Stay away from those awful stats. You belong among your friends on Substack and everywhere else. Quality beats quantity. I’m going to be a lifetime member in your fan club. So there! 🤗❤️😁
I may not comment every day, but I do look at every photograph, with awe! I’d like to think I’d be doing similar things if I were still mobile! So I’m a fellow traveler even if a little invisible at times. 😁🌞
I enjoy posting on Substack because it's a free and relatively easy way to share my photographs. If Substack relied on people like me though, it would go bust. To make money they have to focus their algorithms on those who want to make money; so be it. It's the "professionals" on Substack who effectively subsidise amateurs like me. Not such a bad deal really.
Your post resonates completely with me, Giles. Stats have never been important to me, and I try to ignore them because they distract from the real reason that I’m here — to develop meaningful connections with other artists. The number of likes, followers, and subscribers doesn’t represent meaningful connections. Thoughtful comments and interesting discussions are what I find value in and why I’m here. Today those qualitative measures are only recorded by our own hearts and minds, but maybe Substack will someday figure out how to reflect them on our dashboards 😂
That's a wonderful little room you have there, Giles, one I enjoy visiting a lot. These rooms are the best. As you know, my little room is just down the way. You're always welcome, as is anyone else☺️
Thanks, Ralph. It does feel like our corner of Substack is like a quaint village, where everyone talks to everyone and no door is closed. Long may it continue 👍🏻
Wonderfully said. You describe perfectly how I feel about sharing my writing and art here. I have no paywall either and share for the beauty I find in connection with other artists. Thank you so much for what you do.
I seem to find myself contented with my small following here on Substack (and on Instagram as well, surprisingly). I find myself engaging with mostly the same photographers and I’m not sure I’d want it any other way. In real life I’m a quality over quantity type of person when it comes to friendships so why would I try and be different online?
As the guy who would never turn on the paywall, who writes because it is something I enjoy, and who publishes, because it is fun to communicate with some out there who I have never met, but who choose to read my musings, look at my photographs and tell me about it, I am happy. I am also the one who just stated in a Post, that I in future will no longer be reading Notes. This is because I am tired of feeling I am always behind.
I assume my decision means SS will like me even less than it already does. As the freeloader, which I freely admit I am, I live under no illusion that my Notes were read much, the last and final one I wrote, I couldn't even find in the feed, and I, and my thumbs, can do no more. I don't want to be a death-scroller, and I don't want to feel like I am always behind. My thumbs will be grateful.
I subscribe to you, and I do believe, you subscribe to me. As such, we live in similar small rooms, where those who dare can enter, look around, leave, or stay a while. Maybe they even shoot off a comment. Good, bad, or other. I am here to play, smile and have fun with my work, and that of others. As I so often say... the rest, is just noise.
And in case it matters... No, I don't count, and I don't care.
Well said, Søren; you have put it far better than I did. That fear of being behind really resonates with me.
Like you, I am struggling a little with my own consumption here on Substack. Notes are monopolising so much of my time; I am finding myself reading less and less long-form stuff, which is a real shame. I get this is where the platform wants us to go, holding us here longer and in preference to other options out there on the Internet. That said, I do really enjoy the images people share through Notes and have found it replaces the majority of other photo-sharing sites I have frequented.
It's a constant struggle, but first and foremost, it's the content you and others share that makes Substack the wonderful place it is, and hopefully we will keep it that way as the platform shifts underneath us.
Oh, and yes, of course I subscribe to your wonderful work 😁
I am not on any other social media, precisely because there was much to appreciate, but equally so much rubbish. Too much AI supported, or generated crap passed off as photographs. I found myself getting increasingly annoyed. So no more scrolling for me. I enjoy and try to keep up with my subscriptions, which seems to work. The ‘listen’ feature is particularly great, as I can treat some of the less illustrated ones as podcasts, when I sit in a train, or bus.
First of all, I love the first photograph! Second of all, this post resonates with me so much. Sometimes the systems we are part of are simply tiring. And, sometimes I feel like artists are the only working group in society that is expected to provide their work for free in some form or another, be it for recognition and visibility. As if that is enough...
I regularly grow weary of social media and can't keep up. I still like Substack and will provide my content for free (for now), but I definitely understand where you are coming from.
I was a little worried my article may have come across as negative, but I have been pleased to hear how it has resonated with so many. Like you, I really value this corner of the Internet and long may it continue.
I hear you Giles, I’ve also noticed that it’s getting harder to find articles by photographers and writers such as yourself who are sharing their process in such a thoughtful way. All the more reason to stick at it I hope.
As for reach, I guess each person has to ask themselves why they really post on any particular platform. If it’s for the number of followers, likes, etc. what is the end goal they desire? Is it to eventually get an endorsement, a gallery show, a paid client, etc.? If so, then they’re a content creator simply posting to advertise themselves. But if they’re posting for authentic and meaningful engagement and connection, then the numbers really don’t matter. That’s the way I see it anyway.
