Fewer people are engaging with photo content, and many who once pursued it seriously are struggling to maintain the same level of enthusiasm. Economic factors, shifting social media trends, and technological changes all play a role in why photography is in a slump.
Coming to you from Evan Ranft, this insightful video explores why fewer people are actively engaged in photography. One major factor is the rising cost of living. Photography isn’t a cheap hobby. Cameras, lenses, and accessories add up quickly, and when people are struggling to cover necessities, spending money on expensive equipment becomes a low priority. Many who might have been interested in picking up photography simply can’t justify the cost. This isn’t unique to photography—many hobbies that require significant investment see fluctuations in interest depending on economic conditions.
Another issue is time. Even if someone can afford the gear, photography demands a significant time commitment. Unlike hobbies such as reading or fitness, which can be done in short bursts, photography often requires extended periods to plan, shoot, and edit. For many, the time investment isn’t feasible, especially when work and other responsibilities take priority. Social media has also shifted in ways that make photography harder to sustain as a mainstream creative pursuit. Platforms that once prioritized still images now favor video content. Instagram, once a hub for photographers, has pushed reels over traditional posts, making it harder for photographers to gain traction. The time required to create compelling photography-based video content is much greater than simply posting a picture, and many photographers struggle to keep up.
Social media algorithms further complicate the issue. Interest-based algorithms prioritize content based on what keeps users engaged the longest, favoring easily digestible, high-frequency content. Photography doesn’t fit neatly into this model. Unlike tech or fitness content, which can be consistently produced and categorized, photography varies widely—street shots, landscapes, portraits, and conceptual work all fall under the same broad label, making it harder for the algorithm to push it consistently to the right audience.
The introduction of AI has also created uncertainty. While AI isn’t replacing photographers outright, its ability to generate realistic images in seconds has made some question the long-term value of traditional photography. There’s a fear that AI-generated images will become the default for commercial work, limiting opportunities for human photographers. Additionally, smartphones continue to reduce the perceived need for dedicated cameras. While serious photographers know the difference, the average person sees little incentive to invest in a separate camera when their phone already produces high-quality images with minimal effort. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Ranft.
You are right on some of the forces affecting photography today, but I disagree that photography is loosing steam. Perhaps you say that because traditional photographers insist on not counting smartphone photography as real photography, but when you factor that type of photography, the practice of photography is actually booming in the world. Everyone is taking photos out there, but not with the photographic boxes we’ve been doing it with for the past fifty years or more. No, in this 21st Century, it is the smartphone-type of capture mechanism that is in the average person hand, and these average people are indeed taking massive amounts of photos, videos, slo-mo, panoramas, etc. It is an incredible boom to capturing images and sharing them around the world. These new photographers are out snapping photos on the street, in restaurants, in sports events, inside airplanes, at concerts, birthdays, weddings, etc., etc. They are everywhere and they are super active in capturing images. Just today I was out in Washington, DC doing some street photography and saw two other individuals with “traditional” cameras taking photos, but saw legions of young people and everyone else snapping away with their smartphones. It’s really happening, but if the photo communities around the world continue to marginalize smartphone users as not doing real photography, it would be impossible to realize that photography is indeed enjoying a renaissance due to smartphones. And you know what? A lot of it is really good too.
Ya, I would say they mislabeled the story. Also, a stop on YouTube shows photography with mirrorless and dslr cameras is alive and well. The point & shoot market on the other hand is another story.
Exactly. Cell phones have replaced the point and shoot with better images and portability. Great if thats all you have with you. But my S24 annoys me to use as a camera, after using my Zf. Learning how to use an advanced camera isnt what most people are interested in doing. Nothing wrong with a good phone camera.
Eric Segarra wrote:
" ... traditional photographers insist on not counting smartphone photography as real photography, but when you factor that type of photography, the practice of photography is actually booming in the world"
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing as I read the article.
Perhaps an alternative title could be, "Photography Losing Steam Due to Redefinition of Term".
I mean if someone comes up with their own personal definition of photography to exclude casual photography and cell phone photography, then they could make a case that there is decreased interest in photography.
But photography is photography, regardless of how casual or how serious the person is about taking the photos, and regardless of the device used to take the photos. Any time someone takes any photo at all, they are "doing photography", and according to that literal and accurate definition, photography is more popular than it has ever been, by a long shot.
Does not help that camera manufacturers market mainly to the high end consumers. To the extend any budget models exist, they are overpriced and crippled ( Canon R100 ) compared to what is widely available in the used market.
I agree about the smartphones. Photography is evolving, not struggling. Photography as an art or business is still flourishing as long as we all have sight and digital technology has made almost everyone a photographer of some sort. The millions of images posted on websites and social media are testament to that. The photography golden age" of which many who follow this website has moved on. I'm old enough to remember when I started in photography and fitted out my own darkroom (in a spare bedroom) and watched as the black and white images slowly appeared on paper still in the developer solution. It was almost like magic. That feeling has left in today's technology.
To me, the Golden Age of photography is actually right now! I mean we have more capable tools than we ever had, more people are doing my genre (wildlife) of photography at a high level than ever before in history. I mean I go to a place like a wildlife refuge or a national park and I see a dozens, or even hundreds, of people with expensive cameras and telephoto lenses, taking their bird and wildlife photography very seriously, whereas 30-40 years ago there would only be a small handful of serious wildlife photographers out there. And 90% of these people are doing still photos exclusively, never any video.
