Isn’t it time we returned to how we used to share photos? There’s little point in creating photographic art if people are not going to see it, and although it reaches a wide audience, there are good reasons to take a step back from social media and consider other options instead.
Social media has become a pariah. Proven to affect mental health, especially in young people, it’s also become known for spreading lies by corrupt politicians, enemy states, and extremists promoting hate. Therefore, perhaps it is no longer a place for the friendly photographic community. Furthermore, it is addictive. It pushes people to constantly scroll through meaningless drivel and post images hoping that someone, somewhere, will like them.
Consequently, there’s a good argument for stepping back 20 years to how we used to share our pictures.
The Problem With Instagram
Although never perfect, Instagram used to be a good place to share our photos. Now it’s full of mildly amusing but instantly forgettable and often plagiarized reels of dross. I used to go there to look at other photographers’ work and become inspired, but to find one good picture, you need to fight past loads of distracting, time-wasting garbage. Many people I’ve spoken to have found they waste untold hours when they pick up their phones and get lost in this midden of nonsense.
It wasn’t long ago when we were just plagued by clickbait that tempted us to scroll through a hundred pages stuffed with advertising before we would see a picture of what some long-forgotten celebrity looks like these days. That still exists, but those pages have been mostly superseded by poor-quality and boring videos that you must watch to the disappointing end to find what you were promised at the start. I have better things to do with my life.
Gone are the days when Instagram was almost an adequate place to showcase photographers’ work. Even back then, our photographs were swimming among the selfies of pouting youngsters hoping they would become famous, and snaps of the expensive meal our acquaintances were about to consume in a feeble attempt to show their lives were better than ours. Nevertheless, well-crafted photos featured far more prominently back then than now.
The Bad Side of All Social Media
Neuroscience shows that social media use affects our ability to maintain attention. Constant disruption from notifications can overwhelm us and cause stress. Furthermore, it has been found that using social media, although greater controlled studies are needed, suggests that excessive smartphone use shrinks parts of the brain required for sustained concentration. This is bad news, especially for children’s and young adults’ brain development.
Moreover, heavy social media users tend to perform worse on cognitive tasks than moderate users. This is thought to be because social media competes for attention, and those who use it heavily have a harder time ignoring its distracting influence. It has been found that when a phone is not in the same room as you, you are far more likely to perform well at whatever task you are doing than if it is by your side.
It is addictive too. The dopamine hit we receive from someone liking or commenting on our posts is like that people get from taking cocaine, and so they crave more.
Social Media Also Does Good
It has its uses. I use Facebook to maintain contact with my family and friends locally and those dotted around the world. From a business perspective, advertising on social media used to be far more effective than paper advertising. However, as my business became established and my reputation grew, I didn’t need to pay for advertising. The old-fashioned word-of-mouth recommendations work best for me.
I do upload to Instagram too. That's mainly to share my work with family and friends, but I don't chase followers. I find the image previews are too small to do justice to my photographs.
Additionally, people are abandoning social media because of its ability to spread lies. Those with evil intent know that if they repeat a lie, no matter how big, people will start to accept it as the truth. Conspiracy theories appeal to the human psyche, and social media helps promote them. Consequently, gullible people are prepared to believe that the world is flat and that nearly 90,000 peer-reviewed scientific papers are wrong about climate change being a plot to keep ordinary people downtrodden. Strangely, those who spread those conspiracies are the very people who subscribe to the belief systems that want to impose autocratic rule based on fear and hatred.
The violence seen on the streets here in the UK was the result of lies spread by far-right extremists, and the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021, was similarly the result of lies told on social media. Do we want our photos rubbing shoulders with that sort of malice?
Given all that, plus the widely reported ex-Twitter X technical problems and its growing number of “eXiles” who are leaving in droves, plus the navel-gazing pseudo-academic boring nonsense on Threads, and the sickly self-affirming soundbites on LinkedIn, what should we be doing with our photos if we are turned off social media?
Where Else Can We Share Our Photos?
There are some ways of sharing your work that require a bit more effort on your part than uploading to Instagram.
1. Back to Blogging
Blogs are becoming more popular once again. Substack has led the way with this. Fabulous photographic content is posted there. Of course, WordPress and Google-owned Blogger are out there too, doing well. The WordPress platform can be uploaded to and used on your server space to create a personal website too. You don’t have to be a great writer to create a blog; just posting regular photos can work.
With a blog, you can control your galleries' overall appearance and make coherent collections. You can also network with other blogging photographers and enthusiasts for your subject matter. For example, ornithologists may follow bird photographers' blogs, and entomologists might be interested in the work of insect macro photographers.
A blog can be cheap and quick to set up. There are many tutorials online showing you how to do it.
