It's just all a number's game.

[nerwin]

The first few replies I gave the agree code to, because I agree with almost everything that was said. I think #OptimizeAsianIsReallyTheKeyToInstagramLikes.HilariousTypoThereTextToSpeechInANoisyEnvironment . I'm going to leave those hilarious typos there. Again hashtags are very important. I don't use my Instagram much. But I tried #IngWithPopularTagsAndGot6To10TimesAsManyLikesAsWithNoTags

This, definitely.

If you really want to up the number of likes based on hashtags, pick hashtags that don't have as many photos attached to them. For example (I'm making up numbers here), say #love has 43 million photos and #loveall has 4,000 photos. Your photo is likely to get noticed more in #loveall than #love.

And then realize that you just spent 30 minutes trying to pick out the best hashtags that upped your like count by 10%. And that half of them are just bots that automatically liked your photo based on what your hashtags were. Oh, that new follower? You posted french fries? Now you have 5 new followers that are "health" or "food" related accounts that automatically followed you based on your hashtags to get you to follow back. They'll automatically unfollow you within a day.

And then finally realize that in the end, you're not any richer.

Even the time of day matters on IG. If you post a photo of your lunch at 12 PM EST, you're going to get people on the east coast eating lunch, browsing IG, liking your photo. If you post a photo of your lunch at 3 PM EST, you'll probably get people from the west coast liking your photo. Think of the commute home, as well. If you want likes, people on the commute home, people on the train home in NYC/other large cities between 4 and 6, generally. If you post at 7, you probably missed the rush of people that have their face in their phone, because now they're eating and taking pictures of their dinner plate.

And, someone mentioned the algorithm? Yeah, good luck getting to the top of your followers' feeds if you don't post regularly and they don't like your posts.

It's a rat race that is extremely difficult to get ahead in.

I use Google Keep and I have keep "my" tags I use often for photos depending on the subject and I just just copy and paste. Maybe I need to make one for cars, food, etc instead of a general one. Even so, is it worth the effort?

 

[nerwin]

Stop it. I'm getting hungry.

that's why food gets so many likes.
you can't eat a car.
... easily.

That isn't true for Michel Lotito.

 

[BrentC]

The first few replies I gave the agree code to, because I agree with almost everything that was said. I think #OptimizeAsianIsReallyTheKeyToInstagramLikes.HilariousTypoThereTextToSpeechInANoisyEnvironment . I'm going to leave those hilarious typos there. Again hashtags are very important. I don't use my Instagram much. But I tried #IngWithPopularTagsAndGot6To10TimesAsManyLikesAsWithNoTags

This, definitely.

If you really want to up the number of likes based on hashtags, pick hashtags that don't have as many photos attached to them. For example (I'm making up numbers here), say #love has 43 million photos and #loveall has 4,000 photos. Your photo is likely to get noticed more in #loveall than #love.

And then realize that you just spent 30 minutes trying to pick out the best hashtags that upped your like count by 10%. And that half of them are just bots that automatically liked your photo based on what your hashtags were. Oh, that new follower? You posted french fries? Now you have 5 new followers that are "health" or "food" related accounts that automatically followed you based on your hashtags to get you to follow back. They'll automatically unfollow you within a day.

And then finally realize that in the end, you're not any richer.

Even the time of day matters on IG. If you post a photo of your lunch at 12 PM EST, you're going to get people on the east coast eating lunch, browsing IG, liking your photo. If you post a photo of your lunch at 3 PM EST, you'll probably get people from the west coast liking your photo. Think of the commute home, as well. If you want likes, people on the commute home, people on the train home in NYC/other large cities between 4 and 6, generally. If you post at 7, you probably missed the rush of people that have their face in their phone, because now they're eating and taking pictures of their dinner plate.

And, someone mentioned the algorithm? Yeah, good luck getting to the top of your followers' feeds if you don't post regularly and they don't like your posts.

It's a rat race that is extremely difficult to get ahead in.

I use Google Keep and I have keep "my" tags I use often for photos depending on the subject and I just just copy and paste. Maybe I need to make one for cars, food, etc instead of a general one. Even so, is it worth the effort?

Well according to your first post its probably not worth the effort if all it does is give you stress.
But seriously watch that Black Mirror episode I mentioned earlier. It shows a future where social media, being liked and disliked, determines your social ranking and privilege.

