Oggl

On Tuesday, I joined Oggl.  You may have noticed slightly different photos since then...  When I first received the invitation, I had no idea what Oggl was and thought it sounded like a perv-y, dyslexic version of Google.  But no - it's like the Hipstamatic version of Instagram, with a bit of Red Bubble thrown in too.

Like Instagram, once you've taken a photo, you can then edit it (in this case using the Hipstamatic films and lenses).  Unlike Instagram, you can't import photos - which I rather like, as I feel like people are cheating when they do that on Instagram.  As I am relatively new to Hipstamatic, this is a huge bonus.  I know some people who hardly change their Hipsta lenses; others who instinctively (or, really, through oodles of practice) know which combination is needed for a subject.  I'm not really in either camp, yet.  But having the option to go through every combination after taking a photo means I don't stand in the street for 10 minutes checking photo outcomes and changing options.  Snap first, edit later.  Big win.

Also like Instagram, you get to follow and be followed.  Which also has its pros and cons.

The Red Bubble feature is the 'curating' function, or 'favouriting' as it is in RB.  Which is the main con of following.  I follow someone for their photos, and then they curate some ...erm... questionable... photos...  Which then wind up in my newsfeed.  Not cool.

One aspect of Instagram that I would like (I think) is the notification system - although it's likely that I've just missed something in my settings.  It is much more private though which is a huge plus.

Other pluses: There are so many feeds in which you can just see new photos.  You can take a photo and edit it but not share it, so I don't have to include my outfit photos in my gallery.  And, hello Hipsta films and lenses.  There are more options with Oggl than with the basic Hipsta setup.  Now I've taken my first ever black and white photo that I like.