Photographer stops posting work on social media – Here’s what changed

Do you ever feel like social media has no point anymore when it comes to sharing your work? I mean, Instagram hasn’t been devoted to photography for years now. Adam of First Man Photography decided to try and get off social media for eight weeks, and in his recent video, he shares his insights and benefits of this decision.

Adam talks about X (formerly Twitter), a toxic environment dominated by negativity and divisiveness. Honestly, I haven’t been active there for almost a decade precisely because of that, I can imagine it’s only worse now. He was particularly concerned about Twitter’s new terms of service, which grant the platform broad rights to use user-posted content. Yup, you guessed it, they can use it for AI training. This could potentially lead to the misuse of photographers’ work and all sorts of copyright-related shenanigans.

Instagram, while once a platform for sharing photography, has shifted its focus quite a while ago. In fact, it seems that it hates photography now. It’s all about Reels, Stories, and tons of ads wherever they can be crammed. Adam feels that this shift has made it difficult to gain meaningful attention for still photography. Another problem is that the platform’s notorious algorithm limits the visibility of content. This makes people create what they don’t enjoy just so they can please the algorithm gods. As a consequence, there’s a massive drop in authenticity and it’s truly challenging for photographers to reach their audience.

The benefits of social media break

By stepping away from these platforms, Adam has experienced a significant improvement in his mental health and creativity. He notes that he feels more hopeful, less stressed, and more focused on creating high-quality work. He has also realized the importance of creating for himself rather than seeking external validation.

I was also off Instagram for eight months or so, and I just recently returned. I don’t even try sharing my photography there as it’s pointless, and I’ve also been pretty inactive on my other accounts (as I have a thousand hobbies). I also saw benefits for my mental health, as I was less overwhelmed by bad news, pointless content, and the overall “noise” I feel social media has become.

The future of photo sharing

Looking ahead, Adam believes that the future of photography lies in a combination of personal websites and decentralized social media platforms. Personal websites allow you to have complete control over your work and directly connect with your audience. Decentralized platforms offer a more positive and community-driven experience, free from the limitations of traditional social media. I still love Flickr for this purpose, but I’m not that active in photography any longer (like I said, I have a thousand hobbies). I believe there are some other great platforms too, and I personally enjoyed EyeEm (before it went to hell), Behance, and 1x when my free time was all about photography.

Ultimately, Adam’s experiment highlights the need for photographers to prioritize their well-being and creative fulfillment. So, try it. Take a break from social media and explore alternative ways to share your work. This way, you might reclaim your artistic vision and connect with your audience on a deeper level. Even if not that, I’m sure it will be beneficial for your mental health – and that’s not a bad outcome either, is it?

[I Quit Posting My Photos on Social Media… And It’s Changed Everything | First Man Photography]