Social media

Social Media, where to begin?

When it comes to photography, it seems social media is necessary nowadays. Unfortunately, it’s gotten to a point where I only think of Instagram. It’s meant to draw you in, and honestly, I don’t spend that much time on it, but I get that anxious feeling of will my photos do well?

I’m a pretty decent photographer… scrap that, I know I’m a good photographer. If we don’t value and believe in ourselves, who will?

I spent a year without social media back in 2020 and it was amazing. It was hard at first, not knowing how to fill the time, but you get used to it. I gave up smoking at the beginning of this year, and even though I’ve had the odd one now and then, it was easy to give up, much easier than I think it is to give up social media. But back in 2020 I was home, doing nothing with my life. Travelling though, it’s different. You need social media. Or do you? Truth is, no one really cares, people are nosy and that’s about it, and if they do care they’ll most likely have your phone number.  

Don’t get me wrong, social media, and with this, I mean Instagram particularly, can be inspiring. But what I’ve found with it, is that it makes me anxious and I focus too much on ¨making my feed look coherent¨ or ¨trying to work the algorithm¨ or ¨comparing my photos to others¨. Using Instagram as a business is hard, and it’s not for me, at least not at this current time. I had 2 separate accounts once, one personal and one photography. When I came out of my year social media detox the last time, I got rid of my photography page and combined my personal with photography, seeing as photography and travel is my life. But that hasn’t turned out well for me either.

When I post a photo of myself over, what I think to be a good photograph that I have taken, I get more likes, views, comments, whatever it may be. And that also discourages me. I’ve put a lot of effort into taking this photograph and editing it and I’m proud of it and then, nothing. Social media just isn’t for some people, and even though I want to get somewhere with photography at some point in my life, social media just isn’t the way for me.

I’ve decided to leave Instagram for the foreseeable, focus on living my life in the present and enjoying photography again. As I am still a photographer, I still have a website, where I will occasionally post a story or blog post, maybe share what I’m doing in life, where I’m at, but with no expectations. My website is a one-way system. I put myself out there and that’s that. If people see it and like it, then great, but I don’t feel the pressure of not having a lot of likes, or followers. It’s there to be seen and be seen only.