It is more challenging to get your blog noticed. Unlike social media, you need people to know you have posted a new image. RSS feeds used to be the way to do this, and RSS readers like Feedly or The Old Reader still work, but fewer people use RSS these days. Creating a mailing list using MailChimp can help with that.
However, if you want your photos promoted to a wider audience, learning Search Engine Optimization (SEO) or paying for advertising might be necessary. That could also mean falling back on social media to promote your blog posts.
2. Fstoppers and Other Online Galleries
The Fstoppers Gallery is great for sharing your images with other photographers. It is useful because you can learn how to improve your work from constructive comments.
However, with all online galleries where people can vote and comment on your work, they are only beneficial if you are not offended by others' subjectivity and can ignore the odd troll. Because a photo doesn’t appeal to someone else's taste, it doesn’t mean it’s bad. You might be producing truly original work, and others might not appreciate it because it is beyond their ability.
Flickr is still a great place to share your photos. You are limited by the number of photos you can have in your gallery before you start to pay for their services, but that is a generous 1,000. Likewise, 500px allows uploads of up to 20 photos per week without a subscription. Both sites offer additional monetization and advertising perks when you start a professional account.
There are also specialist websites with galleries that concentrate on individual themes. For example, the mainly ornithological website birdguides.com has galleries not only for birds but also for butterflies and moths, dragonflies and damselflies, and mammals.
It's worth checking your camera manufacturer too. They may have a customer's gallery, like the OM System gallery I visit.
One limitation of these sites is that you share images with people who use them, not the wider public. It's mostly photographers who visit the galleries. Consequently, you are not necessarily reaching your targeted audience, which might be your friends and family, or if you are a professional, a potential client.
3. Printing is Perfect
Nothing compares to a high-quality print on a medium that suits the picture. It oozes class. One then must decide what to do with the prints. The obvious answer is to hang them on the wall in your home. However, many towns and villages have community centers or halls, and it should be possible to hold an exhibition of your work there, perhaps in collaboration with other photographers.
Good-quality photo books are another option. I was recently sent a copy of one that one of my former students had published. It was excellent.
Sharing printed photos with your local community should not be too difficult. There are many social benefits to aiming your photo gallery at your local community.
There are exceptions, but if your photo gets a fleeting glance and perhaps a click of a like button from a few dozen photographers on Instagram or Facebook, it will be forgotten by most of that audience. However, a hard copy of a photo and a few people appreciating it locally has far more value. I remember far more photos I have seen in exhibitions and books than online.
In Conclusion
Social media is still a useful tool. Some years ago, I set up and still run a successful and friendly Facebook photography club for where I live. With about 2,000 members, it does work at keeping people motivated with its weekly challenges and discussions. There are little pockets of usefulness like that on social media that help photographers.
The real returns from social media for photographers are far less than many might suppose. Moreover, the harm it causes through spreading misinformation and lies, plus the brain damage it causes from constant use, is starting to outweigh the good. So, perhaps it is time to start sharing our photos with people who matter using far more positively impactful techniques.
Are you addicted to social media? Or do you try to ignore it as much as possible? Alternatively, are there other means of sharing your photos that you use that I have not mentioned here? Does the damage social media causes both to society and the mental and physical brain health of young people cause you concern? It would be great to hear your thoughts in the comments.
I find it HILARIOUS that photographers are just now (almost 15 years in) figuring out that social media is horrible for their photography. I have been saying this and do not and have never had an IG or FB account. This constant need to share your photos - if that is driving your photography - sharing - you gotta really take stock at what your priorities are. You can have a simple portfolio to get business - you don’t need to post every shot you ever take. You can’t more business locally than you realize and it can be the kind of business that sustains stupid billionaires coming in and wrecking “the algorithm”.
I see little point in creating art if one does not share it and social media has long been the easiest way to reach a wider audience of friends and family, and maybe clients and customers too. Yes, it's never been great, but it is worse now. However, I don't begrudge people whose talents have led to success that earned them money, although I think they should pay their taxes to exist in a society that allows them to operate. I doubt very much they are "stupid", but they sometimes do things that don't make sense. Thanks for the comment.
I agree, especially on the word of mouth part. I do zero effort to attract for the business on social media, never really did, but I have found what will bring new clients from my web site as long as they can be directed to it. Nothing to brag about in volume and I don't consider my site impressive at all, but people see technical skills they can't find otherwise in my area. It's kind of old fashion, not trying to oversell but certainly adds to my income and generate more repeat clients.
Thank you for commenting. Yes, if you are isolated from others with similarly good skills, it makes it easier to get clients.
The article raises valid points, but overlooks social media's marketing funnel potential for photographers. While Instagram has issues, I find value in Facebook for my professional profile and with the introduction of Threads platform for sharing.
