Photographers and Social Media

While shooting cityscapes using a tripod in and out of Singapore, I’ve been approached by someone asking for my Instagram account on five or six occasions in recent years. My answer is always, “Sorry, I don’t do Instagram.”

This shows how big Instagram is nowadays, as it’s assumed that photography enthusiasts have an Instagram account. 10 to 15 years ago, the question would’ve been, “Do you have a photography website?” but times have changed, and social media has become the go-to platform for showcasing photography today.

The Popularity Contest of Social Media

To be honest, I’m not a big fan of social media. Social media was created to connect people, but over time, it has shifted toward self-promotion and validation. What once fostered relationships now fuels attention-seeking (look-at-me culture ) and ego-boosting, often at the expense of genuine connection.

Social media today feels like a competition over followers and “Likes,” and it’s hard not to be affected by the feeling of being insignificant as a small account (like me ).

To me, getting noticed isn’t the main purpose of being on social media, but coming from a nobody like me, that might just sound like sour grapes. Much like Squidward, I act like I’m above the popularity contest, but deep down, I can’t help but feel a little bitter.

The older you get, the more relatable Squidward becomes.

Staying True to My Photography

Since 2014, my main social media platform has been Tumblr , which is somewhat forgotten by many. These days, it’s low-key compared to its peak, but it still has a tight-knit community of genuine users, unlike certain other platforms dominated by self-promotion and attention-seeking.

At the end of the day, I’d rather post my work where it’s appreciated for what it is, not for how many “Likes” it gets. Social media has changed, but my approach to photography hasn’t — I shoot because I love it, not for validation. Whether my work reaches a wide audience or just a few like-minded people, what matters most is that it remains true to me.

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About the Author: LASTLIGHTS.NET is a passion project of Joey J, a Singapore-based Japanese photographer primarily shooting cityscape photography with long exposure at blue hour. Visit his Photo Gallery (40 most favourite photos taken) or download his free eBook, Getting Started with Long Exposure Photography .