It has been 15 years since Instagram was released to the world, and its effects on modern culture are undeniable — from photography and retail to politics and the Age of the Influencer.
In 2014, local creatives Steve Carter and Justin Dusett founded Explore Rochester, an Instagram-based project that would grow in ways they say they never imagined. Almost every week for the last decade, the account has featured more than 500 contributors who submit a series of photos and accompanying captions showing Rochester through their eyes.
It’s all culminating in a curated exhibit, “Explore Rochester @ 10: A Decade of People and Places,” which runs at Rochester Contemporary Art Center through May 10.
CITY Magazine editor Leah Stacy sits down with the founders (and a few of their weekly contributors) to reflect on the “lore” of Explore Rochester — and what’s next.
Our guests:
- Steve Carter, co-founder of Explore Rochester and head of marketing for CineStill Film
- Justin Dusett, co-founder of Explore Rochester and creative director for Neon Wave
- Olivia Prinzi, founder of Kinda Secret and contributor for Explore Rochester Year 2, Week 2
- Mike McGinnis, senior customer success manager at Slate and contributor for Explore Rochester Year 11, Week 10