These platforms can be powerful for reaching clients and growing our businesses.
I agree that personal websites and blogs are crucia, I maintin my own in support of both my portfolio galleries but also my own series of industry related blogs.
The key is balancing social media use with our own platforms, using each strategically for both artistic and business goals. It's about finding what works for each photographer, not abandoning social media entirely.
I used to pay to advertise on Facebook, but it has become both unnecessary and less effective. I would once spend £10 and get 3 clients from it. That was slightly less than 2% in advertising costs, which was pretty good. Now, I need to spend much more to get one client. The organic reach of Facebook posts has declined too. I think it still has its place in the commercial world, but I think fewer people are paying attention to it. Furthermore, the demographic of Facebook users has changed ad young people don't use it.
Thanks for commenting.
IG/FB is a disease which I fully avoid but I could see how some types of photogs need to use them to drive business and find new clients (weddings especially) and I agree that nothing beats seeing a landscape or street photo, etc in person in print!
But the reality may be that this is a dying profession as the vast majority of people will be losing interest in professional prints as the technology soon reaches ridiculous mainstream oversaturation. Authentic photography/art will always have a treasured place but the audience will inevitably shrink and making a living in photography will become more and more rare. Good news is that social media will also eventually become even more of a joke than it is already and we will look back at it like we look at MySpace today: what were we thinking!?
In the meantime while there is some small value in social media as a way to be part of a small, positive community of like minded people (try Vero or other smaller communities and see how nice it can be) I much prefer to spend my time not chasing vapid online adoration. Always better to make real connections with people and nature and culture.
Good points. Thanks.
Maybe its my age or an ADHD thing or the fact that i'm a tech nerd, but social media has been a great tool for inspiration and connecting with others. I'm including IG, TikTok, YT & Twitter. This apps are great tools, that you need to use responsibly like anything else.
There are are so many great artist out there that make great art, and i would have never found if not for having a central place to find them. YT is a great tool that allows you to create and tell your story, teach and inspire others without needing to pay. IG/TW/TT is a great place to give people a peak into who you are and what your doing. They are also a great place to discover amazing artists related to other art that you like.
Now that being said, I don't treat any of those tools like they my primary source of where my work/income comes from or how my photos should be enjoyed. I also make sure to customize my algorithm on each platform, so I don't get served filler/junk i don't care about. I turn off notifications that i don't need. This all helps with minimizing the negative affects of social media.
In the end these apps are what you make of them. Maybe they are not for you or maybe you need to change your approach to them.
Great thoughts, Jerry. Thanks.
I completely agree with your take, Jerry. I don't doubt that there are a lot of bad things posted to social media, but it all goes right over my head - even though I use social media on a daily basis, I never even see it and am not even aware of it.
But I do see lots and lots of kindred spirits, people who share the same passion I have for wildlife and nature - not the political and social issues related to wildlife and nature, but rather just the wild animals and wild places that I so love. I encounter loads and loads of others who have this same deeply imprinted love for the things I love to photograph. We share our passion with each other and share useful information with each other, and it really is a beautiful thing.
Like anything else in life, social media is what you make of it. Go looking for the bad, and you will find it. Go looking for the things that make you happy, and you will find them. It is up to the user to pursue the right things and ignore all the rest.
"There’s little point in creating photographic art if people are not going to see it".
Well, that's your opinion. Personally, I've been creating photographic art for decades and haven't shared most of it. I do it for me, to satisfy my creative desires and curiosity, not to show others.
So here lies problem with social media, which is the same as with this article. Someone has an opinion, and states it as fact.
There isn't a problem with instagram or any other platform. They are just tools. The problem is with people who use these platforms, and their desire to distort truth for their own gain. And it's been happening on TV, print magazines, and shows and events for decades. Nothing new here, just more of it.
As hobbyists we don't need to be on social media or any website gallery at all. We don't even need to print and share our photography.
But the most important point you completely failed to mention, is if you want to make money from your photography, and build a business, you NEED to be on social media.
This is basic marketing and brand-building 101. So you need to figure it out and deal with it.
You do share the work you are rightly proud of on your website. (I presume this is you: https://www.simonburncreative.com/) I suspect very few people share most of their work, and I didn't suggest they did.
I disagree with your opinion that "there isn't a problem with instagram or any other platform." If you read today's news, you will see there is a very big problem with social media. Its algorithms feed violent content to teenage boys. It also allows and even encourages false information and hate by far and extreme right activists and feeds self-harm and suicide content to vulnerable people too. Yes, some idiots post that content, but the platforms allow it to be spread.
For example, look at the lie told on X today by a very prominent person in America saying that someone in the UK was imprisoned because they were stating their opinion at a protest. In fact, they were imprisoned for acts of violence that they pleaded guilty to in court.
