When Instagram began in 2010, it was an amazing way to share your work. Now the algorithm churns through video, not photos, so you’d best be adding music to your photo for the 2.5 seconds it might get viewed for. The results of years of experience creating a masterpiece passes as quickly as a cat picture. The cat picture will typically get more likes.
Sure, competitors like Vero have tried, but they just don’t have the reach that Meta has. Even those that swapped to Threads, Instagram’s Twitter replacement aren’t faring any better. It’s all a rat race to the bottom, where skill and excellence are replaced by comedy and mediocrity.
Some people say that it has leveled the playing field. I’d say that it’s probably gone the other way altogether. The people who were once mentors are now lost in a tsunami of ‘content,’ and the bar is lower than limbo dancers' ankles. We just jump the bar and hope for our two seconds of fame.
If you want to raise your game, it’s not on social media. That’s all about dopamine. Excelling at photography requires slowing down, not speeding up. Trying to find some new image that matches the quality of the last one that got more likes, is an exercise in failure. We’re human. We’re not meant to operate at 100%, 100% of the time. Build your passion. Make mistakes and learn from them. Don’t show them, unless it’s as an example of work in progress.
Ignore the rat race and learn at your own pace. The only competition you have is your former self. Find nurturing communities where you can share your work and grow. Look for mentors with work you aspire to. Grow.
I’m not saying don’t post on social. I’m not telling you to stop scrolling. I’d be a huge hypocrite if I did that. I am saying that it’s not the critical element that drives your work. Post to exhibit and ignore the likes. Don’t let the dopamine be the driver.
