On Saturday the 28th of May, an Instameet took over Bird Street in Port Elizabeth where creative forces joined minds, where creative hands joined cameras and where creative collaborations joined in unity to colour and share the Bay. 

Instameets (or Instawalks) are events happening globally where Instagrammers meet each other, share photography advice and create content together to post on their feeds of the popular photo sharing app, Instagram. It is a place ans space in time where Instagrammers can get together offline to interact and create magic online.

Nelson Mandela Bay is no stranger to Instameets. The city's photogenic features are uploaded to Instagram day in and day out and during the latest Instameet Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism joined the Instahands with Colours of You SA, a platform where all forms of art are used as a way to communicate the distinct vibrancy and energy around South Africans, to showcase a bit more of the city's beauty.

 

Colours of You SA x NMBT x Share the Bay x Colour The Bay = Instameet

To kick of the first collaboration the theme for the Bird Street Instameet encouraged everyone to colour the Bay. We were geared with colour "clouds", got the support of Take Back the City for security and others came with flags, musical instruments, confetti and other props.

Moments from the Bird Street Takeover

More than 130 images were shared of the Bird Street Instameet under the hashtags #SharetheBay, #ColoursofYouSA and #MyNelsonMandelaBay. Here are some of our favourite moments and memories through the eyes of the people from the Bay. Be sure to follow the hashtags if you want to see more of the colourful magic that took place in Port Elizabeth on the 28th of May.

 

The Instameet started at ArtEC in Bird Street with a few hundred shots, snaps and clicks of the colourful faces on the side of the ArtEC building. 

 

 

The out-of-towners helped us to show everyone which hashtags to use.

#ShareTheBay

#ColoursofYouSA

#MyNelsonMandelaBay

 

 

This piece of street art made everyone think in colour for a bit...

 

 

And there were some colour "clouds"...

 

 

The young ones formed new friendships and got festive.

 

 

The photographers captured the festivity.

 

 

And who could resist a #Shoefie or a #Footsie shot in the confetti?

 

 

We all took a moment to read quotes on the wall of the Holy Rosary Convent from people like Nelson Mandela, John Lennon, Ghandi, Mother Theresa, Albert Einstein and Bob Marley.

"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination" - Albert Einstein.

"If everyone demanded peace instead of another TV set, then there'd be peace" - John Lennon.

"Don't gain the world an lose your soul, wisdom is better than silver or gold" - Bob Marley.

 

Some Instagrammers turned a blank wall into a minimalistic painting.

 

 

Others captured the faces in front of their lens...

 

 

Some focused on those who focused... 

 

 

Others got the "behind the lens" moments.

 

 

During the Instameet we experienced joy...

 

 

We appreciated the architecture...

 

 

 

 We jumped.

 

 

We wrapped ourselves in our pride and joy, our Nelson Mandela Bay.

 

 

We listened to music while enjoying the view...

 

 

And got caught in the beauty of autumn.

 

 

And then it all came to a colourful end...

The day ended at Fort Frederick with phones filled with colourful photos, SD Cards maxed out on Bird Street, views of Algoa Bay, smiles, models, photography tips and a new perspective of our Nelson Mandela Bay. 

 

 

We came, we saw, we coloured!

 

 

The winner of the Bird Street Instameet is... 

Congratulations Shawm Marsh of @marshyphotography, you win a set of 5 in 1 Nelson Mandela Bay Passes, your key to explore the Bay with discounts, specials and free entry to various activities in and around the Bay!