Did you ever scroll through Instagram photos and get a nagging sense of deja vu? There is a reason why. Insta Repeat is an account dedicated to highlighting the ‘visual sameness’ of many Instagram pictures, tracking the trending hashtags of influencers who see where the likes are and follow along to the same places, strike the same poses, and take identical nature photos.
An anonymous 27-year-old from Anchorage, Alaska, is the brains behind the Instagram trends account. The filmmaker and artist told Photoshelter that “A purpose of Insta Repeat is to critique originality in media creation through the lens (pun intended) of this one ‘genre’ of Instagram photography accounts.”
Living in Alaska, a vast wilderness where so many ‘adventurers’ come to explore, she was struck by how the same few places and scenarios kept showing up again and again on her feed of beautiful pictures. “I have noticed it in general on a lot of different platforms and media and have been guilty of it myself for sure,” she told Bored Panda. “Artists and creators fall into patterns. But I think that what is happening on Instagram is more extreme.”
She seems to enjoy the irony behind these aesthetic pictures, often tagged with trendy slogans about ‘authenticity’ and ‘creative living,’ when contrasted with almost identical photos of other people claiming much the same things. It turns out that while many people may believe that they are pretty special, they are, knowingly or not, following a generic formula that has been laid out and done countless times before. “I chose the outdoorsy type to focus on because I see it a lot because of where I live but more importantly because I think think the “genre” celebrates a “free” and “authentic” lifestyle that is antithetical to the sameness of all the photos.”
It’s certainly a fascinating idea and one that exposes some truths about the influencer ‘game’ that is being played out. She has attracted some negativity for this, but she says the page is not meant to criticize or belittle anyone. “I am interested in exploring the choice to make an image that has, in essence, already been made.”
“The most amazing thing that has happened since starting the account is people engaging in critical debate on originality and the creation of media. There are some really in-depth discussions going on in the comment threads.”
Scroll down to check them all out for yourself, and let us know what you think in the comments!
More info: Instagram
#1 Tent Hole
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#2 Close Up Of A Hairy Cow
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#3 Back Of Head With Outdoorsy Hat
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#4 Feet In Front Of Horseshoe Bend
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#5 Person Centered Inside An Ice Cave
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#6 Standing On Top Of A Car In The Wild
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#7 Person On Suspension Bridge
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#8 Person Centered Inside This Particular Cave
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#9 Posing In Front Of Starry Sky With A Headlamp
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#10 Person Centered Rowing In Canoe
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#11 Hand On The Steering Wheel
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#12 Person Alone, Centered, Looking Up In A Slot Canyon
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#13 Person Standing At The End Of A Centered Dock
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#14 Person Walking In The Center Of A Lonely Road
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#15 Standing On A Rock In Front Of Water
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#16 Person Centered In Front Of This Particular Row Of Trees
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#17 Standing On A Van In Front Of Aurora Borealis
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#18 Forward Facing Medium Shot Windy Hair
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#19 Person Centered On A Green Pointy Ridge/Mountain
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#20 Red House
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#21 Person Centered In Front Of A Waterfall
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#22 Person Sitting Alone In Front Of A Lake
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#23 Wooden Path Centered
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#24 Person Centered In Front Of Waterfall
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#25 Vertical Phone In The Wild
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#26 Skateboarding Person On Lonely Road
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#27 Person Centered In Front Of A Forest
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#28 Feet In Front Of A Waterfall
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#29 Centered Bridge
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#30 Person Walking On A Centered Wood Path
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#31 Passenger Side Window
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#32 Person Centered On Path In The Woods
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#33 Medium Close Up Back Of Girls Head
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#34 Person Standing In The Middle Of A Centered Snowy Road
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#35 Person Standing In The Middle Of A Winter Road
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#36 Windy Hair In Front Of Landscape
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#37 Person Centered On A Bridge
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#38 Person Running In The Center Of A Lonely Road
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#39 Person Centered In Front Of Waterfall
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#40 Person In Front Of Waterfall
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