We’re quickly becoming a world that communicates through pictures. Nearly one-fifth of online women (19%) use Pinterest, which lets users organize and share content from around the web by “pinning” images to a “pinboard.” 27% of Internet users ages 18-29 use Instagram, the photo-sharing service recently bought by Facebook. And a full 56% of all Internet users either create photos and videos themselves, or “curate” ones they find on the Internet, then share them online.

Those are just a few of the findings from a recent study by Pew Internet, a service of the Pew Research Center. What’s driving the trend? The rise of smartphones with their built-in cameras, which make it easy to take and share self-made pictures online. And the rise of social media services that make sharing easier, including YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and Tumblr.