IGEC : Travel

Instagram isn't just a great place to get inspired for your next meal, craft project or photo walk - it's also a perfect cure (or trigger) for itchy feet. So many gorgeous photos of so many far flung destinations. 

I'm constantly drooling over all kinds of sights and cities in my feed, plotting and planning a dream trip that'll somehow include hiking in the great national parks of America, a dip in the hot springs of Finland, a visit to the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia. And that's just the first week... Take it from me - following these accounts may trigger a severe case of wanderlust. You have been warned.

First up, a curated account. I knew nothing about @foundlost_ when I started following them. I was just drawn to the name and the wonderful images they select. Their (infrequent) posts have a focus on wilderness and adventure travel. I love the magical quality of the images they select, often featuring tiny people in grand landscapes. And mist, lots of mist.

It seems the account is attached to a Hong Kong based social enterprise called the Youth Endurance Network which takes young people on some pretty hard core holidays - expeditions with scientific, humanitarian or philanthropic goals. Looking at their website kind of makes me wish I was under 25 years old again... 

Credits for the images I've chosen are -
TL: @gess8    TR: @ldl_jr
BL: @greatwildopen    BR: @joelle_tso

Tim Coulson (@timcoulson) is a Sydney based wedding photographer. He's a family man who loves to take his wife and young kids on all kinds of adventures. Think you can't travel with kidlets in tow? Tim shows that you can (and that you can take some breathtakingly beautiful shots in the process!). His caption for the photo on the top right? Never stop exploring. My new mission in life. Sounds like a pretty great mission to me.

Another curated account, and one well worth following, is @passionpassport. Their regularly updated feed is filled with gorgeous travel shots from all corners of the globe. Passion Passport covers all kinds of travel; their feed is an eclectic mix of architecture, culture and food. You'll find crowded cities and wide open spaces, well known landmarks and isolated country cabins; markets and mountains, castles and canoes, llamas and camels, stretching right across Europe and Asia and the Mid East. It's all pretty great. 

Credits for the images I've chosen are -
TL: @abbeard    TR: @zachspassport (Passion Passport founder)
BL: @zckrf    BR: @forestwoodward

Bonus! If you love to travel (or just to dream of travel) it's also worth having a look at @awol_aus, @travellerau and @tasmania - all full of inspiring images that'll have you checking flight deals (and your bank balance) in no time. Do you follow any great travellers on Instagram? I'd love to know if you do! 

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Instagram is chockfull of the some of the most inspiring, creative, hilarious, clever people I've ever had the pleasure of encountering on the internets. IGEC is my chance to share some of those inspiring, creative, hilarious, clever people with you! Oh and you can find me on Instagram here. 

IGEC : Illustrators

There are so many talented illustrators and artists on Instagram, it was a near impossible task for me to pick just three. This will be a theme that I'll revisit, for sure. 

I've followed Chantal Vincent (@chantal__) on the internets in some form or other for many years now and I've had the privilege of watching from the sidelines as she's discovered the joys of sketching. Her landscape and building sketches are always wonderful - she has a great eye for detail and colour - and her portraits really capture the personality behind each face. Recently she even sketched one of my Instagram photos, very cool!

Next is a slightly newer illustration crush for me, but man have I fallen hard. One look at Jo Chambers (@chambersjo) work and you'll see why. Her gorgeous florals are so vibrant and bright. The colours! Swoon! They remind me of the best kinds of vintage fabric. And then there's the wonderful hounds! And the hounds surrounded by flowers! I am smitten I tell ya!

Helena Leslie's (@hellohelenaleslie) work is deceptively simple. I adore her single colour girls, with their round cheeks and slightly sad eyes and every lovely line. And her paintings with their lush backgrounds are gorgeous too. For some time now I've been toying with the idea of getting her to draw me, but I'm uncomfortable with the thought of being the subject, the centre of attention. Must get over that.

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Instagram is chockfull of the some of the most inspiring, creative, hilarious, clever people I've ever had the pleasure of encountering on the internets. IGEC is my chance to share some of those inspiring, creative, hilarious, clever people with you! Oh and you can find me on Instagram here. 

IGEC : Food

Perhaps you are feeling a bit like me at the moment? A bit like a stuffed sausage? After all the entertaining and being entertained I am craving a month of eating nothing but steamed greens and watermelon. 

But that won't happen, because I adore food. And I adore these three Instagrammers who always inspire me with their gorgeous looking creations. Luckily they are all fans of good, wholesome, healthy deliciousness so you can drool with a clear conscious and a happy belly. 

Ruth, aka Gourmet Girlfriend, is a ridiculously good cook based in Melbourne with a gang of kids who seem to be equally talented in the kitchen. I love her honest, from the heart, all hands on deck approach to cooking. And I'm a wee bit jealous of her crochet skills. And her wardrobe...

