It’s just all so exhausting right now. Substack is a welcome reprieve. I can’t seem to motivate myself to try a new social media platform. My FB and Insta accounts still exist, but I’m not currently active on them.
Same for me. I was really wondering if I could start from scratch on a new platform and if it's worth the effort. We'll see it over time, I guess. I actually do still value Instagram as a tool to show my work (with only very little success in my case but hey) but I think they just exaggerate it with the ads. I counted the them in my feed today and it was somewhat between 30-50%. It really got exhausting to get any value out of it.
A return to websites, blogs, forums would be really cool. Especially as artists it would be nice to share and view each other’s works in higher quality and dedicated spaces. It is fucking wild that for the past couple of years most work I’ve seen was on a screen thats smaller than my hand.
I shut down FB, leaving IG open but not active and also shut down Threads. I am an Ambassador for Foto since I funded on day one, but honestly, anything that doesn't require slower interaction is going to not get my time. I prefer the pace of Substack, so will stick to that and occasionally Foto. There's too much noise right now.
For some reason when I click the link to the post it reroutes me back to Bluesky, and when I’m on Bluesky it reroutes me back to Substack. I can never reach the list. What’s going on? I was also wondering if I’m on the list.
I've always hated the idea of using Instagram as my photography portfolio because there's virtually zero creative control, both over how images are presented and in the algorithm's reach. Between the targeted ads and the clickbait influencers, it was beginning to cheap, scam-y and consumeristic. I love the idea that blogs, newsletters and curated website portfolios are coming back in the photography space, where we can take the time and space needed to convey the ideas we feel compelled to convey, and not cram everything into an 8-second, hyper-saturated reel.
I am thinking of completely canceling my FB account (and deleting years of photography of my community there - hey maybe it’s more valuable to people if I pull it) and probably not using IG anymore though I’m loathe to delete it. I am trying to work up to a point where I can start my substack or newsletter or whatever and just forget about whatever it is we’re “supposed” to do and how we’re supposed to act as artists on social media. I’m tired of it all and I don’t really use a lot of it anymore anyway. Just opened a blue sky acct even though I never used Twitter just so I could see what it’s like (and msgd you!)
On a brighter note, I am very very interested in seeing/hearing more about Dona McAdams’ book! I shoot dance and performance here in pdx and a community member - someone I’ve photographed a lot over the last 15 years - was photographed by her in the 80s in the NYC downtown dance scene. I’m somewhat familiar with Dona’s work besides and would love to know more about what looks like a beautiful book! ❤️
I’ve cut back somewhat on Facebook. Have never really ‘got’ Instagram. Kicked my Twitter habit years ago. Signed up to Bluesky but can’t figure out how it works. Like Twitter, I suppose, but I can’t remember quite how that worked. But nature abhors a vacuum, and thankfully Substack has rushed in to fill the void and become my new ongoing distraction. Would like to be one of your photo people, Andy, but not sure where I should DM you…
Hi Andy, I’m a subscriber and love the idea of building a photo community on BlueSky. I’ve already started joining photo members. Would you mind adding me to your list? Cheers @ericbakkephoto.bsky.social
They don’t make leaving FB easy. Messaging is tied to FB. Instagram is tied, any site you logged into using FB, they all have to be addressed. Never use FB credentials to gain access to any other site. Allow yourself a good hour to get out.
You've mentioned in the past that you would like to receive recommendations of photo books. I just received Larry Towell's new book, The History War, Ukraine, which I think is quite impressive. I think it/he is well worth checking out.
I am definitely noticing a trend in photographers and other creatives searching for alternative places to exist outside of instagram. I can’t tell if I’m just in an echo chamber that’s reflecting my own inner feelings or if there are actual numbers to back this up. Thanks for the bluesky recommendation 👌🏽
En las redes no pasa nada, lo que pasa es que la sociedad cambia y evoluciona a otras cosas. Desde mi punto de vista el único espacio donde se puede ver contenido interesante es en este espacio. De momento Bluesky no me termina de convencer, al igual que pasa con otras redes. Y cada vez hay más redes donde el contenido es confuso y demasiado mezclado.
I’ve been reading about WEB 3 for a while and it seems as if it’s just the original 90s y2k domain/ blog aspect of things. I have been wanting to start a Domain. This helped me want to hop onto the wagon of creating my own domain even SOONER. Maybe tomorrow is the day I start.
It’s just all so exhausting right now. Substack is a welcome reprieve. I can’t seem to motivate myself to try a new social media platform. My FB and Insta accounts still exist, but I’m not currently active on them.