I also post here because I love it. I believe that should always be the start. Doing things you love. I have paid subscription on, but do not focus on that too much. Everything I post will be free. Meanwhile I try to sell zines and magazines as that helps me get the time this writing takes. Not that that balances things out, but it helps. As for the numbers, decreasing subscribers means more voices joining the discussion which makes it even more fun, right?
That is a good point, re more voices. The more the merrier. Likewise I try and create things that people can buy if they like but it’s purely optional and there is usually a free alternative. Which reminds me, I need to get cracking on my next zine 🤔😂
Don’t let the machine dictate your pace is my advice. Then again, I never look at stats and don’t have or expect much reach on this (or any) platform.
I’m grateful for any engagement I get and this platform is really the only one where I’ve found a small community that do put in time here — and actually engage with me!
(I’ve a blog that parallels this account that I’ve posted to weekly for years and an IG account I’ve posted to daily for years as well — and on neither platform do I get any engagement beyond a very small handful of likes so I had no expectations when I came to Substack.)
Substack is free for me yet makes no money off of me so I am hoping the creeping changes here don’t affect my little bubble too much. My goal is to post weekly just as an outlet for my shots. Actually reaching anyone who actually opens and views my posts is the frosting on the cake.
I am glad you choose to share your work with us. We (your subscribers) absolutely benefit from your presence here on Substack. Don’t let the changes here put undue pressure on you.
Thanks for sharing and the lovely words. As always, your support for my photography is very much appreciated.
Like you, I have found much more meaningful engagement with my photography here than anywhere else. This truly does feel like my online home, where I belong, with my kind of people. Long may that continue and I like many are apprecoative that you and your photography is in this corner of the Internet too 🙏🏻😊
I would really like to thank you for your texts. I’m not a professional photographer, I’ve started to use a camera very recently. This year I realized that writing completes my pictures and I started doing it too.
Some of the “struggles” you mentioned really resonate with me. Some of them stayed in my mind for weeks.
“Should I write and post my pics here?” “Why here and not insta?” “Should I give attention to the stats?”
So pleased to hear that, Adilson, and welcome to the wonderful world of photography. I may be biased, but I think that writing alongside your photographs is a really valuable and rewarding experience, allowing you to express more depth than a 2D image can convey. Wherever you choose to do it, have fun and enjoy the process.
Really enjoy your photos and the way they make me think about our surroundings and how we see them, Giles. Sometimes I scan faster, sometimes slower. Sometimes one of your photo arrests me, and I look to take it in, think about photos I myself have taken. Wonder why they resonate. I’ve learnt you can’t be doing it for the accolades of other people, only for your art and the love of it 🙏🏼
Many thanks; that is so lovely to hear, and I couldn’t agree more. I’m a strong believer that you should make art for yourself first and foremost. I take photographs of what I find interesting, and if others like them and share interesting comments, as you have, that is a complete bonus and very much appreciated, of course 😊
Thanks Giles - I felt like I was reading something I had written myself, or at least certainly felt. Shortly after I retired, I began to feel a loss of my sense of purpose. I thought wise to have a project and a goal to work toward and have always dreamed of having a gallery showing.
I had everything in place with the exception of an audience, a list of friends and familiars I could invite and count on showing up to help fill a room. I intended for the experience to be out of pocket with no revenue, not even print or zine sales. So I began looking for ways to promote my work in hopes of feeling confident I could fill a room.
It's a long slow process but the realization is that I have to have a compelling offer that solves an immediate problem or need, not just a handful of great images. Sadly, most people don't understand what a great image is and the concept of that impage evoking an emotion is unrealistic.
Yet I remain, much like yourself. No plans for monetization and with about a month of effort, very few subscribers. I'm working hard at getting past the idea that you can't "win" unless you "play the game."
I'm going to "roll the dice" for a while and see what happens. Best wishes for your continued effort.
Thanks, again Ken. As I mentioned elsewhere, I strongly believe we should all make art for ourselves first and foremost and anything that comes from that is a bonus.
Stay the course, be true to yourself and enjoy the journey 👍🏻😁
Stay away from those awful stats. You belong among your friends on Substack and everywhere else. Quality beats quantity. I’m going to be a lifetime member in your fan club. So there! 🤗❤️😁
Ah thank you, Jo Anne. That is a lovely thing for you to say 😊🙏🏻
I may not comment every day, but I do look at every photograph, with awe! I’d like to think I’d be doing similar things if I were still mobile! So I’m a fellow traveler even if a little invisible at times. 😁🌞
I enjoy posting on Substack because it's a free and relatively easy way to share my photographs. If Substack relied on people like me though, it would go bust. To make money they have to focus their algorithms on those who want to make money; so be it. It's the "professionals" on Substack who effectively subsidise amateurs like me. Not such a bad deal really.
