How do I stop caring what others think and take pictures for me?

Everybody should watch the Black Mirror episode 'Nosedive'. We are about three quarters there and its scary.
Thankfully I never embraced social media, which is a little surprising since I'm in the tech field. Forums are the closest I get and only join those associated with one of my many hobbies. I use them to learn from my peers and discuss hobby specific topics. I do use Flickr but more for 'access anywhere' to my photos and to post on the forums. I admit it is nice when I get a new follower or someone 'likes' one of my photos but don't try to make it my purpose in life.
If I were to base how good my photography was based on likes or followers I would have given up photography a long time ago.
I personally, especially on forums, prefer to get criticism than someone just liking a photo. Criticism and proper comments on photos helps you become a better photographer than just someone blindly hitting the like button. I admit doing that myself a lot but I don't feel I'm at a level where I can give good criticism. Hopefully at some point I will and be able to give back more than I take.
My advice, stay far away from IG and the like, continue to use forums like TPF where you can hone your craft by sharing with other photographers. You are good enough, I have seen your work for the last couple years, that you can help out a lot of new photographers. Share your knowledge and extend your own. IG and Social Media will not do that for you.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with Instagram. I post random crap and don’t bother to hashtag. If I get more than 5 likes I consider it cool. If I get zero likes I’m like whatevs. Sam Chua (@chuasam) • Instagram photos and videos
 
Brent, I loved that episode of black mirror, so close to being reality that it is scary. To keep things simple, use the Internet for Inspiration not Validation.
 
Brent, I loved that episode of black mirror, so close to being reality that it is scary. To keep things simple, use the Internet for Inspiration not Validation.

Liar! You use the Internet to search for pictures of legs.
 
Hey that's the other Jeff who has the leg fetish!
 
nerwin - I haven’t read al of the replies here so forgive me if this has already been said. Instagram/Flickr etc popularity are not based on quality of photos. They are systems that can be gamed/worked to get followers and likes. Pay no attention and just do what you like. Unless you’re innitnto get paid or become an “artist” who sells, who cares?
 
Take photos that no one likes and you will be cured. It works for me!
 
The second paragraph pretty much sums it up I think. With social media the feedback especially from strangers doesn't seem exactly legit; it can be people just being nice, liking anything/everything that crosses their paths, or those people being sh#^%y just because they can (stay anonymous and hide, and most likely have their own issues). And who knows what else, and that's the kind of thing that I think can make it unsatisfying.

You'd probably be better off sharing photos with people you know (like on here). You'd probably get real feedback from people you know. I think the best feedback I've gotten along the way was from people who had expertise and willing to share that. I've appreciated getting feedback from people whose opinions I value.

I was thinking about what John said (and he had a point that if this continues to be a struggle you may need to consider). With my background being in early childhood development I'm not up on the latest in other areas, but I do see other things like an article that talked about social media, and how it may not be addictive in the same way as substance use but it seems to have a certain amount of dependency for some people. I think you may be better off to find other ways to occupy your time, and if you get into other things that keep you busy you might find eventually you don't have so much time for social media anymore.

You seem to have ability with photography and would be able to develop other interests as well. If you were younger, I'd tell you to go outside and play! They used to do that with us kids with TV, then video games, now I suppose it's with texting and social media...
 
I've said it before but as it has become sort of a mantra for me I'll repeat it here. A fried of mine, sculptor, was studying with an artist whose work he greatly admired. He went with him to a show, and none of his teachers work sold, but a lot of what my friend thought was inferior did. He expressed his exasperation to this teacher, who replied, " Jerry, that's why they make vanilla, chocolate and strawberry."
 
Many, many years ago, when I got my Kodak 620 camera, I took a bunch of pictures. after they were developed by the local drugstore, I showed the to my Grandma. Most of them weren't very good (poor composition, out of focus, etc.) but she loved every one.

I asked her why she liked them and she said: "It's not the picture, dearie, it's who took it." That has always been my caveat on feedback from anyone but a recognized expert.
 
I really want to get this off my chest and ask for advice.

Social media has really stressed out lately, more than probably ever at this point. I've become so addicted to getting those likes as validation on my photos that when I don't get any or not very much, I automatically feel that the photo has no value, it must suck and so I usually end up deleting it and sometimes permanently off my hard drive.

