When our instagrammers talked about the subject they
chose for an instagram, they often described it as having
exceptional characteristics. When one participant was asked
why he spent so much time in an area dedicated to marine
mammals, he referred to characteristics of the animals:
nomethod: Well, uhm. There were more funny animals
there. Or like, subjects. Which became funnier pictures,
basically”[…] they looked peculiar. Or interesting. Or imagination
stimulating.
Similarly, in their captions, many instagrammers refer directly
to animal characteristics using terms such as “cute”,
“pretty animals”, “fancy although slightly lifeless”, and
“not the most goodlooking…”. These types of captions ascribe
features to the photographic subject and thereby add
something to the overall instagram composition beyond
simply naming the animal in the picture.