How Photographers Can Develop a Healthier Relationship With Instagram: 8 Tips
Reading Time: 5 minutesInstagram’s focus on video content may have demotivated you as a photographer. But there are ways to rebuild a healthy relationship with the app.
If you’re a photographer, you probably saw countless posts and videos about Instagram in 2021 and 2022. Unfortunately, much of this publicity has not been positive.
Many users have lamented the platform’s several changes, especially its shift toward short-form videos. Others argue that using Instagram is negatively impacting them and—as such—have sought to connect with photographers on different social networks.
But while Instagram isn’t perfect, you don’t have to leave it altogether. Creating a healthier relationship with the platform is possible, and this guide will provide tips to help you do that.
1. Keep the App Off Your Phone
How often have you picked up your phone to check something before realizing a few hours later that you’ve wasted a lot of time? If you’re in that camp, you’re not alone. Endless novelty means that many people stay on Instagram longer than they want to.
Even if you had a particular reason to go on Instagram, you might still accidentally scroll for lengthy periods. Keeping the app off your phone is one of the best ways to stop this from happening.
While you may still be prone to scrolling on Instagram’s website, the interface makes it harder to do so than on your smartphone. Even if you only use the website on your computer, you can still view people’s posts and stories—along with uploading content to your timeline.
2. Consider Using Canvases
Many Instagram users post content in a 4:5 format, and this is typically your best option for posting stills. However, this can impact photographers more than they think. You might have caught yourself, for example, constantly tilting your camera vertically to try and get a picture suited for Instagram.
When editing your photos in Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, or Capture One, you may also need to crop parts that you want to include. If you’re fed up with doing this, one solution may be to use canvases for your images.
If you keep the app on your phone, you can use Photoshop Express to create a blank 4:5 template. Once you’ve done this, you can add your images. You can also use tools like Canva and Photoshop if you use a computer instead.
3. Stay Away From the Explore Page
If you’ve ever found yourself down a content rabbit hole on Instagram, the Explore page might have started everything. Here, you’ll find a wide variety of posts from accounts you don’t follow. Much of the content will fit your interests, which can result in you spending more time on the platform and comparing your work to others.
As a photographer, one of the best ways to develop a healthy relationship with Instagram is to stay away from the Explore page. You can go to your Following or Followers lists if you need to search for a user’s profile.
If you don’t follow a user yet, consider typing their name or username into the search bar on your browser. Then, you can click through and follow them on Instagram.
4. Only Use Instagram for a Specific Reason
Many of us have been on Instagram for years, if not over a decade. When you started using the platform, you probably had a specific reason—and over time, it’s easy to lose sight of why you joined. If you use the platform for professional reasons, you may also find it difficult to separate your personal and work life.
If your relationship with Instagram is struggling, it’s worth identifying why you’re using the service. Do you simply want to use it as a portfolio where other clients can see your work, for example? Or are you interested in connecting with your audience and other photographers?
Ideally, you should keep your reasons for using Instagram in a document. You can use tools like Notion to keep track of these and refer to them whenever necessary.
5. Think of Ways You Can Have Fun With New Features
You might have noticed many creators talk about how they’re unhappy with Instagram’s shift away from photos. And while it’s understandable that a lot of photographers feel abandoned, you should also remember that Instagram is ultimately a business.
At this point, it’s clear that short-form video content will stick around for the foreseeable future. And as a photographer, reframing your mind to look at the opportunities available is a wise idea.
You can use Reels in several ways as a photographer. Examples include:
- Showing your home office setup
- Highlighting the before and after of your photo edits
- Giving your audience a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes
6. Don’t Worry About Being Timely When Posting Your Photos
Fewer things are more enjoyable than packing your camera and taking photos while on an adventure. And if you’ve kept your audience up-to-date with your trip via Stories or another feature, you may feel pressured to share your images as soon as possible.
But besides needlessly pressuring yourself, rushing to post your photos can result in sloppy edits. Instead of sharing your pictures immediately, consider taking the time to edit your images further. You can use Lightroom and Photoshop together to achieve higher-quality edits.
You can also add more depth to your captions to create a better story around your photography by waiting longer to post.
7. Focus on Providing Value
If you read a lot of advice on growing an Instagram page, you’ll see several posts and videos about the importance of regularly posting. And while this is true to an extent, it’s important not to fall into the trap of sharing content for the sake of it. Doing so can actually have a detrimental effect on your growth and irritate your existing followers.
Before sharing anything on Instagram, ask yourself if it’ll provide value to your audience. You can share tips on taking better photos and talk about your journey as a photographer, as two examples.
You might need a little trial and error with this tip. Upgrading your page to a business account, and using the statistics available to you here, might help you make better content in the future.
8. Repurpose Content From Elsewhere
Many photographers suffer burnout from using Instagram, and one of the biggest reasons is feeling the need to consistently post content. But instead of making things from scratch, you can streamline your workflow by repurposing things you’ve shared elsewhere.
Let’s say that you have a photography YouTube channel, for example. You can post snippets of your long-form videos as Reels and hint at what users can expect from your next post. And if you’ve produced work for clients, you can share it with your audience (as long as you have your client’s permission).
Instagram Doesn’t Have to Be Toxic for Photographers
While many photographers have become increasingly irritated with Instagram, you don’t need to let it have a negative impact on your life. You can implement multiple strategies to develop a better relationship with the platform.
If you use Instagram more mindfully, you might find that you can connect with your audience more easily. On top of that, you may have more fun growing your page and sharing your work with the world.
Reference: https://www.makeuseof.com/photographers-healthy-relationship-with-instagram-tips/
Ref: makeuseof
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