Make Photos That Matter
Lately I've been thinking a lot about my own photography. I don't think I've ever been satisfied with it; which I feel is a good thing. It confirms my hunger and desire to want to get better. In that respect, I hope that I'm never truly satisfied.
One recurring issue that I have been wrestling with lately is making photos that matter. Do not misunderstand what I mean by this. I don't want my photos to change the world, cure illnesses or solve poverty.
I simply want my photos to have a longer lasting impression than the current 24-48 hour half life that it has on Instagram & Social Media.
Think about it.
The 48 hour Instagram Half Life
You post a photo on Instagram, it grabs people's attention whilst they're scrolling through their feeds, they double tap it to convey their approval, and then they move on - a whole process that lasts not longer than 5 seconds.
If you're very lucky, they might stare at it for an extra second or two. 7 seconds.
Eventually your photo stretches as far as it can reach and completes it's rounds in your followers feeds (usually within 48 hours), after which, it's like it never existed.
On to the next one. In an effort to keep pumping out content to gather and maintain likes and follows, you post another photo and the cycle repeats itself.
Lasting Impression
There is nothing wrong with this short-lived process, it's probably what makes Instagram so effective and addictive to use. It keeps the entire experience concise, relevant and most importantly; fresh.
I just feel as though it is important for me to learn how to produce at least some quantity of work that can outlive this life cycle if I am to improve my skills and advance my career as a photographer.
One possible solution I've come up with to try and extend the half-life (and impact) of my photography is to pay more attention to conveying universal emotions. I'm in the process of writing a longer blog post about that so be sure to keep an eye out for that on the blog.
If my thoughts have resonated with you somewhat, you can find me on Instagram @itchban.