The feeling of discovery is what makes Instagram such a great social media outlet. Finding a great new feed, or a great picture of your city, can bring a smile to your face and urge a double tap from your finger of choice. One Instagrammer sure to show up on your #igersLouisville hashtag search is LindsayLovesLouisville.
Up to this point, Lindsay’s been a little mysterious. Her feed is noticeably missing people, including Lindsay herself. On her Instagram, you’ll find broad, spreading sunsets over the Ohio, gorgeous shots of the Crescent Hill Reservoir, beautiful hidden corners of Louisville you may have missed, but you won’t find too much personal information. Why does she do what she does? How does she have time to take all of these photos? Who are her favorite Louisville igers to follow? Your questions are our questions, and she answered!
Q. Tell us about yourself!
LLL: “My name is Lindsay Hughes. I'm a UofL grad student working towards my PhD in Curriculum and Instruction in Special Education. I like to go to UofL games -- I'm a die hard Cardinal fan! I also like to watch football/basketball with my dad (mostly the Steelers, VT Hokies, Lakers, and college games). I enjoy a good workout, being outside, spending quality time with family and friends, working with kids, and volunteering in my mom's classroom. I also really enjoy traveling and trying new things.”
Q. On your Instagram bio you call yourself an “army brat nomad who has lost her heart to this incredible city.” Tell us how you got here!
LLL: “I moved here to be closer to my family and for a teaching job as a special education teacher after undergrad. Both of my parents served in the Army, I'm incredibly proud of them and their service. All four of us (me and my siblings) were born on different Army bases. I was born in Nürnberg, Germany. We've lived in Germany (three different bases -- Ansbach, Hohenfels, and Heidelberg), Kansas, Texas, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kentucky, and Rhode Island.”
Q. Your pictures (and your username!) really show a love for Louisville. What is it about Louisville you love the most?
LLL: “What I mostly love about Louisville is it feels like home. All my life we've moved around, which I absolutely loved, and it wasn't until undergrad when everyone asked me where I was from that I realized how important a physical place to call home was. My response to the home question wasn't city, state but instead a long explanation of ‘I was born in Germany but I'm an American...’ and so on and so forth; an essay instead of a definitive answer. In the military brat life it's more of ‘home is where the Army sends your family.’
So home has always meant being with my family and still does but now I finally have a place to call my hometown, well, until someone asks me where I went to high school and then I have to explain myself. But I don't mind a bit. This city is warm and welcoming and I've met some of my greatest friends here. The city offers a small town vibe within a city. There's always something going on, great parks to run in, amazing restaurant, great local stores, etc. People smile and talk to you while out, there's no such thing as a stranger here. I feel safe and welcomed and apart of this city.
Q. Why run an Instagram just centered on Louisville? How did you get started? How has it changed your life?
LLL: “My IG actually started in a summer class with Dr. Lori Norton-Meier. She gave us a literacy reflection assignment in a multicultural literacy class. I'm not a poet or a writer so I made up a fake Instagram page with pictures I'd taken and wrote a love letter to Louisville as my assignment. Afterwards she and my best friend encouraged me to make the fake account real and so LindsayLovesLouisville was born.
Louisville has so much to offer that people don't always get to experience. I want to share that. It's more than just a place and it's more than just the Derby day perception of those who don't live here. There's so much more and because is the account I'm continuing to learn more and more about the city and more importantly I'm learning more about the people who live here. I've met some of the most incredible people.”
Q. What are some of your favorite places around Louisville to photograph?
LLL: “I absolutely love to take pictures on the waterfront, on both sides of the river, and especially at sunset. Also at the Crescent Hill Reservoir. I really enjoy going on photo walks downtown or in the various neighborhoods (Highlands, Smoketown, Butchertown, Crescent Hill, etc) to take pictures of things missed when just driving around or snapping pics while I'm cheering on my Cards.”
Q. What hashtags do you use?
LLL: “#igerslouisville #mylouisville #sharelouisville #forgottenlouisville #explorelouisville”
Q. How do you find these places, do you just go exploring?
LLL: “I mostly find them out while walking or running. I really like getting friends to go with me to show me their favorite parts of Louisville; gives it a story, gives the spot meaning. I revisit a lot of spots and always see something different or see it from a different point of view.”
Q. Do you shoot with just your phone?
LLL: “I only shoot with my iPhone but recently my parents gifted me with a real camera, it's still new and I'm still learning to work with it. But everything you see on my IG is from my phone.”
Q. Who are some other Louisville igers you enjoy following?
LLL: “So many accounts I love! @forgottenlouisville @fotofem @elleraiser @en.passant @sampsontheghost @5arge @sjpky6 @bezelleo @trentwhodoesntgohere @snatchabatch @exithands I could go on and on and I know I'm leaving out so many and I'm so sorry if I missed them. So many great accounts!”
Q. How do you think the Instagram community in Louisville can grow?
LLL: “I think the recent meet-ups with local Instagrammers have been pretty great in helping the local Instagram community grow. It would be great if local events and businesses had a hashtag for their events and such. It would be great if they would then use the pictures Instagrammers are posting to share the events and happenings around the city. It would get more people involved for sure.”
All images courtesy of LindsayLovesLouisville. Follow her on Instagram!