 

[nerwin]

The first few replies I gave the agree code to, because I agree with almost everything that was said. I think #OptimizeAsianIsReallyTheKeyToInstagramLikes.HilariousTypoThereTextToSpeechInANoisyEnvironment . I'm going to leave those hilarious typos there. Again hashtags are very important. I don't use my Instagram much. But I tried #IngWithPopularTagsAndGot6To10TimesAsManyLikesAsWithNoTags

This, definitely.

If you really want to up the number of likes based on hashtags, pick hashtags that don't have as many photos attached to them. For example (I'm making up numbers here), say #love has 43 million photos and #loveall has 4,000 photos. Your photo is likely to get noticed more in #loveall than #love.

And then realize that you just spent 30 minutes trying to pick out the best hashtags that upped your like count by 10%. And that half of them are just bots that automatically liked your photo based on what your hashtags were. Oh, that new follower? You posted french fries? Now you have 5 new followers that are "health" or "food" related accounts that automatically followed you based on your hashtags to get you to follow back. They'll automatically unfollow you within a day.

And then finally realize that in the end, you're not any richer.

Even the time of day matters on IG. If you post a photo of your lunch at 12 PM EST, you're going to get people on the east coast eating lunch, browsing IG, liking your photo. If you post a photo of your lunch at 3 PM EST, you'll probably get people from the west coast liking your photo. Think of the commute home, as well. If you want likes, people on the commute home, people on the train home in NYC/other large cities between 4 and 6, generally. If you post at 7, you probably missed the rush of people that have their face in their phone, because now they're eating and taking pictures of their dinner plate.

And, someone mentioned the algorithm? Yeah, good luck getting to the top of your followers' feeds if you don't post regularly and they don't like your posts.

It's a rat race that is extremely difficult to get ahead in.

I use Google Keep and I have keep "my" tags I use often for photos depending on the subject and I just just copy and paste. Maybe I need to make one for cars, food, etc instead of a general one. Even so, is it worth the effort?

Well according to your first post its probably not worth the effort if all it does is give you stress.
But seriously watch that Black Mirror episode I mentioned earlier. It shows a future where social media, being liked and disliked, determines your social ranking and privilege.

Isn't that the way it already is today?

 

[waday]

The first few replies I gave the agree code to, because I agree with almost everything that was said. I think #OptimizeAsianIsReallyTheKeyToInstagramLikes.HilariousTypoThereTextToSpeechInANoisyEnvironment . I'm going to leave those hilarious typos there. Again hashtags are very important. I don't use my Instagram much. But I tried #IngWithPopularTagsAndGot6To10TimesAsManyLikesAsWithNoTags

This, definitely.

If you really want to up the number of likes based on hashtags, pick hashtags that don't have as many photos attached to them. For example (I'm making up numbers here), say #love has 43 million photos and #loveall has 4,000 photos. Your photo is likely to get noticed more in #loveall than #love.

And then realize that you just spent 30 minutes trying to pick out the best hashtags that upped your like count by 10%. And that half of them are just bots that automatically liked your photo based on what your hashtags were. Oh, that new follower? You posted french fries? Now you have 5 new followers that are "health" or "food" related accounts that automatically followed you based on your hashtags to get you to follow back. They'll automatically unfollow you within a day.

And then finally realize that in the end, you're not any richer.

Even the time of day matters on IG. If you post a photo of your lunch at 12 PM EST, you're going to get people on the east coast eating lunch, browsing IG, liking your photo. If you post a photo of your lunch at 3 PM EST, you'll probably get people from the west coast liking your photo. Think of the commute home, as well. If you want likes, people on the commute home, people on the train home in NYC/other large cities between 4 and 6, generally. If you post at 7, you probably missed the rush of people that have their face in their phone, because now they're eating and taking pictures of their dinner plate.

And, someone mentioned the algorithm? Yeah, good luck getting to the top of your followers' feeds if you don't post regularly and they don't like your posts.

It's a rat race that is extremely difficult to get ahead in.

I use Google Keep and I have keep "my" tags I use often for photos depending on the subject and I just just copy and paste. Maybe I need to make one for cars, food, etc instead of a general one. Even so, is it worth the effort?

