Instagrammer of the month Moses Mabhida Stadium

Who are you, where are you from and what do you do when you’re not updating your Instagram feed?

I am a fun-loving, city-dwelling Durbanite with corporate professional skin protecting a very creative soul.  I love exploratory walks in and around the city or beachfront, various markets and city spaces as well as connecting with friends/community.

How long have you been on Instagram and why did you decide to put more effort into it?

There was no plan, I quite simply fell down an amazing rabbit hole. I’ve been ‘gramming for about 6 months, and my personal essentials to creating a strong Instagram presence are a sense of adventure, and a desire to articulate my experience of Durban with a whimsical and upbeat paradigm on life. The Instagram community has been influential in teaching me to see with fresh eyes, and now my feed is quite simply organically developing.

Do you take photos solely with your phone, or do you use other devices?

My heart takes the photo’s! Seriously though, I’m still a bit green to be a purist- For now, I shoot, with anything, anytime, anywhere. I only started properly pursuing photography as a hobby this year, with an entry-level SLR water-camera (Nikon) and another, also an SLR with GPS navigation, (also a Nikon) but will definitely treat myself to a DSLR upgrade soon. Short videos are also something that I am rather quite intrigued by…. Watch this space!

Do you have a creative process?

Yes, and a finicky one at that. I call it “The Brief”.

It is embarrassing to admit, but I tend to mull over content/context for some quite time before I post. As I aim to connect sincerely with the Instagram community, my heart is pretty much always on my sleeve. I will source quotes, poems, music, lyrics, or even journal an insight to  add multi-dimensional resonance to the edited image, before it is shared.

What inspires you?

Sharing the “unbearable lightness of being” life in the city of Durban with others inspires me. I sense a tangible evolution of personal creativity, so the exploration of internal self through external urban space is also most inspiring to me. Building serendipitous connections, and the potential to attract tourist interest, or even positive urban renewal movement form part of the blue sky thinking that I do.

What do you dislike about Instagram?

Seeing food porn and relentless “selfies” on my feed are a small tax to pay for the immeasurable joy of a host of other more diverse posts and feeds.

What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever done to get a shot for Instagram?

I am ashamed to admit that I have actually thrown (small morsels of) food AT birds to get them to fly. I have also played in the traffic, and rolled around in some fairly dark and dodgy places, covered in even dodgier grime to get the best perspectives. And I will continue to do so. #notashamed

Which local Instagram accounts inspire you, who are your favourites?

Best Local community sites to follow are @_durbanism_  (All Things Durban) @igersdurban (Instagram)  @besetdurban (architecture/urban renewal) @durbanfunseason (fun) @mmstadium (events) @afroschicken (surf conditions) to keep a finger on the pulse of Durban.

The lovely Durban ladies of photography: @lynlifenart @tallbrit @travel_buggy @paige_baites @periperistudios

The Gents of InstagramDurban are:   @scufforama @princethreelife @matt_theknight @juliancarelson @iamthetakz @pixanator

The talented guys behind the Durban Instagram community sites: @dane_forman @andycarrie_on @cameronfinnie

What do you love most about Durban?

That all the best things about her are totally free. Smiles, sunny beaches, people to meet, and sidewalks to explore. Who could ask for more?

If you could only choose one instagram filter for the rest of forever, which one would you choose and why?

Willow. It’s very scary to use, but it also makes you work much harder on your shots, as the light/dark juxtaposition and contrast in the composition become pivotal in executing a good final product.

Any advice you have for aspiring Instagrammers?

These items are essential- Buddy up, carry water and batteries or a back-up charged device, and most importantly, don’t worry about what other ‘grammers are doing. Be yourself.

Lastly, just for fun. If you had to choose, what would your spirit animal be and why?

Napoleon Dynamite’s favorite animal, the Liger… “ It’s like a lion and a tiger mixed… bred for its skills in magic.”