Gallery: A Year in Instagram: Hipster Barbies and Adventure Cats
Chris Buck0101-Instagram2015-ChrisBuck
*[The ‘Likeness’ project.](https://www.wired.com/2015/06/man-uses-3-d-model-take-hilarious-selfies/)* Chris Buck takes selfies … sort of. The photographer made a 3-D printed doppelgänger of himself, and captured his mini-me going on all sorts of adventures, from riding the subway to napping on fig bars. The series, published only on Instagram, is a playful look at narcissism, social media and the irresistibility of tiny things.
Maria Lax0209-Instagram2015-MariaLax
*[The Roswell of Finland.](https://www.wired.com/2015/10/maria-lax-ufo-instagram/)* Maria Lax’s Instagram is filled with photos inspired by a wave of UFO sightings in the 1960s in Pudasjärvi, Finland. Her grandfather was a journalist at the time, and wrote a book about the phenomenon filled with first-person interviews. Lax tracked down many of the people he met, and creates eerie images filled with moody, mysterious colors around her hometown where most of the sightings occurred.
Rachel Bujaski0304-Instagram2015-OfftheGrid
*[Connecting Off-The-Grid.](https://www.wired.com/2015/09/rachel-bujalski-connecting-off-the-grid/)* Rachel Bujalski took a 61-day road trip around California to meet people who have pulled the plug on technology, documenting the entire journey on Instagram. Bujalski says living off the grid isn’t an all-or-none concept, and discovered many people who are just trying to live more simple, thoughtful lives. “You can make the choice of when you want to connect,” she says.
@pechenga0410-Instagram2015-AdventureCats
*[Adventure Cats.](https://www.wired.com/2015/09/adventure-cats-instagram/)* People who take their cats camping, rock climbing and even kayaking have found a place to connect on Instagram. Laura Moss runs @adventurecatsorg, posting submitted photos of daredevil kitties from around the world. She’s also launched a website where she shares people’s stories and gives safety tips for taking your furry friend on that desert expedition.
Zak Liptak05Insta-WiredEdit4-009-1024x1024
*[Cliff Jumpers.](https://www.wired.com/2015/08/graceful-maybe-bit-insane-cliff-jumpers-instagram/)* Adrenaline-crazed people have been meeting through Instagram and one-upping each other diving headlong from rocks, bridges and bluffs around the country. Aside from showing off, it’s a classic case of “pics or it didn’t happen.” “If you don’t have the evidence to prove it,” says cliff diver Jeff Edwards, “you’ve never jumped it.”
Rachel Hulin0603-Instagram2015-RachelHulin
*[Hey Harry, Hey Matilda.](https://www.wired.com/2015/10/rachel-hulin-hey-harry-hey-matilda-instagram/)* Rachel Hulin decided to release her new novel on Instagram, told through single-photo posts over several months. It’s about a brother and sister far apart, sharing meandering thoughts and unspoken romance through written correspondence. The images are as alluring and mysterious as the text, and allow Hulin to create a rich, new medium with which to tell stories.
NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI0702-Instagram2015-Pluto
*[Pluto surface photo makes its debut on Instagram.](https://www.wired.com/2015/07/nasa-teams-instagram-debut-pluto-surface-photo/)* On July 14, 2015, the world got a glorious look at Pluto … on Instagram. NASA decided to release the now-iconic image on their account, which has over 7 million followers. The photo seems to be the first time NASA gave such choice dibs to a social media platform. “We feel it's important to engage new audiences,” said NASA social media manager John Yembrick.
<a href="https://instagram.com/sumitdayal/">Sumit Dayal</a>/<a href="https://instagram.com/p/2aguDJqvFo/?taken-by=nepalphotoproject">Nepal Photo Project</a>0805-Instagram2015-Nepal
*[The Nepal Photo Project.](https://www.wired.com/2015/05/tara-bedi-sumit-dayal-nepal-photo-project/)* This spring, two magnitude 7+ earthquakes struck Nepal. Tara Bedi and Sumit Dayal launched the Nepal Photo Project Instagram the day the first quake hit, posting crowdsourced images from trustworthy photojournalists on the ground. The account shared photos of missing persons, and directed people to helpful articles and places they could donate.
Matt Black09Black-Instagram2015-12
*[The Geography of Poverty.](http://www.geographyofpoverty.com/)* This summer, Matt Black embarked on a 70-stop tour across the US, where the poverty level was above 20 percent. Posted to Instagram, the black and white photos are gritty and disquieting, painting an intimate portrait of economic disparity.
Socality Barbie10Processed with VSCOcam with f2 preset
*[Socality Barbie.](https://www.wired.com/2015/09/hipster-barbie-much-better-instagram/)* The satirical Instagram account @socalitybarbie became a viral sensation this year. It portrayed the doll as the ultimate Instagram cliché, posting endless selfies, coffee snaps and inspirational hashtags. The creator is wedding photographer Darby Cisneros, who made the account as a way to poke fun at the constructed perfection that permeates Instagram. “I get it, it’s pretty to look at,” she says. “But it’s so dishonest. Nobody actually lives like this.”