Cheers, and btw I really enjoy your photographs!
Steve
Thanks, Steve and yes it's totally reasonable for them to do so. Someone has to keep the lights on after all.
Your post resonates completely with me, Giles. Stats have never been important to me, and I try to ignore them because they distract from the real reason that I’m here — to develop meaningful connections with other artists. The number of likes, followers, and subscribers doesn’t represent meaningful connections. Thoughtful comments and interesting discussions are what I find value in and why I’m here. Today those qualitative measures are only recorded by our own hearts and minds, but maybe Substack will someday figure out how to reflect them on our dashboards 😂
Nicely put, Todd. It’s those qualitative measures that no machine will ever be able to replicate … I hope 😳😂
That's a wonderful little room you have there, Giles, one I enjoy visiting a lot. These rooms are the best. As you know, my little room is just down the way. You're always welcome, as is anyone else☺️
Thanks, Ralph. It does feel like our corner of Substack is like a quaint village, where everyone talks to everyone and no door is closed. Long may it continue 👍🏻
Wonderfully said. You describe perfectly how I feel about sharing my writing and art here. I have no paywall either and share for the beauty I find in connection with other artists. Thank you so much for what you do.
My pleasure, Anne and pleased to hear it resonates with you and others too
Very recognizable, the urge to feed the thing more, while you in fact don't want that doing.
Glad its not just me then. Wishing for simpler times, while at the same time not 😔
I seem to find myself contented with my small following here on Substack (and on Instagram as well, surprisingly). I find myself engaging with mostly the same photographers and I’m not sure I’d want it any other way. In real life I’m a quality over quantity type of person when it comes to friendships so why would I try and be different online?
Great point, David and I guess I feel the same, both on and offline 👍🏻😊
Hey Giles, excellent Post!
As the guy who would never turn on the paywall, who writes because it is something I enjoy, and who publishes, because it is fun to communicate with some out there who I have never met, but who choose to read my musings, look at my photographs and tell me about it, I am happy. I am also the one who just stated in a Post, that I in future will no longer be reading Notes. This is because I am tired of feeling I am always behind.
I assume my decision means SS will like me even less than it already does. As the freeloader, which I freely admit I am, I live under no illusion that my Notes were read much, the last and final one I wrote, I couldn't even find in the feed, and I, and my thumbs, can do no more. I don't want to be a death-scroller, and I don't want to feel like I am always behind. My thumbs will be grateful.
I subscribe to you, and I do believe, you subscribe to me. As such, we live in similar small rooms, where those who dare can enter, look around, leave, or stay a while. Maybe they even shoot off a comment. Good, bad, or other. I am here to play, smile and have fun with my work, and that of others. As I so often say... the rest, is just noise.
And in case it matters... No, I don't count, and I don't care.
Well said, Søren; you have put it far better than I did. That fear of being behind really resonates with me.
Like you, I am struggling a little with my own consumption here on Substack. Notes are monopolising so much of my time; I am finding myself reading less and less long-form stuff, which is a real shame. I get this is where the platform wants us to go, holding us here longer and in preference to other options out there on the Internet. That said, I do really enjoy the images people share through Notes and have found it replaces the majority of other photo-sharing sites I have frequented.
It's a constant struggle, but first and foremost, it's the content you and others share that makes Substack the wonderful place it is, and hopefully we will keep it that way as the platform shifts underneath us.
Oh, and yes, of course I subscribe to your wonderful work 😁
Hey Giles,
I am not on any other social media, precisely because there was much to appreciate, but equally so much rubbish. Too much AI supported, or generated crap passed off as photographs. I found myself getting increasingly annoyed. So no more scrolling for me. I enjoy and try to keep up with my subscriptions, which seems to work. The ‘listen’ feature is particularly great, as I can treat some of the less illustrated ones as podcasts, when I sit in a train, or bus.
Ah podcasts. Hadn’t considered that as an option. Would love a way for Substack to bundle them up as a feed or episode I could listen to.
First of all, I love the first photograph! Second of all, this post resonates with me so much. Sometimes the systems we are part of are simply tiring. And, sometimes I feel like artists are the only working group in society that is expected to provide their work for free in some form or another, be it for recognition and visibility. As if that is enough...
I regularly grow weary of social media and can't keep up. I still like Substack and will provide my content for free (for now), but I definitely understand where you are coming from.
Many thanks for the kind words, Manuela.
I was a little worried my article may have come across as negative, but I have been pleased to hear how it has resonated with so many. Like you, I really value this corner of the Internet and long may it continue.
I hear you Giles, I’ve also noticed that it’s getting harder to find articles by photographers and writers such as yourself who are sharing their process in such a thoughtful way. All the more reason to stick at it I hope.