If you check the tags on this article, you will see it is posted as opinion not a statement of fact as you allege. Social media doesn't give that option.
The article was mainly aimed at amateur photographers, the largest proportion of our readership. I deliberately didn't include it as a business article because that is less interesting to the majority of readers.
Although the need to be on social media can benefit a professional photographer, it is becoming less important than it was a few years back because the algorithms have changed making a business's reach far less than it once was a few years ago. Also, targeted ads are less effective. I use social media, but nowhere near as much as I once did. Yes, social media helps with marketing, but it's not something an established photographer necessarily needs to do,
What was ignored at the training for most of the numerous marketing and business management qualifications I attained was that the traditional methods of promoting a business, with good customer service still work.
Thanks for the discussion.
I agree with some of what Simon wrote, and some of what you wrote, Ivor.
But I won't be 'liking' or 'following' it or anyone for it :)
Cheers.
I respect everything you are saying. I would suggest, however, looking at platforms like instagram as being less effective and therefore less important, is the wrong attitude.
The problem is more people are using the platforms, and there's more for people to see in their feeds. More competition for attention, means we have to now work a little harder to create content that stands out. It's easy to blame the platforms – which are providing free marketing opportunities – rather than maybe blame ourselves for our inertia and even complacency.
I don't think it is a matter of inertia or complacency, it's about other methods of promoting one's work that are far more effective and better at hitting a target audience. Those methods take less precious time and the reduction in the efficacy of social media advertising, backed up by empirical evidence.
Without paying for targeted ads, most of my post reach is to people whose locations don't match my potential client base. Moreover, as I mentioned before, advertising on social media used to give better returns than it does now. That is partially due to people being more discerning about the interest and location data they share with social media.
I do an in-depth analysis of my post data, so I know what works and what doesn't. As a result, I am not going to spend my work time and therefore money trying to promote my business to an inappropriate audience.
Even for most amateurs, I would argue that there are greater personal and social benefits for sharing their work locally than to a global audience.
Furthermore, I am so busy now that I don't need to actively promote my work. Therefore, from my perspective, it's an academic argument. If it works for you, then fair dues, but for me my energies are better spent elsewhere.
If what we post doesn't get the views it once did now things are more competitive, it either means we're doing it wrong, and probably not posting enough content either.
I base this comment from working full-time for brands and organisations, creating photo / video content for social media.
I spend very little time or effort trying to build my own social media, I know my current personal work isn't something most people like, and I don't need anyone to like it really.
I still believe instagram is worthwhile. X, Threads and TikTok, it's not for me, although those platforms work for clients. Social media allows you to target a niche audience like nothing else.
I get my work through word-of-mouth, but only because i've been doing it for a very long time. If I were starting out today, I would put all my effort into social media marketing. 100%.
Anyway, your article was aimed at amateurs, so apologies if I've taken it off track with my comments.
I do wonder why amateurs – who have nothing to sell – would want to spend time on social media and then get frustrated with it when they don't get the likes they had hoped for.
I would suggest a personal website to showcase their work. To draw attention to it, some well-written SEO-optimized blog posts about their work would help get the site found on Google.
Or, yes, a gallery page on Fstoppers! 😎
You say, Simon: "But the most important point you completely failed to mention, is if you want to make money from your photography, and build a business, you NEED to be on social media. This is basic marketing and brand-building 101."
That is not correct. In Marketing 101, you learn that the customer comes first – identify their habits and characteristics, establish the product or service which fulfills their needs next, and then finally determine the most effective way of reaching the customer. You have it backwards. Most people do. They're enamored with their hobby and launch a business without examining the exact needs of the customer and how best to communicate with them. They assume social media magically produces clients. It rarely does. I'm not saying that social media is good or bad for your business, but that you absolutely DO NOT NEED unequivocally to engage in social media to run a successful business. Relying heavily on social media assumes that the audience for your media posts actually has a need for your service. You may or may not be right in that regard, but Marketing 101 is not predicated on the principle that a particular type of communication is always better than another, or implicitly necessary. Advertising and public relations of any type are components of a marketing strategy, but they are not marketing. Marketing 101 teaches you to think open-mindedly about the most effective ways to align products, services and communication between buyers and sellers. For the most part with social media, you're just throwing whatever you do out into cyberspace and hoping for the best. That's not how marketing works. If it works for you, great, you probably deal more with the general public or a vaguely unidentified commercial market than, say, a commercial photographer of premium watches who sells to a much narrower niche market. It's called a target market. For that type of business, a more focused sales and marketing plan is necessary, and social media is largely a waste of time and effort.