Same for me. I was really wondering if I could start from scratch on a new platform and if it's worth the effort. We'll see it over time, I guess. I actually do still value Instagram as a tool to show my work (with only very little success in my case but hey) but I think they just exaggerate it with the ads. I counted the them in my feed today and it was somewhat between 30-50%. It really got exhausting to get any value out of it.
A return to websites, blogs, forums would be really cool. Especially as artists it would be nice to share and view each other’s works in higher quality and dedicated spaces. It is fucking wild that for the past couple of years most work I’ve seen was on a screen thats smaller than my hand.
couldn't have said it better!
I shut down FB, leaving IG open but not active and also shut down Threads. I am an Ambassador for Foto since I funded on day one, but honestly, anything that doesn't require slower interaction is going to not get my time. I prefer the pace of Substack, so will stick to that and occasionally Foto. There's too much noise right now.
Hey Andy,
For some reason when I click the link to the post it reroutes me back to Bluesky, and when I’m on Bluesky it reroutes me back to Substack. I can never reach the list. What’s going on? I was also wondering if I’m on the list.
Kindly,
Sara
Hey Sara, why don't you send me a direct message on Bluesky and we can take this over there?
I've always hated the idea of using Instagram as my photography portfolio because there's virtually zero creative control, both over how images are presented and in the algorithm's reach. Between the targeted ads and the clickbait influencers, it was beginning to cheap, scam-y and consumeristic. I love the idea that blogs, newsletters and curated website portfolios are coming back in the photography space, where we can take the time and space needed to convey the ideas we feel compelled to convey, and not cram everything into an 8-second, hyper-saturated reel.
I am thinking of completely canceling my FB account (and deleting years of photography of my community there - hey maybe it’s more valuable to people if I pull it) and probably not using IG anymore though I’m loathe to delete it. I am trying to work up to a point where I can start my substack or newsletter or whatever and just forget about whatever it is we’re “supposed” to do and how we’re supposed to act as artists on social media. I’m tired of it all and I don’t really use a lot of it anymore anyway. Just opened a blue sky acct even though I never used Twitter just so I could see what it’s like (and msgd you!)
On a brighter note, I am very very interested in seeing/hearing more about Dona McAdams’ book! I shoot dance and performance here in pdx and a community member - someone I’ve photographed a lot over the last 15 years - was photographed by her in the 80s in the NYC downtown dance scene. I’m somewhat familiar with Dona’s work besides and would love to know more about what looks like a beautiful book! ❤️
I’ve cut back somewhat on Facebook. Have never really ‘got’ Instagram. Kicked my Twitter habit years ago. Signed up to Bluesky but can’t figure out how it works. Like Twitter, I suppose, but I can’t remember quite how that worked. But nature abhors a vacuum, and thankfully Substack has rushed in to fill the void and become my new ongoing distraction. Would like to be one of your photo people, Andy, but not sure where I should DM you…
Hi Andy, I’m a subscriber and love the idea of building a photo community on BlueSky. I’ve already started joining photo members. Would you mind adding me to your list? Cheers @ericbakkephoto.bsky.social
They don’t make leaving FB easy. Messaging is tied to FB. Instagram is tied, any site you logged into using FB, they all have to be addressed. Never use FB credentials to gain access to any other site. Allow yourself a good hour to get out.
I couldn’t agree more!!
You've mentioned in the past that you would like to receive recommendations of photo books. I just received Larry Towell's new book, The History War, Ukraine, which I think is quite impressive. I think it/he is well worth checking out.
I'll that out. Thanks, Brian!
I ordered the book.
I am definitely noticing a trend in photographers and other creatives searching for alternative places to exist outside of instagram. I can’t tell if I’m just in an echo chamber that’s reflecting my own inner feelings or if there are actual numbers to back this up. Thanks for the bluesky recommendation 👌🏽
En las redes no pasa nada, lo que pasa es que la sociedad cambia y evoluciona a otras cosas. Desde mi punto de vista el único espacio donde se puede ver contenido interesante es en este espacio. De momento Bluesky no me termina de convencer, al igual que pasa con otras redes. Y cada vez hay más redes donde el contenido es confuso y demasiado mezclado.
I’ve been reading about WEB 3 for a while and it seems as if it’s just the original 90s y2k domain/ blog aspect of things. I have been wanting to start a Domain. This helped me want to hop onto the wagon of creating my own domain even SOONER. Maybe tomorrow is the day I start.