Just echoing what Om Malik wrote a few weeks ago. Social Media is dead.
This is actually a great thing. Not that I was ever in danger of this, but I won’t have to worry about Instant or Viral Fame compromising my art. When I go outside, I won’t have anybody say, “You’re that guy on that social!”
No, my dear follow artists, we can go back to the work without worrying about the algorithm or downloading the latest and greatest app, which honestly would just get weaponized against us anyways.
This means going back to IRL networking. Don’t worry people totally forgot how to fake smiles these days, and you can catch one a mile away. It also means exploring dark forests: discord chats, or members only websites.
“We are drowning in the obscurity and the water’s lovely. Won’t you join us?”
I don’t know if you remember me, you purchased a print from me many years ago. For me, I never put social media as a priority. Taking photos and making art was always a priority, I mostly never took photos just because I think would attract attention on social media. It was always about the art first and after, I’d post it on the internet to share it with people. These days I really don’t care how many people see my art (there was a period in the past I did). I don’t think anyone should just take photos for attention on social media. It’s not healthy or good for your art.
Thank you for your reply. I have emotional intelligence issues so photography and the arts in general has been a cargo cult for me. If I copy what photographers and artists are doing, then I will grok art, and thus feeling. This often involved getting cynical advice like, “A bad photo, well-marketed, will sell more than a good photo without marketing.”
But looking at the long game, great art never stays hidden – even if it often takes a century.