I know I shouldn't care about those likes and just take pictures for myself and not care what others think. That's how I felt when I first got into photography but social media has poisoned this for me. It's all I think about now everytime I go out and shoot, "will people like this photo?" and when they don't....man I feel bummed out. Almost like giving up.

I've deleted Instagram because of this problem and I felt better for a while. I never cared how much of attention I got on Flickr before Instagram and now it ruined Flickr for me as well. I almost feel like giving that up as well.

It's not Instagram's fault or Flickr's fault. It's my own damn fault.

Giving up on these isn't going to solve the problem.

I'm really lost on what I should do so I'm asking for advice. I want to stop caring about getting likes and stop caring whether or not someone will like this photo and just take pictures for me. What would be a good step in the right direction?

I'm sure there are others here that have had similar feelings and hopefully understand how I feel and if you did, how did you overcome it?

I often get asked the question "What does photography mean to me?" To be honest, I don't have an answer anymore. I've seem to have forgotten.

Thanks for listening and any advice will be appreciated.
I suggest you get off all the social medias, start shooting for yourself and never show your pics to anyone. Don’t let anyone know you even own a camera and you will truly be shooting for yourself!!!
But I’ll bet THAT’S not what you’re after either!?
SS
 
I really want to get this off my chest and ask for advice.
I looked at your Flickr page. You have a good eye, skill with the camera, and creativity. Focus on those things and you should feel better.

Then I looked at your website. I think you already have the cure at hand. Why do you take the photos? To hoard, to print, to post for others to enjoy, or to post for others to "like" or ignore or dislike? You website fulfills the third objective. Just quit posting to Flickr if it is causing you problems. And if you like seeing your photos online, post them on your own site. You won't get many viewers unless you market the heck out of it, but that would defeat the purpose. See how you feel after a year or two and use your new perspective to decide if you want to get back into social media.

Then use the time you'd otherwise spend tracking likes to learn to print and frame your best photos. Show them to family and friends and if someone likes it, give it to them. Those are the people who should really matter, they are the ones who will hold on to your photo for years and put it on the wall for their friends and family to see. I know it's old fashioned - as am I - but we have spent a million years evolving the circuits in our brain to care what those closest to us think and only a decade or two trying to figure out how to relate to the other 8 billion people.

My best friend has two of my photos on his wall. One I had forgotten about until I saw it there, and I really like it. The other is one of my best (and the only one I ever made much money on). I was glad he got one before I lost the negative to it. It gave me a good feeling to see them again.
 
Not work safe






you Have the choice. Take photos that please you I do and my local critics call my pics marmite photography (love hate)
If it’s your job, why are you doing it
I no longer post on social media because I found my pics turning up elsewhere and it Pd me off
So l left Try approaching your local shop cafe and see if they will display for you, it will give you an outlet without the constant on line comments
I agree with above post, I don’t sale my work but if a friend really likes a piece, sometimes just maybe I will give then that image.
As you can see photography is for me and if others don’t like what I do so be it. Not something to loose sleep over but hay I am a fossil who does not give a......
 
It's not Instagram's fault or Flickr's fault. It's my own damn fault.

Giving up on these isn't going to solve the problem.

You are correct that the underlying problem, a dependency on others for validation, isn't going to be fixed by stopping your use of social media. But it'll help. It's like addiction - alcoholism is not the liquor's fault, but not buying liquor helps. But cutting your dependency on social media networks you will have taken a first step to change behavior, which may evolve into changing feelings.

I'm really lost on what I should do so I'm asking for advice. I want to stop caring about getting likes and stop caring whether or not someone will like this photo and just take pictures for me. What would be a good step in the right direction?

A good first step is doing some introspection about your motivations. Are you equally needy of validation in other areas of your life? Do you feel you need approval to accept yourself? These are tendencies that you may or may not have surfaced to a clear level of consciousness and awareness. Second, stop feeding the need/dependency/addiction by discontinuing your use of social media - or at least stop posting pictures. Third, perhaps choose a project for yourself - instead of posting for others, select something you care about and develop a body of work, like 20 good images over a period of time, curate them, edit them, print them. Bring your photography above the level of sharing on social networks. Let the work be its own reward.

I often get asked the question "What does photography mean to me?" To be honest, I don't have an answer anymore. I've seem to have forgotten.

You need to to go to this question and work on it.
 
Hey all, nerwin stopped posting like a year ago. Not that he can’t start back up... Just an FYI...
 

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