Some will say photography is struggling. Others will say it’s evolving. The truth is, it’s doing both. From film to digital, from standalone cameras to mobile phones, and now with AI changing the game, photography has always adapted. More photos are being taken than ever, but engagement is shifting. Social media favors video, algorithms bury still images, and AI-generated content raises questions about authenticity. But photography isn’t just about technology—it’s about vision, creativity, and connection. Trends come and go, but meaningful images will always have a place.
Paul Tocatlian
Kisau Photography
www.kisau.com
I agree it is evolving. Photography in the past (film) was a limited experience, you couldn't get instant results. With the digital age, it has become more accessible. With cell phones, the creation, consumption, and sharing of images has exploded. Sometimes it is overdone, like showing others what you had for breakfast. (who really cares...) However, a picture is actually worth a thousand words. Personal photography with your cell phone is nothing about "art". It's about emotion, experience, what you saw, and how you felt. You can look at the image and relive the experience all over again. For the person collecting images of their kids as they grow, trips they took, and anything of interest, it's all about remembering how YOU feel, not how someone else wants to present things. Quality images do have a place but to the average person, quality is a measure of their own view of life. Personally, I try to make quality images and own more crazy expensive camera gear than I want to admit. When I show one of my images to someone quite often, they whip out their cell phone and show me one of theirs. Photography today is another extension of how we see the world and communicate with others. SEE how you feel...
Photography is alive. It has changed its form. Every cell phone owner is a photographer. Easy to carry and make travel plessant. Ever since camera embeded in cell phone there is enormous evolution is being felt.
Let us see who buys high end cameras.
Professionals who make huge money that enable them to change cameras very often. They are merely 10%. Others are amateurs they are very rich using for travel purpose. Most of the time these cameras are idle and no. mind to buy another one.
As digital technology helps every one to tske a good picture, at the same time too many options make them confused.
A street photographer has to wander. A wild life phographer toil a lot to capture a rare visit wild animal or bird. A landscspe photographer has to travel a lot and very much need a vehicle. The Truth is
Cell Phone clinched photography from traditional cameras.
But are you making actual livable money with photography
Irrelevant. Where does this article specify its about professional photography only?
What does that have to do with the article, or the discussion?
Photography has been a personal journey that started before I could ride a bicycle. Take pictures for yourself, jump off "social media" it's 'show and tell' for suckers. I enjoy the fact that there is always room to grow with the craft, no matter how good you have become. Most cameras I've used have lasted 10-20 years, and lenses even longer. Few hobbyist tools last that long. This could be one of the reasons why the camera industry is struggling. On a personal level, the evolution of photography is a never-ending journey that doesn't need validation from strangers (social media).
the author wrote:
"Social media algorithms further complicate the issue. Interest-based algorithms prioritize content based on what keeps users engaged the longest ..... "
Social media is somewhat irrelevant when considering whether or not photography is dying or thriving. Why? Well, personally, I take thousands of photos every year, and share dozens of photos every month with friends and family via text messages and emails. I also license hundreds of photos every year for publication, advertising, etc. Yet it has been years since I have posted any photos to Facebook, and the last time I posted a photo to Instagram was about 9 months ago.
I also have friends and family send me lots and lots of photos via text messages every month, and a few via email.
So, lots and lots of photo sharing and selling of images, but almost zero sharing on social media for me.
That shows that not only photography itself, but the sharing of photos, can thrive even if nothing is being posted to the major social media sites. It is ridiculous to judge the health of photography as a whole based on how one or two websites are handling still photos. Those social media websites really aren't a big deal to many millions and millions of us, and they do NOT influence what type of images we take and how we share them.
Zuckerberg's realm just isn't nearly as influential as some people seem to think it is.
Photography has never stood still, certainly technically it's always evolving, that's the pure joy and frustration of it. I was drawn to photography because it empowered me to document a moment in my life, it was my first love, that red light, magic, developer moment. It captured people and experiences important to me. It told a story. That's why I guess we all use smart phones as a visual diary of our lives. Forty years a press photographer, only during COVID did I really ask my self why, and only then because I could see my professional career dissolving infront of me. My wonderful, beautiful job gave me privileged access to people, places and events, I made lots of contacts with interesting people, I knew what was going on in my community, people valued and commented on my creative work, it gave me an identity, it never felt like work. The technical side and the final images themselves were small part of the process, gravestones where something had been, it was the journey that mattered. The platforms have changed dramatically, how images are valued and appreciated has changed. In one way it's great that everyone now has easy access to image making, in another it has diluted and dumbed down photography as a career and made it so much harder to eek out a living. I never took my job for granted I started hand developing B&W and putting the prints on a train to a crazy deadline, to now lap topping and sending wirelessly. I understand the value of video, it's often the perfect to tool, but my brain is still image focused, it's a very particular skill. I'm going backwards presently getting geared up for wet plate collodion work. I want that feeling back of tangible, tactile creativeness in slow mo. Whatever floats your boat in photography, please do it with passion for you and nobody else. Social media, You Tube, have their uses, but don't let it cloud your vision.
I volunteer at the Photo Center in Duboce Park San Francisco. Largest communal darkroom west of the Mississippi they say. Every other Saturday we have orientation for new members. Usually 10 people show up. There's a resurgence of film going on here. Just keeping up with squeegeeing the prints can be a task in of itself. Each year we do an Annual Show of Members, Staff & Volunteers. Last year we had 70+ participants. That amounts to about 160+ framed prints which can take 4 days to sort out & hang. Approx. 500 passed thru during the reception.
https://www.harveymilkphotocenter.org/
That is all so cool! Anyone who thinks that photography is struggling now is just being misled and has a faulty inaccurate way of perceiving what is going on in the world around them.
The give & take gets the 'little grey cells' working as Poirot would say.
https://www.harveymilkphotocenter.org/