I’ve been on Instagram for almost one year now, but it’s time to move on. Not that I’m leaving Instagram; maybe more re-thinking what it will be for. So this first ‘scene setting’ blog is not about bashing Instagram or people using it. For me, I love the tribes that the hashtags facilitate - the film users, the night-photographers, portraits, landscapes, the Canon owners etc. I love that these tribes are open to visit and make contributions towards. And of course, many photos inspire, prompt, and offer suggestions, and to a limited extent the site allows photographers to commune and get feedback in comments.
However, I am finding it doesn’t talk to me, nor for me, in some important ways. First, since the start of the year I have felt increasingly cold towards, disquieted (even) by, the structure of social media - the metrics of approval pushed and facilitated by, for example, Twitter and Instagram, with their running tally of ‘likes’ and ‘followers’. I do believe that we all have the right to deal with others without being dependent upon them for approval. Whilst some of that lies with us, putting some distance from the standard format of public interaction through this site enhances my right. No option to judge, no ‘likes’ or comments on the photos here; just the photos exhibited because of their own intrinsic value and because they are special to me. Why are they special to me - see the About section.
Second, I feel a need to talk about photography at the moment; Instagram won’t let me do that, but this blog feature will. I want to talk about some of my photos (including one’s that don’t make the cut here) and locations. I want to think out loud in words about the process/my process; and about creativity, and the photographers I admire, like Laura Wilson, Steve McCurry, and Thomas Heaton. If I talk about gear, it won’t be reviews, but how those cameras fit into my story.
It’s like singing that favourite song out loud when hiking somewhere remote and wild without there necessarily being, or needing for there to be, a soul about to hear. And that’s good enough reason for me.