James Parsons / Submitted photoJames Parsons uses Instagram to promote his photography business, Extreme Oregon, but feels his clientele is more active on Facebook.

With booming tourism and rising house prices, it’s no surprise Bend’s popularity is on the rise. The growing community of Bend lovers isn’t only visible on the river on sunny days or in packed hotels, but it also has a burgeoning online presence as well.

Locals have started a variety of Bend-centric Instagram accounts to strengthen the community and spread the word about all the things they love about the town, from hiking to beer. The hashtag #BendOregon has been used more than 170,000 times on Instagram, and many “Bend” accounts have thousands of followers from Central Oregon and beyond.

Anna Jacobs, a curator for @BestofBend, says her goal for the account is to get people outside and exploring. Best of Bend is an extension of the larger Best of Oregon account. It has more than 33,000 followers, and it largely features Central Oregon outdoor adventures but also occasionally local events and grub.

“That’s always the hope, is to help people create this to-do list of adventures,” Jacobs said. “I’ve met people on Instagram through Best of Bend or Best of Oregon and met up with them in person to go on hikes.”

She says Instagram has been an especially good tool for young people in Bend to connect and be inspired by others’ photos.

The creators of @BendBrewDaddy and @BendBeerSnob, Matthew Ward and Rich Mithoff, have also found a community online that has enhanced their offline experiences — the two first connected through their Instagram personas. Both feature local brews and offer tips to fellow beer lovers.

Mithoff, 42, of Bend Beer Snob (Snob being an acronym for “Say No To Ordinary Beer”), says free drinks are an occasional perk of his Instagram hobby, but mostly he enjoys being immersed in the beer community.

“Yesterday I posted a picture of a beer from a brewery in Virginia, and then the brewery reached out to me and said their sales guy was coming to Bend and asked for recommendations, and I gave him some pointers on places to go,” Mithoff said. “That happens from time to time; a brewery will reach out to me and ask my opinion on something.”

Ward, 47, turned his passions for beer and photography into the Bend Brew Daddy business after being surprised by the large following of “beer nerds” on Instagram. He now sells “Bend Brew Daddy” merchandise and has done product photography for Silver Moon Brewing, and he hopes to turn the company into a multifaceted lifestyle brand.

“The best thing I ever did was separate my niche photography from my personal photography (on Instagram),” Ward said. “If you take two things that you’re very passionate about and smash them together, something really cool might happen.”

But not everyone feels the same about Bend’s Instagram fame.

James Parsons, 41, who uses his @ExtremeOregon account to advertise his photography business, feels that while he’s made connections on Instagram, the social media platform may be a detriment to the photography community.

“I think it creates a lot less creativity,” he said. “Because you’re seeing this constant stream of people in Oregon taking photos and posting them on Instagram, it causes everybody going to the same places and taking the same photos.”

The photographer, who specializes in Oregon landscapes, also feels Central Oregon may be disproportionately represented on social media because it’s such a popular place to move to, as he did four years ago. Currently, Parsons’ favorite area of Oregon is the “eastern third” of the state, though he was wary of sharing specifics.

For those without business interests in mind, though, Instagram has been a powerful tool.

The Pilot Butte Lady account, run by Carol and Bill Smith of Pilot Butte Summit Seekers, allows the group to connect with volunteers and business sponsors to help improve and protect the butte and surrounding area. The account operates by reposting others’ photos of the Bend landmark at least once daily, aiming to bring exposure to local photographers.

Carol Smith says Pilot Butte saved her life, giving her motivation to get out of the house despite crippling fibromyalgia, and now Instagram is allowing her to return the favor.

The majority of community involvement in the Summit Seekers’ May event “The Butte Thing,” during which trails were restored and the fitness area was expanded, came from connections the Smiths made through The Pilot Butte Lady Instagram persona. And the pair plan to use their social network to support and fund raise for other local nonprofits.

“There are issues with some of the growth that’s happening in Bend, so we can help out those groups that are trying to preserve things here,” Bill Smith said. “I hated Facebook, and Carol knew nothing about the (social media) world. And now we’re converts, and it’s been really fulfilling in a way we didn’t expect.”

— Reporter: 541-633-2108, cduffy@bendbulletin.com