I’ve only just recently logged back in after 2 years and realised I was using iNat like a photographer not, well… an iNatter. For some reason I’ve been collecting observations like they’re a living Pokédex and I have no idea why. Did anyone else do this at first? How did/do you break out of the perf…

Absolutely true and it seems indeed to be natural evolution of the people while getting more familiar with the platform. But some of us get saturated more easily with too many observations in a way that we observe more but see less, if it kind of makes sense… Also, I spend enough of my paid time lo…

That is what makes the forum interesting. Each of us has a different way of using iNat and all the threads woven together make a strong network . With people to @mention when needed.

[image] nickupnorthuk: I’m sorry if people feel I’m in a ways attacking their way of iNatting, that wasn’t my intention. Oh, no need to apologize. I didn’t feel the least bit offended, anyhow! :D

To point out one more thing: there is a reason this thread exists and is going on five years strong. New to you species are exciting! There is nothing wrong about that.

How I have used it has changed. From general “oh what is this?” to “hey, I actually know some of these things” to “I want to learn more about X,Y,Z” and now it is “I like to post small projects like 10 of the same species with a measurement because I made sure the moth wings were in focus.” This ne…

I might just be reheating other people’s nachos here, but I too agree that that isn’t necessarily a “wrong” way to use iNat. I, and many of my friends on here, all use iNat in slightly different ways, and I think that’s the beauty of a platform like this! For me personally, I use iNat as a digital …

I may be misreading what you mean, but perhaps this is your way of saying that you were using iNat with a focus on “you” rather than on “them” (the organisms), akin to collecting likes on Facebook. If there is a danger in iNat, I could see it in people using it as a status tool (“Have I seen more bi…

[image] emilypalah: reheating other people’s nachos I love this phrase :joy:

If it’s a way that you enjoy interacting with nature, then it helps you, and that’s all that matters. I would never discourage someone from taking a bunch of house sparrow pictures and iNatting them on the grounds that it’s not “helpful” to anyone else. I also haven’t transferred any of my 100+ Yam…

I realised I was using iNat wrong!

General

sebastiandoak February 17, 2026, 5:58pm 36

Just in case my comment felt harder than the jest intended.

When it comes to being neurodiverse, you are very much one of us.

https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/neurodiversity-and-inaturalist/17268

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I realised I was using iNat wrong!

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