The Algorithm Beast
I nearly deleted my instagram account last night. The old ‘blogger/internet oversharer’ in me started creeping back out and I found myself changing what I post to suit what the algorithm beast liked best. In a perfect world I’d have my journal and my website and nothing else, but instagram seems like a necessary evil for people to actually see what’s happening on my website.
I’ve been thinking about it, and I think the trick is to use social media just to share what you’re photographing, and not change what you’re photographing to suit instagram. Don’t chase the likes and the followers, it doesn’t actually mean anything. I have a few thousand followers who I’m pretty convinced still think I’m the same emo girl from tumblr in 2009 who must be really confused about all the photos of trees and knackered buildings I post.
I always say the key to life is balance. A good work/life balance, and these days a good social media/real life balance. By all means, log on, post a photo, interact, share a story or two, but don’t let it dictate your life. I’m annoyed at myself for pulling out my phone too often recently and I’m annoyed that I started to doubt myself as a photographer because certain photos weren’t getting as much attention as others.
I keep hearing rumours that instagram will be removing the ability to see the amount of likes a photo has received and I am all for it. I’m tired of it all feeling like a competition and I’m annoyed at myself for even feeling like it’s an issue. The silver lining of this is that I’m pleasantly surprised that I feel much better after having a good rant and writing this post. A few years ago at the height of my ‘lifestyle and fashion blog’ I would write a post just to be all ‘look at me and my nice outfit’ and now I feel like writing a post is more of a therapeutic exercise which generally feels much healthier.
At the end of the day, I just want to live my life, hang out with my husband and dog, travel in the van and take photos of the things we see on our trips. I’ll write about it and share a corresponding photo on instagram and that’ll be that. Phone in pocket, shoot film, upload later when you’re bored in the house. I’ve had a long, bumpy relationship with the internet throughout my life but I’m hoping I’ve cracked the balance now.