I’m in a new space when it comes to social media – I’m trying to follow and engage with accounts and people that inspire me or add something to my life that I’m not getting anywhere else. It means I’ve unfollowed a lot of accounts across various profiles (dealt with a very snotty DMs after doing so – what is up with that by the way? Wow, people are ridiculously sensitive) and found a few new favourites. Right now I’m really loving Instagram and specifically 3 smaller accounts that have become my absolute obsessions. With the introduction of Insta-stories I think the those using Instagram had to change up their style a bit to ensure their grid was somewhat different from their stories and that they offered variety across both. These 3 accounts do just that but also allow me to escape to a world of adventure and interest – and specifically a world that isn’t my own.
I’m really enjoying the vibe they create and find myself regularly checking for updates on all 3. Because of that I thought I’d share my favourite Instagram accounts that help you live the adventure (and if you have a favourite you think I should check out please drop a link in the comments below – would love to take a look).
Cindy Alfino – The Camper Van Queen
You can follow her Instagram account here.
This is not a place for pretty, well framed and edited photos. Cindy’s account is the real muddy stuff that I love. Here’s the back story: Cindy is a mommy blogger. Don’t let that put you off. She’s been on my reading list for awhile because even though I have little interest in parenting I love her conversations about mixed race families, about balancing three kids with a husband, date nights, her interests and a bunch of other stuff (spoiler: both Cindy and her husband Seth are total babes to look at. I envy their kids’ genes to be honest). A few months ago Cindy and Seth (her husband, keep up) decided to buy an old 70s style camper van, load their kids into it and travel South Africa, Lesotho and Mozambique. Oh, how I laughed. They were busy doing up the van, changing the interior and, truth be told, I didn’t think anything would come of it. I was wrong. They’re now on the road, travelling with their three kids in tow. Seth’s grown a crazy beard and Cindy does daily updates about the adventure over on her Instagram. She shares a handful of real photos with a captain highlighting the good, the bad and the funny. I love getting a candid look into the chaos of a family of 5 living in a camper van. I love seeing how her young kids adapt. I love Cindy’s raw and emotional account. I also love seeing my own country so beautifully showcased. It really has inspired me to travel more locally. Go and enjoy her adventure.
Pashka Koposov – Grunge City Photographer
You can follow Pashka’s Instagram account here.
I met Pashka in Kiev in the Ukraine. He works at Star Ladder, an international esports production company. He also happens to love photography. He carries his camera and laptop with him everywhere. He says they are the only two “things” that he is tied to. Clothes and other material items, for him, are somewhat inconsequential. His camera though, that’s his baby. Pashka recently started on Instagram and has very few photos. However, his account has such a dramatically different feel to it. Inspired by New York street photographers he documents his hidden finds and the beauty of a city like Kiev – split between rich and poor, struggling to make its way out of its Soviet Union past shadow and into a more Western first world vibe. That’s just on his grid. He keeps those posts focused on city life with a really gritty grey/blue toning that is so different to the ridiculous saturation and bright colouring we tend to see on Instagram. I also love Pashka’s insta-stories. He has a remarkable eye at finding these moments of emotion in a crazy city of chaos. I know his dream is to travel and turn his love for photography into a dedicated career. I feel like based off his current account, the opportunity is there.
Irina Doman – SLAY
You can follow Irina’s Instagram account here.
I’ve known Irina for years. She is a fashion and beauty blogger, or she was. I think she is more than that. Last year she went through a break up. I don’t feel I’m over sharing here as she blogged about it. She wasn’t overly public but rather mentioned it in passing. Irina’s family lives in Russia, I cannot imagine going through a break up of a long term relationship and finding yourself away from your family and attempting to put together the pieces. It was at about this time though that I saw a shift in Irina’s content. I liked the shift. Don’t get me wrong, I liked her old content but I didn’t love it. I love her new stuff. It is less about high fashion and more about exploring and finding new gems in the world (and yourself). She’s still one of the most stylish people I know but I find it far easier to identify with her content now, her looks seem effortless and, while still gorgeous, less styled. She has a grounded realness to her that I connect with and I love how her Instagram feed is now a collection of fashionable travel. Its colourful and the joy she feels in each new place, contagious. But, she hasn’t lost that spark of glamour and fashion that got her started to begin with. It is like she is on a journey to find herself and we get to go along for the ride.
Those are my favourites. Like I mentioned earlier, I’d love to hear some of your favourites – drop them in the comments below.