By the way, do you think business floundered before social media was invented? Old-fashioned, and out-of-touch you say? Marketing 101 was taught long before social media came into existence. And you might be surprised how much stays the same over the years regardless of technology. Phone calls and a personal visit make a huge impression on prospective clients, and are the most effective sales strategy for my particular business.
Nope.
Here's the marketing 101, in a nutshell:
You identify who your customers are, and where you find them, so you can attract their attention and let them know about what you do or offer, and how it might benefit them.
Where do you find people in 2024? On the internet, specifically on social media. if you want to get attention, you need to create content in order to do that. But you need to create a lot of good content.
Many people are indeed just "throwing whatever you do out into cyberspace and hoping for the best. That's not how marketing works." Totally agree. They're doing wrong, just the same as if they booked a full page print ad in a magazine that targets their audience, but they produce terrible creative with an unclear message.
Social media, like any other form of communication, is just a tactic. The strategy is what's important, and most people don't understand this. You actually need to put in a lot of hard work!
Further to this, the "old-fashioned" way of marketing was to sell to people, including phone calls – that's becoming more irrelevant as each month passes. Even email is! This is not as effective anymore, because people don't like being sold to, but they do like buying stuff. So the emphasis needs to be on building a brand, and building trust. But that's a whole new discussion.
My two cents.
If it works for you, your two cents should be worth a fortune. The critical point which you make is that communication with a potential buyer has to be good... more specifically, it needs to be meaningful and relevant for them, something which addresses their wants or needs. Social media is only effective if it reaches your target market, and if they pay attention to it, and if they have a need for your product or service. A lot of ifs.
Phone calls are not as old-fashioned as you might think. I deal with a limited number of interior designers and commercial art buyers (approximately 300) in my two-state area. Without exception, every account I've developed has started with a phone call. Granted nearly everyone hides behind voice mail and email spam filters to avoid interruptions from sellers bothering them with stuff they don't want. I'd say I might speak with two or three people out of ten whom I call on the phone; the rest go to voice mail. Popular opinion is that people do not want to be found... they want to find us when they need something, so therefore they don't want to talk to you or me. However, that's only partially true. What they don't want are annoying salespeople who do no more than talk incessantly about themselves, using hackneyed selling points which the buyer considers irrelevant and a waste of time. But therein lies the difference. If you point the conversation in the direction of the buyer, ask questions and listen more than you speak and interrupt, the prospect will talk all afternoon. People enjoy talking about themselves. That much never changes. Nobody is too busy to spend time with those people who seem interested in them. I know that for sure... I've been doing this for 45 years. Invariably prospective clients thank me for the phone call.
Most importantly, selling is not just cramming a bunch of information down people's throats, or pressuring people to buy; it's establishing credibility and developing relationships with customers. That can take some time, but in cases of commercial photography buyers who have ongoing needs, I consider phone calls and personal sales calls to be essential. One other thought to consider... leaving a voice mail message followed immediately with an email quadruples the chances of a prospect replying, vs. an email sent by itself with no phone call. A personal touch never goes out of style.
Having worked in commercial / brand photography for almost 40 years, it turns out, my two cents was worth a fortune. 😎
This article by Ivor is not presented as a statement of fact. It's an opinion piece (identified as such) and meant as a subject for discussion. Why else would he ask open-ended questions at the end of the article?
Also worth noting: Meta, and I’m sure all other social media companies, are actively scraping your photos, videos, and every typed word to train their generative AI models.
It’s said that when a service is free, you’re the product. Now they’ve discovered a way to extract even more value from you without paying a red cent.
I sometimes wonder whether we should all start posting images of one thing and tagging them as another just to confuse the AI. Thanks for the comment!
Social media can be a life-enhancing tool.
Pass some legislation to engineer out the bs of liking, disliking, and following - I might allow my kids to use it then.
"Alternatively, are there other means of sharing your photos that you use that I have not mentioned here?"
Yes... my favorite is a photography print group that I organized several years ago. It was an offshoot of our local camera club, except without bylaws, officers, competitions, membership dues and all the things that can be so problematic with a camera club. All that is mandatory is that every person must bring a print for discussion. Nobody gets to just come, watch, never participate, and then complain about not getting anything out of the meetings (which is what often happens at camera clubs).
The focus at our monthly meetings is on prints. Electronic devices are not permitted for showing photographs. As I stated in another column posted by Jeffrey Tadlock yesterday, I feel strongly that printing your images causes you to look more carefully at the work you’re creating. Prints expose flaws that were not so obvious in viewing images on a monitor. And there is no better way to curate one’s work than assembling a portfolio of your prints. Want to become a better photographer? Consider making your own prints. To the extent that our focus in group meetings is on prints, the group tends to be shaped by more serious photographers.
