It's a photo community
Still, connecting with fellow creatives is harder than ever
Hey All, thanks so much to those of you who reached out on Instagram after reading my Five Photographers post last week. I’ve been having fun reconnecting with old friends on the app, and I followed a bunch of new photographers in the last few days. Instagram still sucks in many ways, but it feels like the best thing going for many of us. If we’re not yet connected, you can find me there @flakphoto.
That got me thinking about social media in 2025. A few months ago, it felt like we may have been turning a corner. X was imploding, and many of us flocked to Bluesky to test those waters. I post there daily, but writers are more active than photographers in my feeds. That’s fine with me since I’m interested in meeting artists across disciplines. However, for many people, the photography community is key. And these days, connecting with like-minded creative people seems harder than ever.
Slowly, but surely, more photography folks are realizing the benefits of
. I rebooted my newsletter here a few years ago, and I’m having a blast. It's a terrific space for artists and image makers to talk about and show their work. Still, Substack isn’t Instagram, and many imagemakers prefer the short-form visual flow of a social app. I'm eager to see how this community expands in the coming months.I’m curious: In 2025, is there a best social platform for photographers?
I suspect it’s still Instagram, but Glass, Foto, Visura, and VSCO seem to be giving IG a run for its money. What do you think? Please let me know in the comments.
FlakPhoto Community News
Last month, I asked about using a chat app to share community news. You can see the poll results here. Most people preferred WhatsApp, but I’m not surprised there wasn’t a consistent response. The resounding feedback was clear: I should share periodic community updates in the newsletter.
Now, why didn’t I think of that?
I’ll curate a periodic community link round-up like this occasionally. Here’s some good stuff that came across my desk in the last few weeks.
Photojournalism and violence — A survey from The Point magazine
Float Magazine More/Less Printed Zine + Exhibition CALL FOR ENTRY
Autograph Call for Photographs! Your Small Stories: Diasporic Experiences
SaveArtSpace: Passion, Pathos, & the Human Potential deadline is June 9
Do you have community news you want to share with FlakPhoto’s readers? Email is always the best way to reach me. Write me anytime!
Rachel Seed’s A Photographic Memory in Madison on June 23!
Speaking of community, filmmaker Rachel Seed will be in Madison in two weeks to present her documentary, A Photographic Memory, at the Arts + Literature Laboratory on June 23, 2025. Please tell your friends and consider making the trip. Social media is great, but nothing beats spending time in a room together, right?
Admission is free. Following the film, Rachel will hold a Q&A session. You can read more about the film and the ArtLitLab screening here. Please join us!
I want to give special thanks to photographer James Ramos for sharing the image at the top of today’s post with me. We reconnected on Instagram the other day, and I’ve been enjoying his work. You might, too — check out his website here. You can follow him @xjamesramos. Cheers!
I don’t think I am alone in this - there is a definite burnout across all social platforms for many of us, particularly artists and creatives that are trying to do the work while showing up online and IRL. It’s all becoming overwhelming. Substack is a reprieve though and I love writing when I can here and sharing photographs more intimately.
I think the purpose of connecting with creatives needs further clarification.
I saw people responding to your post with preferred platforms to about connect with audiences to sell their photography.
I see a local photographer who posts images daily of our city on Facebook and Instagram. He has thousands of followers, some who then choose to visit his website to purchase prints. He has high visibility, has won multiple awards for his photography. He has a full-time job and photography is a side passion. He is not focused on solely making a living from his photography work.
He is vigilant about daily posts and his cityscapes are professional quality. Consistency with daily posts and superior imagery sets him apart.
Substack could be an option if you simply want to post commentary. I am not impressed with interactivity with followers. Can people who reply even post images? It has been awhile but I don’t recall that option? Now Substack has live “meeting” options, a nice way to interact on occasion.
But to be honest, I am done paying five dollars a month for a slew of Substack newsletters. I get this is a way for creators to earn a meager amount that is surely deserved for time and effort. However, I only now subscribe if there is a “free” option. It feels more like a one-way street to me and I would rather have an artistic community where an exchange of creative inspiration can take place than a marketplace environment.
Sorry for the typos. Substack is not letting me scroll up this post to properly edit it.