FocusOn Instagramers 1.47: @Timbrado from @IgersFrance

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Each month, Instagramers.com discovers new people. People addicted to Instagram, revealing their lives, passions, and favorite tips in Instagram.  Today we feature @Timbrado . I met Hervé Bois in the incredible trip through Catalonia called #CatalunyaExperience last summer. An Instagramers trip aiming to promote Catalonia´s Tourism. Few months later, @Timbrado offered his help to lead Instagramers France Network. Hervé is really appreciated for his photos but also for his kindness.

I thought he deserved to be featured on our last 2012´s  Focus On instagramers interview.  

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His name is Hervé Bois…

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But everybody knows him as @Timbrado ( see his feed here)

Hervé is an happily married 54 years old man and he works on e-marketing strategy & innovation for French insurance company.

He lives in a small town 400 km far from Paris. His house is near the countryside, where he loves to walk during the evenings, most of his pics are taken around his place. During the week, for his work, he has to travel frequently to Paris and other cities in France.

One day, he discovered Instagram and his life changed. He is part of this people you meet, really involved and who talk about Instagram with passion and engagement.

Through Instagram, he has found a way to share his way of life to other users.

“Each IGer has his own territory and our ability to accept and understand each other, is already a  step towards them”. He often say: “enrich youself with our differences! ‘

He is a huge fan of Instagram, “This app gives me a lot of satisfaction” he says. “Firstly, it helps to develop my creativity. Being creative makes you feel alive. Secondly it is a source of constant inspiration, a virtual treasure chest. Thirdly, the atmosphere is firmly positive, like the world of Care Bears. This opinion is extremely is not silly at all but very rewarding! Because in everyday life, I believe that we do not take enough time to highlight other peoples achievements, the world would be much better if we did, I am sure!”

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Thanks very much Hervé to anwer our question!  (You can follow him here)

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When did you first join IG?

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Statigram mentions my Instagram birthday is on April, 08th 2011 but I really started early June 2011 being more active and meeting a growing number of followers. Very quickly, I received a push forward due to constant exposure to the popular page until May 2012. Since I took part of amazing Instagramers´s Trip to Catalonia, a.k.a #Catalunyaexperience inJune 2012, I take more pleasure in establishing relationships with other Instagramers.

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Why are you so addicted to IG? And how would you define your own style?

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I think Instagram brings me an opportunity to express my creativity and to enjoy meeting other users. My photos, even unintentionally, reflect my character. I like light, colors, joy and beauty of Life.. Specially the simple beauty of nature. I do not hesitate adding extra-light to my shots.

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Were you already fond of photography before you started instagramming?

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I was a  “familiar events” photographer but I never thought sharing my photos would be interesting for anyone. Instagram has really been a revelation for me. As far as I remember, I do not use any other camera than the iPhone now. The only exception has been last Samsung operation. I have been selected with 32 other instagram´s users to test the brand new Samsung Camera. I never used a DSLR before and I never really followed any photography courses.

 

Which are your 3 fav editing apps?

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Without any doubt: “Snapseed” and secondly “Noir” for black and white but I barely post them on Instagram and finally Instagram filters from Instagram.

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Which is your favourite picture? And the technique you used on it?

 

I´m a sentimental guy. My favorite picture is a picture that has remained my “most liked” pic for a long time. It is the best definition of the rest of my work in relation with nature.

For this shot, I used Dynamic Light and Pastel which are not very effective. The first app helps to enhance colors and the second to restore balance. I left this technique for Snapseed which is further more effective.

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Did Facebook acquisition changed your feelings about Instagram and your involvement in the app?

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Not really. The fact that Facebook acquired Instagram did not change anything respecting Instagram for me. I created my own fan page on facebook which allows me to post a lot of photos whitout saturating my Instagram feed. For me the biggest matter has been the progression of Android users. Not because iPhoners felt invaded (all new contributors are always really welcome!) But because I felt a significant deterioration of the average level of quality of pics and of course I had to front the consequence of being less and less present on Popular Page. Lol.

After a period of doubts around what Instagram would become, I decided to move part of my interest to Instagramers Community as I really wanted to get involved on Instagramers french Network within @igersFrance.

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By the way, what do you think about the new Discover Page replacing previous Popular Pages?

