My Thoughts on Instagram as a Photographer.

So, this is actually the second time I am writing this blog entry. I wrote an entire entry on the same topic about 6 weeks ago. I then restarted my computer and completely forgot to save the word document, losing all 1050 words. I didn’t write anything for the next 6 weeks. And now I am back and if you are reading this then I obviously got around to publishing it.

I wanted to write an entry about Instagram. The reason for that is that I have a very up and down relationship with Instagram and I am hoping that this entry will explain why I sometimes don’t’ show up on Instagram or why I can be vague and more private then maybe your average photography marketing expert. So let’s get into it shall we?

Recognizing the Positives of Instagram as a Business Owner

I figured I should start off on a positive note which is that Instagram is honestly extremely helpful and effective when it comes to getting your name out there and connecting with clients. With time you will get your work to the right people and, if you are putting quality work out and networking with the right people, you will grow your community. You will be exposed to thousands of other people who have the potential to inspire you and opportunities may arise that you would have never dreamed of. It is not all bad. If you can learn to harness the potential and ignore the noise, you can make it a tool that helps you get to where you dream of being. The positives on Instagram are simple, the negatives however, can feel very complex and interconnected with the positives so let’s just dive right into that.

Discovering the concept of a Personal Brand

Before I started by professional photography business, I didn’t realize how interconnected you and your work become. I didn’t realize that my character would have such a big role in everything. I figured I would start an Instagram account, post my work and the people who loved my work would book me, period. However, once I started to follow other big photographers and photography business educators I realized that it is much more complex than that. People have to like YOU and your work. They are investing in an experience WITH you and that experience will result in a product that you deliver. But YOU, the photographer, have everything to do with how the photos turn out. Your character, your presence, your artistic vision, your communication style and WHO YOU ARE as a person is so important.

Feeling the Expectations.

Shortly after starting my Instagram I was deep diving into educational podcasts and consuming a lot of educational business content. And everyone says “build a personal brand” “show up on your Instagram stories” “talk to people on your stories” “create reels” etc. And so there the pressure began. I started to feel like, even though I was proud of the work I was putting out, it wasn’t enough. I felt like I wasn’t sharing enough about my personal life, about the ins and outs of my day, about what I had for breakfast (lol) and I just wasn’t creating the “personal brand” like they were telling me too. And so as I was going about my life, I constantly felt a pressure to be sharing things I didn’t feel like sharing. To be putting things on my story that didn’t feel true to me.

Recognizing my limits.

Everyone has limits. Some people don’t like socializing, some don’t like doing things alone, some don’t like talking, and some do. There are things that feed our soul and things that drain us and those things are different for everyone and that is okay. I realized that there are certain things that come with running a business that I am not willing to compromise on. Not out of fear but out of the desire to still live my life as I did before. Privately, truthfully and in the moment. I don’t want to share everything I do. I don’t want to constantly feel pressure to do so either. I don’t want to share every little thought I have on an Instagram story. I don’t want everyone to know everything. Not because I have things to hide or don’t feel confident in who I am, I just don’t want to feel tied down while pursuing a career that is supposed to do the opposite. And I don’t want anyone to make false assumptions about my life and become one extra person for you to compare yourself too. Lastly, I don’t want to feel like Instagram is the backbone of my business. There is freedom in knowing that if it disappeared tomorrow, I won’t feel at a loss.

During an Instagram break at the end of 2024 I realized that I am happier, more at peace, more inspired and more content when I am not on the app. I had Instagram for 3 months in high school before I deleted it because I didn’t like how much I found myself on it! I don’t feel like I have that option as a business owner trying to grow and expand her audience. It’s a jump between the positives and the negatives.

Realizing that maybe THIS is my personal Brand

I then ran into the dilemma of how to create a personal brand if I don’t want to share my entire life. How to give people the chance to get to know me. The answer? A blog! Ta dah;) Long format writing suits me much more than short blips on a story. It is thought out, intentional and the sky is the limit. This is where I want to take my business in the future. I want to create a community of people who are intentional, who see value in sitting down and reading through something longer than a caption.

Where to next?

I hope to take the energy I have put into social media and transfer it to writing blogs and growing an email list. If you are on the email list you will be the first to know about any major shifts or news in the business. My dream is to host content and community building events for other photographers. I would love to dive into mentorships and sharing my knowledge with others. And of course to continue perfecting my craft, learning and documenting love stories. Will I keep Instagram forever? I honestly don’t know that I will.

If you stuck around long enough to read this, thank-you for being here. I know that I can’t be the only one who struggles being on social media as a business owner. It is a content overload and having it play such a big role in your career can feel very heavy. Reach out or leave a comment if you feel the same! Sometimes is nice to just chat with someone who gets it! And of course hop on that email list my friend, so you can be all in on the tea!