply – if you're already a large company then maybe support iOS and Android from day one – but for smaller startups I have no problem with them offering one first.
You are probably right. You know more than I will ever know about app development. However, I still believe that the development of multi platform compatible app is way easier than it was even five years ago. It will require more resources but the return on investment could be much higher as opposed to developing for a small segment of the population.
Again, I use logic (and not so objective opinion, since I am an Android user) and that might not be always the way to go.
At least add a 'coming soon to Android' icon on your web.
Yeah, the "coming soon on Android" message would go a long way. You're absolutely right about cross-platform development being easier now than it's ever been. Tools like React Native and Flutter help developers build native apps for both platforms using one codebase. There's always some messing around to get it working and looking just right on both but just the idea of this is cool and it works well. Note, though, that some apps (depending on complexity, graphical requirements, etc.) are still better suited to being written natively, i.e. in Swift for iOS or Java, Kotlin, etc. for Android.
Anyway, all that aside, I tried the Dayflash app and it was, in my opinion, pretty bad. Lacklustre design, strange UI/UX choices, and not even fully supporting the iPhone X screen size, which has been around for almost 2 years. To be fair, I didn't post anything nor did I comment on or like any other posts so I haven't really been too involved in the community there.
Still waiting for that Instagram alternative, I guess. I just read this morning that starting soon, Facebook are rebranding Instagram and WhatsApp to show that they're made by Facebook. Hmm.
Hi Rupali,
I don't use either Android or iOS, instead I mostly use Windows 10. If Instagram can produce a PWA which is mostly platform agnostic, surely you could? It'd be a far more efficient usage of time and resources?