Hey, friends: Thanks again to the 150 or so of you who tuned in to our Curators Conversation on Tuesday — I had a blast, and it was great to see so many familiar faces in the crowd. Many of you asked if this video would be available following the event. The good folks at VII recorded our conversation and will publish it online in a few days. I’ll keep you posted and send a link when it’s live.
and I had an excellent discussion about the internet, social media, online communities, and the practical challenges to finding your people in today’s fragmented social media ecosystem. We talked for an hour and barely scratched the surface.We discussed many things, but our conversation kept coming back to community. I started
twenty years ago, because I was craving a photography community and didn’t know where to find it in Madison, Wisconsin, where I live. Early on, I saw the potential to connect with like-minded photo people on the internet, and I’ve been doing it daily ever since. Collaborating with art folks online changed my life and led me down a creative path that continues to inspire me.Today, we have more digital touchpoints than ever, and yet it seems more challenging to connect with fellow artists and creative people than it should be. I was complaining about this again the other day. I hate to be a broken record, but my “Damn these algorithms” post seemed to strike a chord. Clearly, many of you feel the same way.
Damn these algorithms
I don’t know about you, but I’m generally disillusioned with my social media habit. And yet, like millions of people worldwide, I complain about these apps but keep using them. It’s frustrating. Instagram has many issues, but I still find a lot of value in it week after week — discovering new artists, seeing excellent photography, and messaging c…
I was reflecting on these ideas following my conversation with David. While catching up on some of my favorite Photostacks, I stumbled upon this post by
, who always has something thoughtful to say. Michael made the impressive choice to leave Instagram, a decision many of us have considered, but few of us actually do. I can’t imagine deleting my account because it would cut off my connection to a creative community that nourishes and enlightens me. Michael writes:In my neck of the woods, not being on Instagram means living in a kind of cultural blackout. Choosing to reclaim my time and protect my mental health has come at the cost of basic awareness. I had no idea that several photographers I admire were giving a talk just down the street last Thursday. I only found out about the photo walk—the one that happened yesterday—minutes before it started, when someone texted to ask if I was going.
And it leaves me wondering: how would I have known? What’s the alternative? Do I need to stalk community bulletin boards like it’s 1997? Should I obsessively check the events tab on a dozen local websites each week? Should I deputize my friends to text me every time something interesting pops up? Is there a magical print calendar I haven’t discovered? Short of rejoining Instagram, no solution seems to stick.
He’s right: Instagram has got us by the short hairs. If we leave the app, we lose our community. You should really read Michael’s post. It’s worth a peek:
One of the questions that came in during our Curators Conversation was about Instagram alternatives. Is there really such a thing? I mentioned Michael Howard’s
app, which is slowly but surely picking up steam. There are others: Glass, VSCO, Bluesky, and Facebook all have fans. I wondered if Threads might be a viable alternative, but based on the response to my post, it doesn’t seem so.
The conclusion I drew from our Curators Conversation was that I doubt there will ever be a single photo community app as powerful as Instagram anytime soon. We all have issues with it, but the pros outweigh the cons. For now — and the foreseeable future — Instagram is still the place to be. I like it, because all of my friends are there. And I hate it for all of the obvious reasons.
What do y’all think: Is Instagram still your go-to for photo community? Or are you thinking about logging off? Please, share your thoughts in the comments. We’re not going to solve this problem today, but talking is fun, and it might feel good to blow off some steam. Let me know what you think when you have a moment.
One more thing…
I thought this was neat. Yesterday, I was notified that
was in the Top 20 Art & Illustration newsletters. Not bad for a one-man show in Madison ;)I don’t paywall anything, so this was a pleasant surprise. It’s great to see so many photographers migrating to
and getting back into blogging. Who knows, maybe a Photoblogging Renaissance is afoot?
Andy—thank you for including my writing in your article this week. At the time, leaving Instagram truly felt like a monumental decision. Fast forward nearly a year, and it was indeed one of the simplest things I've ever done, with the most profound impact on my life and well-being. I've never felt more present, both as an individual and as a photographer. I'd encourage anyone who doesn't rely on the platform for income to take the plunge. I've discovered a handful of genuinely thoughtful and inspiring writers here on Substack where I can focus my attention, and I've traded the time I once spent with thousands of Instagram "friends" for more meaningful moments with the people in my real life who truly matter and actively show up.
IG is required. Though for me at least, rules around usage are also required. Like many artists, I need uninterrupted time to create, think, and be silent. There is no other way to create something meaningful. If social media has unrestricted access to me, I fail. The good news is I can silence my devices and shut them in a drawer anytime I like. I like to think I'm getting better at this;-)