Hawaii’s first Instagram photo showcase

Instagram, “It’s where millions post photos of revolutions, riots, the ugly, the beautiful, and the banal.” (source)

Ian Kai (@BadNewsRapDudes) and his astonishing team of allies, collaborators and sidekicks got together to throw the biggest Instagram exhibition, silent auction and dance party at Fresh Cafe. Participants submitted their photos via hashtag and a committee selected the best photos to blow up and display in the huge spacious area of Fresh Cafe lovingly nicknamed “Loft in Space.”

Ian, knows Tiffany Tanaka, who runs the Cafe–slash–Gallery–slash– Open Converted Warehouse with a huge Loft in a dark little street of Kaka‘ako near Ala Moana.

Fresh Cafe has a friendly staff and run the cafe and bar smoothly and is located on 831 Queen Street just east of Ala Moana. It is also the same place called, Loft in Space.

The event was organized with a huge array of promotional materials, door prizes in the form of swag bags, brochures and Instagrams. Live “Printing” performance enhancing devices were provided by Photo Ops Hawaii in the form of clever fake mustaches, pipes, red lips and signs participants could hold up and include in their Instagram photos. @Abadass and @photoopshawaii,

An array of intelligent, eclectic, and local people turned artists, sometimes by the app itself made for a captivating evening. Literally and figuratively, everyone was all smiles and capturing photos of themselves and others on the “paparazzi” wall with all the logos of the sponsors.

At the party, the men and women were all very well dressed and/or ready to have a photo snapped of them.

Ian had his brothers, Aaron Kai and friend Kyle DuPonte in San Francsico blow up, print and ship all of the Instagrams submitted for competition and silent auction. Ian’s father also attended the event who flew in from the Big Island.

Wired Magazine’s Clive Thompson coined the term “The Instagram Effect,” stating that one of the things that makes Instagram so special is that your average iPhone user actually starts taking their photographs seriously. Instagram provides an electronic venue where to share your photos with friends, so in order to get more “likes” you have to try harder to upload better pictures.

Ian’s collaborators were none other than Contrast Magazine promoted the event, Photoops live printed instagrams, Aaron Kai in San Francisco, Kyle DuPonte, Christa Wittmier from Youngs Market, Kanoe Sandefur provided the giftbags, Loa Patao, Riana Stelburg, Fresh Cafe and everyone that participated made this night go off without a hitch.

Alyssa Wooten (@awooten) won the “most hearts” that represented votes from participant observers of the Instagram exhibition. Wooten won a huge swag bag and a big red wrapped gift unbeknown to all except the organizers.

Memorable shout out to the instagrammers who attended goes to Kamea Hadar, Keith Kanagusuku (@Fibes), Aly Ishikuni (@Alyyygator), Kawehi Galuteria (@k4w1zzlb), Skye Pilago (@skyesthe1imitz), Bree Ahnee (@xobree), Theodor Fyodor Hardjono “fefe”, Jake Ho (@papaho), Adam Dunkan (@a_dunks), @imuakino, Kawika Shook, @lemonhi, @deelove88, @lovekimkim, Dancers Dan & Akela (@bboydan), James Yamilao, @xxangeline, @Svphillip, @dagenererallee, Katie Holcomb, @badnewsrapduo, Daniel Ikaika Ito (@ka_ito), Riana Stellburg (@tittabyte), Aloloa Patao (@loapateezy), Kam (@therealkillaman) and the DJ of course et.al.