And, finally, whereas online forums open the door to trolls and other disrespectful inarticulate people, one thinks twice about the words used to critique a photo made by the person who is sitting across the table from you.
I equate social media to art with a capital "F".
Ivor,
Thanks for another insightful article about an interesting and important topic - always appreciated!
As you say in the article, there are both good and bad aspects to social media. I have found it rather easy to utilize the good and to ignore the bad.
Once I finally figured out how to use Instagram in 2019, my photograph really took off. Because of the platform, I was finding wildlife to photograph that I had never known about. And I was connecting with wildlife photographers who were willing to help me find new locations and new opportunities.
For me, Instagram is NOT primarily a place to post photos and to get my work noticed. That has very little to do with the value of Instagram. Rather, Instagram is a place that I can go to to do research, and to learn a lot about wild animals and where they may be photographed.
Here's how it works:
When I am interested in photographing a species, such as Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, I will get on Instagram and search for all of the images with the hashtag #blackbelliedwhistlingduck
I then get a screen that shows all of the images that have that hashtag - a whopping 11,169 of them!
So then I look at some of those images, usually the ones that look like they were taken by very good photographers. I will then send a direct message to a few of those photographers. I introduce myself, and say that I like their images of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, and that I am interested in photographing this species myself. I then explain that they don't live anywhere within 2,000 miles of me, and that in order to photograph them, I will need to plan a big long trip. I ask if they have any information that they can give me about where and when and how to photograph them. I do NOT say anything like "hey I love your shots of BBWD, where did you photograph them?" That is pushy and asks for a specific answer to a direct question. Instead, I present the questions in a way that require a more open-ended answer - they are free to give me as much, or as little, information as they want to give me.
I almost always get responses back from every direct message I send out, and the responses I get back are almost always very friendly and chock full of helpfulness. People not only tell me a lot about how and where I can photograph whatever it is I am asking about, but they often offer to meet me when I come to their area, and to take me to the best places themselves. I sometimes even get offers to stay at people's houses so I won't need to pay for lodging.
I have used Instagram in this way for many different species, all over the United States, and in the 5 1/2 years since I figured out how to use it in this way, I have met dozens of like-minded people who share my passion for wildlife.
So, what Instagram is to me is an incredibly useful research tool. Why? Well the main reason why it is so useful is because so many millions and millions of people are using it. The sheer mass of images there and photographers there means that the likelihood of finding exactly what I want to find is very high. And the hashtag system makes it extremely easy to filter out all of the unrelevant things and get right to the thing I want to find. And the direct message system means that I am getting information and making connections with great people simultaneously.
Before I knew how to use Instagram in this way, it was a struggle to find the info I wanted about photogenic wildlife. But with Instagram, all of this info is right there at my fingertips, to be found in great detail with only a modicum of time and effort. Instagram rocks!
So, while the title you used for this article is true for some people in some situations, I would prefer to use a title that is equally true, but more positive, and more representative of my own experience:
"Social Media can be Great for Photography and Even Better for You!"
You are able to use what you feel is good for you and ignore the bad. Children and many other vulnerable and impressionable people are not so mature in their ability to discern one from the other. Which leads to the disaster we have as a society today: extraordinary levels of violence, depression, anger, etc., etc.
Social media might only be a part of the problem (mental health is a complex issue), but I have no doubt it contributes. And so I can't support in any manner or approve of a system which has had such a negative impact on society, regardless of its benefits to some people. The tradeoffs are not worth it.
Nah, I don't think it's bad for photography. It's how you use it. If you engage in political shit, you will get fed political shit. If you engage in photography related posts, you'll get fed such posts. That's how their algorithm works. See attached images from my Explore page and Suggested posts on my home feed. There are no politics; no so-called hate speech (typical sensational lies of lefties).
Yeah, I hate Instagram reels with a passion. Up until I found a way to hide them (on a computer), I was visiting IG less and less. Now that I've found a way, IG is fun again. Yes, I said fun again. :D
It's not distracting or addicting to me because I cut out the distracting parts. Basically, I turned off all notifications except: DM's, comments, tags, and mentions. I'm only interested in some form of communication.
When I see a photographer's profile with a link to their website or their Instagram, I hit their IG first. It's fast to load and it's familiar. Whereas, some photographer websites are so freakin' slow. They need Squarespace or somethin'. And some are too convoluted because they have everything but the kitchen sink in their pages. On top that, some are stuck in the past with their tiny little 800px images. Lastly, I don't know how old the photos are in their pages. I can't stand one-hit wonders and they curate their pages for that. At least with IG, more likely than not, recent posts are recent images and I can see how consistent they are.
Collaborations. I don’t know any model or photographer that uses blogs, 500px, Flickr, etc to reach out for a shoot.