Well according to your first post its probably not worth the effort if all it does is give you stress.
But seriously watch that Black Mirror episode I mentioned earlier. It shows a future where social media, being liked and disliked, determines your social ranking and privilege.

Isn't that the way it already is today?

No, that would be money (and skin color).

 

[SquarePeg]

because now they're eating and taking pictures of their dinner plate.

made me lol

Isn't that the way it already is today?

we're heading in that direction

 

[DanOstergren]

If you truly feel like your photos suck, have you considered getting education on how to make photos that don't suck? I'm not talking about school, I'm talking about things like Creative Live, or instructional DVD's created by photographers who do amazing work. We all suck at some point, but if you want to get better you need to work hard to do it.

Also, just throwing this out there, but these self portraits you did are great. My first self portrait session
Can you stop beating yourself up for just one second to see that your photos don't suck, because I think it's the most ridiculous thing when I see you making comments and entire threads alluding to you believing you have no talent when you clearly do.

 

[WhaleDaughter]

But isn't it wrong to emulate another photographer?

Do you adhere to the so-called "Rule of Thirds" from time to time? Then you are already emulating somebody. Do you read and learn from what you read and use the advice? Then you are already emulating somebody. Do you listen to advice given here and then try it yourself? Then you are already emulating somebody.

Everybody emulates others in one way or another. But we temper that emulation with our own style and what we have learned from others, and the combination becomes uniquely ours own.

Good point, I didn't think about it in that way.

Now, do you think photography is considered an art form? I was reading a comment today about how photography isn't a true art form as you are only taking pictures of real life that's already there, you didn't create anything like a painting or something. Basically plagiarism. Is that what a lot of people think photographers are?

People try to use that same crap argument for a multitude of things they don't consider to be in their narrow anal passage definition of art. I get that crap for photography and for the various fiber arts I engage in, especially knitting. They'll say it's not art because I'm not inventing anything new. My response is "oh, so you invented painting?" If I start with a sheep and end up with a beautiful lace shawl through the application of considerable skill and talent, that's art. If I'm moved by a scene and apply skill and talent to capture it in a way that conveys my emotional reaction, it's art whether I paint it or photograph it.

I just remember that during his lifetime, Van Gogh's work wasn't considered art. Look what happened to that idea.


"Rule 408: Time is not the boss of you"

 

[bribrius]

hmm. i barely go online anymore. i avoid most social media. i avoid in most instances gaining popularity in anything photograph related. i have done unpaid mostly and a very little paid work. i dont like people demanding things or expecting things of me. i do seem fairly established in my local community but more people know me than i know them. i barely watch any tv, like in months. i hardly ever follow the news. If i care what someone thinks i will ask, most people dont normally just talk to me. How is my photography? no idea. Dont usually worry about it. others know much much more than i do. Still looking for that photo i take that fills that void. I dropped out of the art clubs. Dont care... i just shoot photos. i dont want more infuences.

 

[jcdeboever]

I keep it simple. I am not very good at photography. I am working to improve. I am working towards a style. If I have any questions, I can call a professional, I have one phone number.

I am not on Facebook, twitter, Instagram. Just here and flickr. I use Flickr as a means to share family photo's with a link to an album.

When I get the blues, I go out and help someone. When I get stressed, I read a book.

 

[waday]

@bribrius , good to see you again!

 

[bribrius]

@bribrius , good to see you again!

Thanks! Looks like i am shooting volunteer for nonprofits again now. Still like doing my "own thing" mostly.

 

[nerwin]

I keep it simple. I am not very good at photography. I am working to improve. I am working towards a style. If I have any questions, I can call a professional, I have one phone number.

I am not on Facebook, twitter, Instagram. Just here and flickr. I use Flickr as a means to share family photo's with a link to an album.

When I get the blues, I go out and help someone. When I get stressed, I read a book.

I guess some people find their style right off the bat and others take time and I'm probably in that boat. I don't know what my style is yet, maybe someday I'll find it and I guess that's okay. It's probably why I'm constantly change lenses and setups because I'm trying to find that happy medium.

 

[dennybeall]

What's "Instagram" and what in ---- is a "LIKE"?
And why would I care?

 

[astroNikon]

What's "Instagram" and what in ---- is a "LIKE"?
And why would I care?

the same as this ...

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