Depending on my geographical location, my relationship with Instagram can have varying levels of positive or negative influence on me. Currently, it is primarily negative. I love sharing my work, and in some small way, I believe people enjoy it.
The issue with Instagram is that sharing on this platform easily crosses the threshold from healthy to unhealthy. I find myself losing a certain sense of identity and not communicating in a way that is authentic to who I am—instead, falling prey to this dopamine-inducing hampster wheel.
My photography is a personal expression that, when shared with others, is an act of vulnerability. An action, however, that, when delivered authentically, is most empowering to me. However, the opposite of this is true when that delivery is founded upon a simmering need to be seen or heard, a perhaps all too common human experience.
Lisbon sunsets.
One of the complications lies in the fact that Instagram, on the whole, has brought me so many positive experiences over the years, genuinely tangible and identifiable moments. The intangible and slightly hidden effects have the most impact on me. I need to pick up my phone and subconsciously look to see who has seen (approval) my work or, better yet, have taken the time to comment (affirmation) on an image. It is all too easy to think how ridiculous this is, “It’s only a little app”, but we can all agree that that train left the station long ago. These apps and devices are now intrinsically linked to our lives and the experience of those lives. As a photographer, Instagram is my drug of choice; however, I am sure the same issues lie with many other social media platforms.
We live in this instant gratification world, and the number of people with the awareness and self-discipline to sit for longer than 15 seconds to read a caption is declining rapidly. I am certainly not innocent of this habit. As such, I would like to hitch my wagon to the ever-decreasing number of people operating more intentionally. In our rapid world, the ability to sit back and consciously articulate our thoughts and actions is becoming a superpower.
Enjoying the moment. A street vendor selling small antiques sits, enthralled by his book as the world passes him by. El Born, Barcelona.
So in an attempt to work towards a healthier balance, I am choosing to try something new or, actually, to get back to something I have tried. That is to share my work in a slower and more measured way. To deliver my work in a way that is truly authentic to me. This includes combining images and words and short photo essays describing the emotional intent behind my image-making. A process that will almost certainly decrease my ‘audience’ immediately for several apparent reasons. The main ones being time and effort. Refer to the paragraph above.
Does this mean the end of Instagram for me? Certainly not; it is just another attempt for me to introduce, through consistent practice, balance into my life.
If you have read this far, congratulations; you might be among the few awareness superheroes walking amongst us.
Stay tuned for more.