For some college students, Instagram is a social media outlet. To others, it is a way to look at the world through a creative lens and capture the most artistic angles life offers. Among the many students that periodically post and peruse through photos, a few Biolans have gained quite a following and reputation over their Instagram lifespan.

Instagram as an art form: iangwatt — 251 followers

Freshman film major, Ian Watt, views Instagram as a way to create and share art instead of just a way to share pictures. According to Watt, when he first discovered the app he took pictures of anything and everything. Over the course of a couple years, he had seen different people come in and out of his life and had collected about 2,000 pictures overall.

“I just decided to reset — delete all the old photos and start over and really, I guess, put a lot of effort into the new [account] and make it less of a personal scrapbook and more of something presentable,” Watt stated.

Watt’s new account is full of colorful landscapes and visually appealing symmetry. He said that he looks for patterns in nature and tries to let his photography reflect the organic beauty of God’s creations.

“Instead of focusing on me, it focuses on what I see and what I experience … the perspective has changed, and I think that almost reflected a change in me,” Watt explained.

Watt believes that many people are attracted to his account because they can virtually discover new places and beautiful sights along with him. He travels a lot and explores the country with his family, so people can vicariously venture outside their dorm with him.

“I hope to inspire people … I really do want people to get out there and experience these moments where they stop and see something and let it take their breath away, and capture that moment. I think that’s the most powerful thing about Instagram,” Watt said.

Instagram has many uses, but Watt believes that Instagram is an art form and that people should be creative with their account.

“Everybody can make art of some kind, and if you try, you’re doing it,” Watt stated.

Capturing the moment: laurenhud — 1,579 followers

Senior business major Lauren Hudson uses Instagram as a way to collect memories and moments throughout her journey through college.

“Instagram for me is kind of like a diary of my life in a way,” Hudson said.

Hudson’s Instagram feed is full of snapshots of events she and her friends have attended — concerts, baseball games and even a Biola sponsored event, the Eddy. She also participates in “Throwback Thursday,” where she uploads pictures of her childhood every Thursday. In all of her day-to-day experiences, Hudson is able to capture the very best visual angles and upload them to the enjoyment of her many followers. Instagram is a way for her to let friends and family see the highlights of her week.

“I want to post stuff that’s either visually stimulating, interesting or something that’s kind of funny,” Hudson stated.

Hudson explained that Instagram is more than just posting pictures and getting likes — it’s interacting with other users. In her opinion, following celebrities or organizations and being involved and interactive within the app holds a lot of value and allows for more eye traffic onto her own account.

“I took [Instagram] lightly … like just a fun thing to do. Now I’m learning that it’s actually a tool that you can really make statements on, even witness to people through. It definitely ignites conversation for me,” Hudson said.

Junior film major Sam Pepke. | Ashleigh Fox/THE CHIMES

Roommates with an eye for the arts: kevinclark — 2,589 followers and sampepke — 1,993 followers

Sophomore Kevin Clark and junior Sam Pepke share more than their room and a film major — both boys own extensive and well-kept Instagram accounts.

For Clark, photography came naturally to him, and Instagram subsequently became his creative outlet. He stated that the photo opportunities that hold the most potential include breathtaking landscapes, awe-inspiring sights and ironic situations.

“I like taking [pictures] of nature, but then they have a unique spin too,” Clark stated.

Nature is a common theme in both Clark and Pepke’s feeds.

Pepke said that most of his photos are from the many road trips he’s been on over the years. Although his style of editing is constantly evolving, he looks for the same photographic elements: good lighting and some sort of action. 

“I do sort of a lot of traveling … I think that’s something interesting to look at and I try to edit in a creative way,” Pepke said.

Creative shapes, designs and typography are common in the Instagram-famous students’ feeds, and both use editing apps like VSCO Cam, PhotoForge2, and Phonto to enhance their pictures and give them a unique style.

“[Instagram] gives me room to explore my own creativity and develop my own aesthetic and hopefully soon I will be able to develop something that I’m really proud of and that I can label as my own,” Pepke stated.

Having been an Instagram user for a couple of years now, Clark has found a community within the circle of users that have stumbled across his account.

“There’s people that are using Instagram solely just as a place to make art … there’s people on there that I haven't met ever, but I feel like I know them because people give feedback on each other's stuff,” Clark said.