11:eleven Photography

Okay, I have to honest for a minute. I really try to keep all of this in mind, but every once in a while I fall for the ol’ social media BS.

First off, I try to not make a habit out of judging the work of others. It is their art. Their vision. And I respect that. I know that there is not “a way” photos have to look to be considered good. And you never know what people will like.

But…

I came across a photo in my feed this morning that had hundreds of likes, a bunch of comments, and dozens of shares. And that is great for the photographer, I am always happy to see others succeeding. But in my opinion the photo was just not that spectacular. Now keep in mind that my assessment of this particular photo was based solely on the image itself, looking at lighting, composition, etc. and although I am not a stickler for the “rules” of photography, I had a hard time justifying the response to this image.

It was a moment I wasn’t entirely proud of. I reached out to a trusted voice of reason with my grievance and was met with a reminder that that’s not what photography is about. And he’s right. He had me go to a few photographers pages who are out there doing some truly amazing work and see how their posts are being received. There are some absolutely gifted photographers out there that are not killing this social media thing. And they don’t care. And I shouldn’t either. And neither should you.

Algorithms, paid promotions, paid followers, are all ways to boost your following, your reach, likes, comments, and shares. But is that what it’s about? Or is it about sharing your art with the people who truly appreciate it? Social Media has become a staple for the population, and can be a great vehicle for advertising and networking, but please keep in mind that social media likes and shares are not the measure of your success, or the beauty of your work. The right people will find you, or you will find the right people.

And that’s my rant for today, long story short, sometimes we all need a little reality check or a reminder that the social media side of all this is not the most important thing here. I’m creating art. I love what I do. And if somehow a few people get to see it and appreciate it, that’s cool too.

Here’s a pic that is unrelated, but since this is about photography I at least owe you one for reading this rant. 🙂