Guest Blogger- Creator of @ig.boston on Instagram

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If you use Instagram enough, I am sure you are familiar with the Instagram accounts for cities featuring some of the best photos for that specific location to thousands of viewers. Living in Boston and loving photography, it was inevitable that we started following @ig.boston and begin tagging our photos (#ig_boston) for a chance to be featured as the "IG of the Day" for our city.  

 Yet we were always curious to learn more about who was behind it all and how did they become involved.   And so we met Marianne Strong, creator of @ig.boston!  We loved her story & hope you do as well! Be sure to check out her awesome gallery on instagram as well -> @ig.boston!


I grew up in my family’s own version of The Brady Bunch meets Where the Wild Things Are!!  

I am the fourth of six kids, three boys and three girls.  We were a loud and lively bunch!  My parents loved to travel and my father had a real passion for photography.  Some of my favorite childhood memories belong to Sunday nights when my father would gather the whole family together in his study.  His slide projector and screen would be set up and his desk covered in trays filled with hundreds of slides from his travels and adventures around the world.  These memories are recalled almost in slow motion as they are the only ones I have of all six kids sitting quietly in a room together.   We were a captive audience.  The only sound was the gentle hum of the projector and the clicking as each slide rotated into place.  My father had a gift for not only capturing the beauty of his travels, but countless images were captured of the people, food, and culture. This early exposure fostered a love and appreciation in my heart of not only the beauty of different landscapes and architecture but also a love of people and a desire to connect.   The memories are magical for me.  I soaked up the beautiful images for hours on end.  Dreaming of faraway places and hoping one day I could see them through a lens of my own.  
I’ve typically shied away from social media and might be one of the last few humans not on Facebook or to never have sent a tweet.  But when a friend introduced me to Instagram I quickly discovered the place where my love of travel adventures, photography and beautiful images all collided.  So I dipped my toe into the waters to test them out.  First through enjoying beautiful photographs friends and family shared.  Then while preparing for an upcoming vacation to Italy I dabbled with searching hashtags of the cities I was preparing to visit.  In my search I came across @igworldclub an Instagram community with cities all over the world sharing beautiful, creative and unique images of their city.  I began following some of my favorite cities in the world.  I also followed cities I was planning to visit and even a few cities I may only see in little squares on Instagram.  This past summer through a twist of fate I landed in one of my favorite cities in the world, Boston, MA!!  When I checked @igworldclub I was disappointed that the beautiful city of Boston wasn’t represented.  Then I had a really crazy thought… maybe I could do it?!  @ig.boston was born.
While my endeavors on Instagram have brought some interesting challenges, as with all really great adventures the rewards have come in the most unexpected ways.  Connecting with Instagram friends around the world and developing wonderful new friendships at a local level.  I have been so fortunate to come across so many amazing, talented and kindhearted photographers in the Greater Boston area and abroad.  I have loved being part of such a supportive and beautiful community.  Sharing a love of travel, photography and Instagram has been a worthwhile and meaningful adventure.   

Instagram has taken my dad’s slide projector and put it right in my pocket.  And while distance prevents me from gathering with my family to view slides, I’m now able to view not only my father’s travel adventures, but also those from a growing circle of friends.  

Photos & Story of @ig.boston are in collaboration with- Marianne Strong

Travel the East ©
Kristy Albano & Matt Pickering                                                      
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