Instagram’s Willow Tried & Tested

Better late than never.

by Pu on December 12, 2012

InstagramI am one of these Instagram users that was terribly shocked by changes made to the app’s original filters after the 2.0 makeover. Even though I could see the app was overall improved and I liked the new features, as a poster I was affected by the changes. The fact is for a while most of my Instagram photos were processed using the now forgotten filter Gotham. Yes, Gotham… While I really liked Gotham, I didn’t really appreciate the other in-app black and white effect, Inkwell, even if I used it as well — just not as often. Anyway, after said improvements, I almost completely stopped using Instagram to process photos to turn them into monochrome, because Inkwell was just a characterless joke.

Well, it turns out Instagram tried to make up for its embarrasing lack of monochrome by adding Willow. The app was updated a couple of days ago, so by now many of you probably know how to complement their photos using this new effect better than I do.

Instagram Willow

But I have been trying out Willow as well: here are a few shots processed with it, with and without border.

Instagram Willow

Instagram Willow

Instagram Willow

Instagram Willow

Instagram Willow

Willow comes with a semi-transparent light border — frankly, I am not very much into it, but with some photos it does look nice. The filter itself is quite unassuming, featuring a very subtle blue/red split tone combined with a faded appearance that is both vintage looking and pleasing.

I am still unsure if Willow is one of these effects that look very much all-purpose at first just to grow old after a while or if it’s going to become one of Instagram’s evergreens. By the way, do you have any photos you processed with Willow that you would like to share? Why not joining our Flickr group then?

ILAR December 16, 2012 at 10:34 pm

It once had a good b/w filter – Gotham. Pity!

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