Perusing Instagram has become a fully-fledged pastime. Sometimes you discover new inspirations, sometimes you discover things perhaps you wish you did not see – but sometimes, you find something altogether more special. Which is why we are continuing our weekly series that offers an insight into the best sights and minds on Instagram – following on from @Huseyinerturk to feature the man ‘redefining selfies’ aka Phil Cohen, or as he is more popularly known, @ThePacMan82.
Name:
Philip Cohen
Location:
New Jersey, United States
Camera:
Canon 60D
Full-Time Job:
I work as an Art Director at a graphic design firm that specialises in exhibit and environmental design. I also find myself working on a lot of print and web/multimedia based projects. Our creative approach employs multiple disciplines to help our clients achieve clear communication and exciting experiences. No two days are quite the same which keeps me on my toes.
What Do You Use Your Instagram For:
Instagram is an ongoing passion project and a wonderful creative outlet. It’s an incredible place to connect with people and brands. I also use it as daily inspiration for my personal style. It has brought new and enjoyable hobbies and interests into my life.
What Is Your Favourite Photograph On Your Instagram Page & Why:
To be honest, I’ve never thought about this before. There isn’t one post that I can say is my favourite. Even though many of my flatlays are similar in nature, I’m incredibly proud of each one. Whether it’s combining articles of clothing in slightly different way or learning a new styling trick, I’m just thrilled to create and be able to share it with others.
Why Flatlay Photography?
Flatlay photography is extremely intriguing to me because it brings life to an outfit without the model. I’ve always been inspired by brand catalogs and product shots where the stylist could make a new article of clothing appear so full of life and energy—like it had been lived in for years.
I never set out to be a model myself, but really enjoyed fashion and creating my own unique style. I’m a one-man shop, doing everything in my free time outside of work. Flatlay photography is a way that I can easily express myself and still maintain control. Since there isn’t a model involved, it allows the viewers to place themselves into the outfits—becoming a wonderful catalog to reference different combinations.
Top Tip For Instagram:
At its heart, Instagram is a social network—so I think it’s extremely important to socialise within the application. You’re surrounding by like-minded individuals who share many of the same passions that you have. It’s quite a magnificent experience that is easy to take for granted.
For growth, I think it’s important to always put your best work out there, keeping in mind how your page looks as a whole. Each thumbnail creates a larger grid of images on your profile that should quickly communicate a general vibe and message to the visitor about who you are and what you do.
Once you post, forget about its success. It’s quite easy to become extremely attached to your work and let Instagram dictate how successful it is. In reality, there are so many factors that play into a post’s engagement and how many ‘likes’ it receives. There are times when I’m really excited about a post and then it performs very poorly—and other times when I’m not confident at all and it does extremely well. It’s all a bit out of our hands and I’m still learning this myself.
Three Of Your Favourite Instagram Accounts:
It’s quite difficult to narrow it down to only 3 accounts. I’m inspired by so many on a daily basis that I hate to not give everyone credit. However, I’m going to only focus on minimal style accounts that I’ve been following the longest—so I have to give a shout out to @martinthemeat, @fredrikrisvik, and @t_perspective. They all take great care into producing captivating images and an aesthetic feed.
Want to see more in the series? Check out our exclusive interview with French Photographer @ArnaudMontagard.
