Phil Gonzalez

For Instagram fans, Phil needs no introduction but for the uninitiated he's an incredibly talented French guy born in Paris with Spanish roots who one day started a little blog called Instagramers.com. These days he's Madrid based, his "little" blog has exploded internationally and there are now Instagramers in every corner of the world. Arguably the most influential instagramer outside of Instagram itself, need we say more.

“The reward of getting followers and likes became an addiction”

As the founder of @Igers and Instagramers.com, you're a bit of a legend now! In only a few short years, you’ve grown to over 330 Instagramers groups worldwide. Are you at all surprised by your success or did you always feel you were on to something great, and how has it changed your life?

I always think things happen because they have to happen. I worked for more than 14 years on several Internet businesses, different start-ups. I used to run important web content portals in Spain and recently I focused my career on app development. I run 22 TV channels digital strategy and that means 17 different apps on all O.S.

On a lazy Sunday morning, I suddenly felt I could help people enjoy Instagram. It was early December 2010 and Instagram hadn’t launched its own blog yet. I thought my professional experience and knowledge around social networks and apps could be helpful for users. I started with tutorials, tips, writing app reviews and finally I included interviews of highlighted users around the world. I spent all my nights and all my free days on this hobby that people hardly understood.

One day, Marta, a girl from Barcelona, asked for permission to use my Instagramers brand for her local group of Instagram fans and we called it Instagramers Barcelona or @IgersBcn. Then we launched @IgersMadrid and Valencia, then London, Milano, Manila, SF…. We are Igers and that means a lot.

Instagram is a communication tool and pictures are an excuse to meet people, talk, share feelings and opinions. We quickly realised people wanted to meet but someone would have to organize it so we tried to help, creating these local chapters with a same “flag”.

My life, of course, has changed a lot. I´m paying my fitness centre fee each month and I don’t remember last time I went there. I had to leave aside discos, bars and sometimes my friends and parties. However, I find great satisfaction in other people smiles when they meet during an Instameet or people who just write to me to offer their help. It’s really worthwhile. A couple of friends met just because of a pair of Instagramers stickers, and I always think these stickers I did for fun changed two people lives - soon they will be three!

I will have many anecdotes to tell when I get older. Like the day, I went to cover the Monza Formula 1 Grand Prix in Italy with Button and Hamilton from inside of McLaren box or being featured in the most important newspapers in Brazil, Italy, Spain Turkey and even CNN and Mashable in the U.S. It’s strange how far a simple passion for an app called Instagram can take you.

Obviously Instagramers is something that you're passionate about but it must take up a lot of time, so how often do you get to actually get to go out and shoot these days?

I never thought I could spend so much of my time on just one single project - a hobby. I have already spent 2 or 3 thousand hours answering emails, writing posts, giving tips and organizing challenges, contests and events. Now we are hundreds of groups and the Instagramers Network has become the main Instagram fans network around the world.

Our aim is to help people sharing their passion and gathering. We are organizing #TheWorldsLargestInstameet next Saturday, August 24th at Haute as Ever, Del Mar Race in San Diego with Instagramers San Diego and groups from different countries will join. We hope to beat our own record of 242 people attendance to an Instameet (it was in Madrid one year ago).

I like to take pics but I do not consider myself a mobile photographer. I think it would be an insult for people who are real photographers. Lol. I just want to have fun and share special moments or images. I usually take pics with my girlfriend (she is an Instagram addict too!) when we have time (that means mostly in holidays when we are far from home our computer and the blog posting!).

”I’ve always thought that Instagram was the most powerful medicine against the most important disease of the 21st Century - loneliness. ”

Some people feel that Instagram devalues mobile photography because of its association with selfies and endless shots of cups of coffee – what are your thoughts on that?

I think people forget who brought them to earth, gave them a job opportunity or even taught them how to read or write. That is a fact – people have short memories.

Most of the “mobile photographers” who are today known became really famous thanks to Instagram. Without Instagram, mobile photographers would never have had recognition from mass media and would not have attracted interest from companies and their marketing departments. Today most of the users with big followings are what they are because of Instagram. Without these followers they would never have been considered photographers but would simply have remained “hobbyists taking pics with their smartphones”.

It´s true there are a lot of “standard” pics on Instagram but all these people who are making “standard” cats, dogs, pies pics are your followers and bring you what your are, your likes, your credibility and your fame.

Do you think Instagram, and mobile photography generally have become as popular as they have because as Eudora Welty once said "a good snapshot keeps a moment from running away".

I think pictures on Instagram were important as they were a challenge for people. Taking pictures with smartphones seemed complicated at first but turned out to be easy and fun. And the reward of getting followers and likes became an addiction. That drove people to get really involved with the app every single day.

Instagram is, of course, a great way to compile tons photography of the world we are living and it will keep our daily histories frozen in time somewhere on huge servers. In addition, I’ve always thought that Instagram was the most powerful medicine against the most important disease of the 21st Century - loneliness.

We live in big cities, surrounded by millions of people but we feel alone. We need to be connected to all our friends and we quickly get nervous if we don’t receive any messages, a call or a whatsapp message during a day. Instagram is a 24 hour, 365 days open space that provides people a permanent relationship feed based on a pictures sharing tool.

How do you feel about the evolution of Instagram with regard to the Android app, the Facebook acquisition and most recently the introduction of video?

Android was necessary in terms of business although it changed the profile of users. Droiders are usually younger and show different needs. However, as I said, Android was mandatory for Instagram to stay alive in this cruel social network world.

The acquisition by Facebook was also easily understandable as Instagram was becoming “a gorgeous fiancée” for many internet players like Twitter or Google. Zuckerberg couldn’t risk the app getting into someone else’s hands. Remember that photos are one of the main drivers of visits to Facebook platforms.

Thirdly, video was something Instagram was thinking about a long time ago. Around ten months ago, there were already rumours around the video availability on Instagram but it seems they gave priority to the Facebook integration first.

These last months, Vine (Twitter´s video tool) was having great success in terms of audience and Instagram (Facebook) couldn’t let Vine take too much advantage. I think that Instagram was working in the background and Instagram´s video solution born with better assets than Vine. Video is the future of mobile content and advertising. Instagram couldn’t miss this train.

What are your thoughts and hopes for the future of mobile photography and Instagramers.com?

It is curious but both are going on the same direction. I think mobile photography has to meet recognition from the art industry and Instagramers is working on this too.

I think that we, as Instagramers, have helped people to gather and meet in Instameets, and helped some users to exhibit. Now our main goal is to help talented mobile photographers to be exhibited in real and prestigious art galleries and magazines.

Instagramers.com and its network has already worked on dozens of Instagramers exhibitions and awesome art projects around the world (supported by brands and institutions) since 2010. Now we will support mobile talented people to exhibit in prestigious art galleries and maybe make a living of it.