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To be honest, I do not visit the Popular Page for a while. Instagram is a so open space that influence of new thematics like “fashion” or “showbizz” are leading the Pop Page. That is not “my cup of tea”. However, I try to stay tunned with the rest of users because we have to take in consideration all kind Instagramers in our weekly features. We must also consider all kind of photography trends. The phenomenon of “nail art” is part of those trends.
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Is there any solution to Spam?

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Unfortunately, I do not see a clear solution to this pain. Once the door is open to “low cost advertising” there is always abuse. Instagram needs to clean it up. Unfortunately, Instagram is a powerful communication platform for spammers too. I´m not very optimistic. I´m not sure Instagram will be able to eradicate spam in the short term. Instagram should quickly develop a real advertising offer for brands and a clean service with no annoying spam for users.

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You recently decided to reboost Instagramers France network and now you manage our french network of Instagram’s Fans. Can you tell us more about the project, your activities?

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I´ve been thinking for a while before taking on @IgersFrance “leadership”. I had not a real visibility of Instagramers France Network activities and I feared that I would not have time and resources to fulfill this role. I changed my mind after my first contact with the rest of manIgers already on the french network. I felt a real expectation and interest from them and we set up a common project.

My first aim was to gather manIgers, promote a creative atmosphere and set a communication platform to exchange our point of views. Our group is now growing everyday and we work together in a collaborative mode. It´s sometimes a really hard work, but it builds strong bonds between us.

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During the last months, we defined our mission and achieved important projects:

@IgersFrance is a group of hobbyists and our manIgers must drive Instagramers as the first Instagram´s Fans community in France. Our main task is to motivate their local communities, helping them grow and create interesting local events, exhibits…@igersFrance has the ambition to gain credibility about brands recently attracted by instagram, in order to create events that enhance our instagramers community..

– We have some creative and fun projects to come. A partnership in view to promote of a famous singer and his upcoming music CD launching, help a “touristic area” to gain more “notoriety”, give an hand to start-ups wishing to involve themselves on the “Mobile Photography Experience”, support cultural events…

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What do you think about brands approaching “influent users” like you. Is it easy to mix promotion of a brand or a service with your photo style?

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My style fits quite well with pictures linked with promotion of tourism. I´m an “amateur” landscape photographer and this kind of shots usually draws attention of tourism boards. If a brand is willing to promote a product, a service or an event,  I would be definitely open to every kind of creative opportunities. However, I will never distort my style in view to adapt it to a challenge for example. I´m very respectful to the community I lead too and I would never hurt it with incoherent behavior or go against my own beliefs (eg: I would never participate in promotion of brands linked to alcohol or tobacco…)

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Do you think you could “live” from your mobile photography as your main activity/job?

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The answer is simple and quick: No. For me, it sounds as a dream but would mean an unexpected and extraordinary combination of factors. Not really likely to happen.

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Something you would say to someone who want to take part of Instagramers Network and launch an Instagramers Group in his/her city?

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I use to tell them…

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– Try to identify if there is already an existing Igers team”

– “Contact them and create a link”.

– “Do not start on your own”, working with a team is much more interesting.

– “Compose and organise your own team tasks”.

– “Do not start until you have defined each member´s tasks in a team of 3-4 people and established an action plan  (daily activities, events, instameets…) in the short and medium terms.

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A user you would recommend?

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Soo many people really. I think all my manIgers of Instagramers France, to whom I love and would like to pay tribute to are (List)

Order does not matter. We are a big family.

@eros_sana @19ebene79, @jujjjju, @miaude, @gaga_one@mysweetlife, @hellaujay, @kematy @Nicoletop, @Rhapsody63, @theonlydarkphoenix, @do_dorian, @sumeriane  @ulapbw @Fdu59 @_guen @somewhere_in_Between @phonesthesiste @fotomaniak  @pixtagram  @princia_ @ettisi @Pauline_ @ericmulhouse @Pdemeure @fredvallerant  @pauline_lux @irishvision @kino_in_paris @wheninparis @ignazioparis @kk_ben @jbcorazzi @cathiminie @ado_riana @Delphmaf14 @francoisjoseph76 @lucillemouret @nepalone @topalderya @annainua @veryfabulousfab @leomora31 @rickyworld @melilolila @mariapily  @cam_s__eyes @elodyhery @neko_photo63

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Thanks very much Hervé and long life to Instagramers France Network! I´m very proud of your work and I send my own tribute to their great work. You can visit Instagramers France Web Page.

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@philgonzalez

 

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