The only beef I have social media, specifically Instagram:
1. They keep shadow banning some of my posts. If I dispute, they find more posts to shadow ban and then shadow ban my entire account. Haha, those bastids. My posts are not even that explicit compared to ones that are totally explicit and have thousands and thousands of engagement.
2. On their app, they're refusal to rotate horizontal images to fit the screen. I know I know, first world problems. :) But, dang it, Facebook, X, and Vero does it.
I agree that storyboards for commercial work is a different thing. It can be great to start the process.
But while traveling constantly being elsewhere with your thoughts is (imho) terrible for the experience and work.
So why don't you focus your communication on your own website instead of Instagram or other sites which you don't have total control? Your website URL appears to forward to IG so you must not think much of websites as a communication tool. I agree that many photographer's websites lack simplicity and clarity, but that's their fault. I'm sure you're aware of this, but without an Instagram account I can only see your page for a few seconds before being asked to sign in or sign up. I can get a glimpse of your work, but learn nothing else about you. I suppose, like I said in an earlier post... the best choices are the ones which effectively link you and your clients, whatever that path might be. But I'm just curious about your thoughts on websites, beyond the observation that many of them are poorly designed.
- (mistake reply and I can't remove post). :)
--- "So why don't you focus your communication on your own website"
1. Because models, makeup artists, designers, and photographers with common interest primarily communicate through IG. And, sometimes Facebook.
2. I mostly shoot for fun, a hobby.
--- "Your website URL appears to forward to IG so you must not think much of websites as a communication tool."
Correct, for reasons stated above.
--- "without an Instagram account I can only see your page for a few seconds before being asked to sign in or sign up. I can get a glimpse of your work, but learn nothing else about you."
Instagram doesn't really provide an extensive "About Me" section. That's what owning a website is for. :D
--- "But I'm just curious about your thoughts on websites"
For professionals seeking clients or have a product to sell, I think it's a good idea. In a nutshell, curated galleries, mailing list, contact form, appointment booking, sales, accept payments, etc, etc, will look more professional and convenient for clients/customers.
Damn nice work for a hobbyist.
Thanks!
It's probably personal, but for me (by far) the main thing about photography is the moment itself. The experience of it. The looking, waiting, coming back, timing of creating. The dealing and playing with the circumstances. Not recreating an image you already saw somewhere (or have in your head in advance).
Social media and trends can be good starting point for inspiration at best, but in general are more harmful for the creative process and authenticity which are the most important things imo.
I'm convinced the thinking about how it will be received cuts off the necasary process of discovering and getting into a state without too much distracting thoughts, which takes a while.
Besides that i think a lot of photographers want to create that "perfect" image (read cliche image) and miss out of the box ideas.
Also i don't like sharing my photo's during the trip. Because when my thoughts are at home / with some audience i'm not 100% on that trip anymore. I'll post them when it's time. If many people aren't interested anymore because it's "old news", that's fine with me. What are those "opinions" worth anyway?..
The appreciation of others is nice, but nothing more (unless you look at the commercial part of your work, which isn't my travel and lanscape). Numbers are very abstract to me. Old fashioned as I am, i like to be eye to eye with the person i show my work and talk to them. A like or short comment doesn't mean a thing to me.
I say these things for years. It gives a lot of rest an a deeper experience imo.
It's funny, Leo, your first point is in an article I am just sending for publication. I was also at a meeting of artists last week and they were all saying the same thing, it's the act of creation that many photographers and artists enjoy the most. Thanks for the comment.
I think that Behance is worth a mention. It's a social media platform for creatives, and whilst it's subject to the same limitations you mention regarding the other online galleries, it also integrates with Adobe Portfolio, which makes it dead easy to create a personalised gallery website.
Good point, Greg. Thanks,
Your paragraph, Ivor: "The Bad Side of All Social Media" can not be underestimated. It's one thing for an adult to make the choice of using social media in a manner that they think is appropriate. The ramifications for an impressionable child are totally different. I found this article quite enlightening:
"'It stains your brain': How social media algorithms show violence to boys"
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gdqzxypdzo
I can't fathom raising children in today's world. My kids are in their forties so it's not a personal concern, but if I were a parent of a teenager today, I'd be at a total loss for dealing with these issues. Active shooter drills? Bullet-proof backpacks? Yikes. My mom pretty well forgot where I was at as we roamed the woods near our home as a kid. My first reaction now would be to take the phone and access to social media away until they're, like, college age. But one of the kids interviewed in this BBC article says that's not an option because cellphones, internet and social media are integrated so deeply into their lives from a young age.
I suppose that's coming to the same conclusion as the post by Simon above which claimed that social media is absolutely essential for running a business. Honestly, I can't understand why social media is essential for anyone, at any age, for any reason.
