On Sharing Photography

A few weeks ago I decided to take another break from Instagram.

Instagram was never a negative experience, but I have only been on the platform for a year.

During the year, the Instagram experience became repetitive and time consuming. I scroll through my feed and like posts. Users like mine back, and so on. On the plus side, I have discovered local photographers and new locations to explore.

Unlike Glass and Vero, the sheer number of users means Instagram has users near you.

I have enjoyed building connections and the occasional two-way discussion.

On the downside, there are fake female users with long numbers forming part of their names. Their presence has forced me to use the 'remove follower' option more times than any other feature.

The adverts are a little annoying, but I can live with them.

As an experiment, I also subscribed to Meta Verified for the honour of a blue badge. That only lasted two months. No matter what you read, a Meta Verified membership has no significant benefits or improved user experience.

All fine, but the experience has me questioning why I bother at all. Am I doing other photographers justice by spending ten seconds looking at their work?

I do comment on posts, but not as much as I should. It takes too much time.

Eric Kim's post encouraged me to spend some time reflecting on why I share photos.

Eric's reasons are:

• Taking photos and not sharing them is pointless.
• It brings him joy.
• He looks forward to people's reactions.
• His photos are a record of society.

The key question is: If you couldn't share your work, would you still take the photos?

I did not take up photography through the motivation of social media or the need for affirmation. I take photographs because it's fun. I love the experience of creating. Not only the technical or artistic aspects, but the physical and emotional journey.

Take the image below as an example. It might look like a church in broad daylight, but it is a long exposure taken at midnight.

I wanted to try night photography using the light of the full moon. In the image, you can see the stars, cloud movement, and hopefully detect an ethereal or moody atmosphere.

I had never loitered around a graveyard at the witching hour before, and it was fun. I loved it and have done it since. I was back at another graveyard last night and it's on my list for a future full moon.

As I compose the shots and let the camera do its thing, I take in the peaceful, tranquil atmosphere.

Time constraints and spectral entities are absent.

My photography, whether landscape, night sky, or street, is an adventure. It blends creativity and pleasure. Sure, I appreciate others seeing and acknowledging my work, but it is not essential.

The experience is essential.

To answer Eric's post, the answer is YES! I would shoot photos if I couldn't share them. I shoot them to please myself.

To be honest. I'll likely reactivate Instagram in a week or two.

I miss some local connections and advanced notice about the Northern Lights.

Thanks for reading. If you found this story helpful, please consider buying me a coffee. It would mean so much. 😊