Every time I look at @kenokitchen's feed I feel healthy and hungry all at once. Thoughtful, nutritious, tasty - what more could you possibly want? I'm super excited that a) I'm doing one of her whole food cooking classes later this year, and b) she's releasing a cookbook soon!

Another foodie who makes healthy look seriously delicious (and often a whole lot of fun too!) is Martyna, Wholesome Cook. I'm a long way from paleo, and I really do adore sugar, but I still find her posts inspiring. In fact, I could go some of those icy poles right now. And maybe some of that spaghetti too. Oh yes!

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Instagram is chockfull of the some of the most inspiring, creative, hilarious, clever people I've ever had the pleasure of encountering on the internets. IGEC is my chance to share some of those inspiring, creative, hilarious, clever people with you! Oh and you can find me on Instagram here. 

IGEC : Flora

Who can resist a luscious, colour filled flower shot? Not me. Especially when it's taken by one of these three Instagram favourites. 

First up, the breathtaking work of @thechoirgirlhotel. The ever mysterious Birdie only posts once a month but when you catch her in full flight...well, it's wonderful. And whilst the individual shots below are gorgeous in themselves, you really need to look at this Instagram feed on your phone - in the three shot across format - to truly come to grips with her genius.

I have no idea who she is or where she lives (I've googled and everything) but none of that matters because my goodness @svenjalinda knows her way around a bunch of flowers and a square frame. Simple, gorgeous, perfect.

Phil, aka @afloralfrenzy, does incredible things with flowers. Really incredible (just ask The School). An ex-doctor turned florist, he makes the humblest of blooms look stunning.

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Instagram is chockfull of the some of the most inspiring, creative, hilarious, clever people I've ever had the pleasure of encountering on the internets. IGEC is my chance to share some of those inspiring, creative, hilarious, clever people with you! Oh and you can find me on Instagram here. 

IGEC : Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a ridiculously photogenic city. Yes, there's the neon and that iconic skyline and those incredible views. But there's also the clash of old and new, and the rush of such a densely populated place - it's a street photographers dream, really. And then there's the surprisingly beautiful spots far from the skyscrapers; lakes and waterfalls and mountains, and such lush green. 

There seems to be a thriving Instagram community in Hong Kong (and yes, I live vicariously through them all). Here's three of my favourites. 

First up - @jesso, a Londoner living in Hong Kong who has a real eye for colour and composition.

Next - @lielaine, who knows how to work a square. Elaine also seems to enjoy celebrating Hong Kong's skyline by scouting out rather high and rather frightening locations. If you suffer from vertigo you may not enjoy this feed quite so much (and you should definitely stay well away from the #chasing_rooftops tag...).

And last but most definitely not least - @swyh_44 (aka Charlie Chan). My favourite thing about Charlie's IG feed? Everything is shot on film. No filters needed here.

I'd also like to thank the HK IGers for leading me to one of my favourite tags - #residensity! 

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Instagram is chockfull of the some of the most inspiring, creative, hilarious, clever people I've ever had the pleasure of encountering on the internets. IGEC is my chance to share some of those inspiring, creative, hilarious, clever people with you! Oh and you can find me on Instagram here.

IGEC : Dogs

One of the big reasons you don't see me round here quite so much as I'd like is because of the visual wonderland that is Instagram. I've spurned Twitter, turned my back on Facebook (sort of...), and neglected my blog for the love of this not so little part of the social media world.

Contrary to some popular opinion it is not all about selfies and feet and lunch shots (although they all can be amazingly good in the right hands). Instagram is actually chockfull of the some of the most inspiring, creative, hilarious, clever people I've ever had the pleasure of encountering on the internets. So - this new series is my chance to share some of those inspiring, creative, hilarious, clever people with you. And I'm kicking it off with one of my favourite topics - dogs!

First up, possibly my favourite Instagram account in the whole wide world - @harlowandsage. Harlow is a ridiculously handsome weimaraner and Indiana is his adorable dachshund sidekick (Sage was an equally adorable dachshund, who lived to a ripe old age and sadly passed away). These guys are freaking adorable together, and their owner has a really great sense of humour (plus a slightly strange obsession with Meryl Streep). Whenever I'm having a bad day - and there's been a few of them of late - I always turn to these guys to cheer me up.

Another canine favourite is @ma_hovina. Lal is a rather good looking hound, and is also clearly well behaved and very patient. The dog ends up in all kinds of amusing and beautiful compositions. See more of the best here.

Fugee is a rescued bordie collie cross who has the most wonderfully humorous and expressive doggy face. The posts from @thefugee are always beautifully framed and edited. Great dog, great shots...

Over to you - do you have any favourite doggy friends on Instagram?

With thanks to Brandi Hussey for the photo template. I can't recall exactly how I got my hands on it (so I can't link directly to it, sorry!), but I did and it's awesome! Oh, and you can find me on Instagram here if you're so inclined...