Several authors and creatives I follow recently announced, with fanfare, that they are leaving Instagram… only to confess in the next breath that they are, actually, just giving the keys to a member of a team who will still continue posting important updates on their behalf.
Interesting to hear your take on this. All very wise. I grapple with this too and would like to reassess. I like your intention to be less precious with it, and to allow space to be a real person, and you.
All good thoughts and comments, Antonina. I love and hate IG. Love because it gives me access to many different artists and photographers, and provides a good well-used method of direct messaging with friends and contacts, but hate because it is awkward, tricksy (refreshing my feed in seconds which is both annoying and destabilising), hard to navigate (where can you find your past Stories?), and there is simply too much stuff. I don't hold out any hope for leads and genuinely useful new contacts. SO... a conundrum. But I am with you.
I agree. I love it for the ease of finding people and information and getting inspired - and hate for all the reasons you listed (refreshing feed is driving me crazy!) and more!
I am with you! I feel exactly the same. As a branding photographer and community space builder I do get a lot of business via instagram so turning my back on that would be crazy. I’m also told a lot by people booking shoots that they’ve been following me and my work for months, sometimes years before they choose to book and this is the crux for me because at the heart of that is them building a picture of who I am and what it’s like to work with me. A highly curated page doesn’t do that for me, as I’m not a highly curated person 😂 I am turning more and more to Substack as a place to share more words without a word count and to reach new audiences. For now insta will remain part of my strategy as I also enjoy it... most of the time.
Absolutely relate to not being a highly curated person and yes, I do want people to know how I am. Saves on a lot of awkward conversations further down the line too! :)
Interesting to hear your take on this. All very wise. I grapple with this too and would like to reassess. I like your intention to be less precious with it, and to allow space to be a real person, and you.
Looking forward to seeing how you realign it for yourself going forward.
All good thoughts and comments, Antonina. I love and hate IG. Love because it gives me access to many different artists and photographers, and provides a good well-used method of direct messaging with friends and contacts, but hate because it is awkward, tricksy (refreshing my feed in seconds which is both annoying and destabilising), hard to navigate (where can you find your past Stories?), and there is simply too much stuff. I don't hold out any hope for leads and genuinely useful new contacts. SO... a conundrum. But I am with you.
I agree. I love it for the ease of finding people and information and getting inspired - and hate for all the reasons you listed (refreshing feed is driving me crazy!) and more!
I am with you! I feel exactly the same. As a branding photographer and community space builder I do get a lot of business via instagram so turning my back on that would be crazy. I’m also told a lot by people booking shoots that they’ve been following me and my work for months, sometimes years before they choose to book and this is the crux for me because at the heart of that is them building a picture of who I am and what it’s like to work with me. A highly curated page doesn’t do that for me, as I’m not a highly curated person 😂 I am turning more and more to Substack as a place to share more words without a word count and to reach new audiences. For now insta will remain part of my strategy as I also enjoy it... most of the time.
Absolutely relate to not being a highly curated person and yes, I do want people to know how I am. Saves on a lot of awkward conversations further down the line too! :)
Most definitely!