This is a well-written opinion piece, and I appreciate how respectful the comments here are, something that's seams to be lost on social media platforms. Personally, I’ve deleted Twitter and Facebook years ago, but I still use Instagram. However, I rarely post my work there. I don't let Instagram dictate the ratios I have to use or pressure me into creating reels just to gain more traffic. What works for one person may not work for another, and the same goes for user experiences.
Instagram is becoming more of a joke. Recently, I commented on a model’s photo, asking her to check her agency inbox for important info. Instagram removed my comment, claiming it violated community guidelines, which they said resembled spam or fishing for likes and threatened to block my account. Meanwhile, filling my feed with spam and garbage, not showing post from people that I follow.
For the past two years, I’ve been having my work professionally printed on high-quality paper by someone who truly knows his craft. Instead of endless scrolling and fleeting attention, people spend time truly appreciating printed work, discussing them, and even following up with emails or texts about how they’ve shared them with friends who were equally impressed. I’ll take that kind of compliment anytime, much more meaningful than a quick like.
When it comes to learning and continuing education, it is certainly not from social media. I check out websites, I focus on studying the work of the best in my genre, analyzing their work and why their photos captivate me. Well, ladies and gentlemen, do what works for you and happy shooting.
--- "Meanwhile, filling my feed with spam and garbage, not showing post from people that I follow."
Just fyi in case you haven't abandoned IG:
a. If you are on a computer, if you go to their link https://www.instagram.com/?variant=following , it'll show only posts from people you follow in descending date order. On top of that, there are no ads.
b. if on the app, tap on "Instagram" on the upper left, tap on "Following" and it'll take you to the only following page same as above.
That's useful, thanks for sharing that Eddie.
A sincere Thank You!
Comparison is a thief of joy and that's what we see in the age of social media. People convert everything into likes and comments, and it's so easy to fall into this trap and start seeing yourself as less than. However, I do agree with people in the comment section re:marketing potential. Social media made it very easy for us to reach out potential clients and for them to find us as well. I think the golden middle would be to use social media and make the most of it while also being careful about its impact on our mental health and the way we see our work.
That being said, I agree that printing great pictures is amazing and I personally try to do it more often, just for the sake of having an actual album with my photos. Smartshow 3d slideshows with effects and transitions are great but they are just not it.
Contrarian here; I send people to my GuruShots account: https://gurushots.com/Bytesmiths .
I agree about the pitfalls of social media, but I think it can be a useful tool if used with restraint
The overwhelming majority of my posts are my wildlife photos and my friends (yes most of them are actual friends) always say how much they like my work. How many other people do you know who are told they enjoy their posts?
I also belong to several groups dedicated to wildlife photography in the region. The groups are helpful in sharing photos, but also keeping each other informed of what’s happening in the region.
I also carefully prune out people who can’t seem to do anything but rant, and I’ve been doing a lot of cutting given our upcoming elections here in the US.
David Goldberg wrote:
"The overwhelming majority of my posts are my wildlife photos and my friends (yes most of them are actual friends) always say how much they like my work. How many other people do you know who are told they enjoy their posts?"
I think we have some similarities in our experiences with social media. The images I post to Instagram are also wildlife photos. And I also have a lot of friends comment positively on them. And yes, they are real-life friends, not just online friends.
There are a bunch of us wildlife photographers scattered around the U.S., but we know each other "for real" because we often see each other at various wildlife venues around the country at various points during the year. It is an informal network of friends and mutual friends, and we use Instagram to keep in touch throughout the year. I estimate there are about 100 of us who keep in touch with each other regularly, and who see each other in person at least once every other year, some much more often. Our Instagram DMs are literally packed with hundreds and hundreds of messages that we send to each other throughout the year. It's how we keep each other updated on wildlife opportunities that spring up around the country, and how we plan to meet up at various places far from home, etc.
If people aren't using social media in this way, they are missing out on a tremendous resource.
Social Media has its uses.. but yeah, it's addictive and causes stress and quickly becomes a huge time sink.. ask me how I know..
What's worse, is that I often photograph local concerts and events, where the whole reason of shooting them is to share on said addictive media. I occasionally even get paid for doing so. That's great, but makes my personal balancing act of using it when I have to, versus getting sucked in and neglecting the rest of my life, even more difficult. It does feel good when people like your work!
I tried going to mostly just Flickr, for which I pay, and I even tried using MeWe because it's not algorithm driven.. no luck. Everyone complains about Facebook, but when offered a legitimate alternative that even has some content they'd like to see (in this case, mine)? Nope, you'd think that asking them to store one more login and password was akin to asking for their credit card number and its expiry date.
So I don't have an answer on the Social Media front, and I very much agree with printing your work.