I am co-creating app which have an option to import user photos from Instagram. Upcoming API depreciation log says that I can:
read a user’s profile info and media
until 2020. I want to be ready and make sure my platform will not stop working so here is my question: what does "media" means? Are those - among others - user photos?
what does "media" means?
Media means everything related to your own user Instagram feed including media information such as likes and comments.
So, as Instagram https://www.instagram.com/developer/, you won't be able to use that API anymore and suggested you to move to new Facebook's Graph API. It works mostly the same, but you might be asked to re-integrate and your app will be re-submitted for review (I think you will be fine, since your app now is already in production state).
Are those - among others - user photos?
Yes, all of your photos in your Instagram feed.
Hope that helps.