Thanks, Neil. That is so kind of you to say and fear not, I have no plans to go anywhere else anytime soon. 👍🏻
I, for one, am very happy you will continue on!
As for reach, I guess each person has to ask themselves why they really post on any particular platform. If it’s for the number of followers, likes, etc. what is the end goal they desire? Is it to eventually get an endorsement, a gallery show, a paid client, etc.? If so, then they’re a content creator simply posting to advertise themselves. But if they’re posting for authentic and meaningful engagement and connection, then the numbers really don’t matter. That’s the way I see it anyway.
Nicely put, Alicia, and that makes perfect sense. A great distinction between a content editor and an artist. 👍🏻
I also post here because I love it. I believe that should always be the start. Doing things you love. I have paid subscription on, but do not focus on that too much. Everything I post will be free. Meanwhile I try to sell zines and magazines as that helps me get the time this writing takes. Not that that balances things out, but it helps. As for the numbers, decreasing subscribers means more voices joining the discussion which makes it even more fun, right?
That is a good point, re more voices. The more the merrier. Likewise I try and create things that people can buy if they like but it’s purely optional and there is usually a free alternative. Which reminds me, I need to get cracking on my next zine 🤔😂
Don’t let the machine dictate your pace is my advice. Then again, I never look at stats and don’t have or expect much reach on this (or any) platform.
I’m grateful for any engagement I get and this platform is really the only one where I’ve found a small community that do put in time here — and actually engage with me!
(I’ve a blog that parallels this account that I’ve posted to weekly for years and an IG account I’ve posted to daily for years as well — and on neither platform do I get any engagement beyond a very small handful of likes so I had no expectations when I came to Substack.)
Substack is free for me yet makes no money off of me so I am hoping the creeping changes here don’t affect my little bubble too much. My goal is to post weekly just as an outlet for my shots. Actually reaching anyone who actually opens and views my posts is the frosting on the cake.
I am glad you choose to share your work with us. We (your subscribers) absolutely benefit from your presence here on Substack. Don’t let the changes here put undue pressure on you.
Thanks for sharing and the lovely words. As always, your support for my photography is very much appreciated.
Like you, I have found much more meaningful engagement with my photography here than anywhere else. This truly does feel like my online home, where I belong, with my kind of people. Long may that continue and I like many are apprecoative that you and your photography is in this corner of the Internet too 🙏🏻😊
I would really like to thank you for your texts. I’m not a professional photographer, I’ve started to use a camera very recently. This year I realized that writing completes my pictures and I started doing it too.
Some of the “struggles” you mentioned really resonate with me. Some of them stayed in my mind for weeks.
“Should I write and post my pics here?” “Why here and not insta?” “Should I give attention to the stats?”
So your texts are really helpful. So thank you.
So pleased to hear that, Adilson, and welcome to the wonderful world of photography. I may be biased, but I think that writing alongside your photographs is a really valuable and rewarding experience, allowing you to express more depth than a 2D image can convey. Wherever you choose to do it, have fun and enjoy the process.
Really enjoy your photos and the way they make me think about our surroundings and how we see them, Giles. Sometimes I scan faster, sometimes slower. Sometimes one of your photo arrests me, and I look to take it in, think about photos I myself have taken. Wonder why they resonate. I’ve learnt you can’t be doing it for the accolades of other people, only for your art and the love of it 🙏🏼
Many thanks; that is so lovely to hear, and I couldn’t agree more. I’m a strong believer that you should make art for yourself first and foremost. I take photographs of what I find interesting, and if others like them and share interesting comments, as you have, that is a complete bonus and very much appreciated, of course 😊
Thanks Giles - I felt like I was reading something I had written myself, or at least certainly felt. Shortly after I retired, I began to feel a loss of my sense of purpose. I thought wise to have a project and a goal to work toward and have always dreamed of having a gallery showing.
I had everything in place with the exception of an audience, a list of friends and familiars I could invite and count on showing up to help fill a room. I intended for the experience to be out of pocket with no revenue, not even print or zine sales. So I began looking for ways to promote my work in hopes of feeling confident I could fill a room.
It's a long slow process but the realization is that I have to have a compelling offer that solves an immediate problem or need, not just a handful of great images. Sadly, most people don't understand what a great image is and the concept of that impage evoking an emotion is unrealistic.
Yet I remain, much like yourself. No plans for monetization and with about a month of effort, very few subscribers. I'm working hard at getting past the idea that you can't "win" unless you "play the game."
I'm going to "roll the dice" for a while and see what happens. Best wishes for your continued effort.
Thanks, again Ken. As I mentioned elsewhere, I strongly believe we should all make art for ourselves first and foremost and anything that comes from that is a bonus.
Stay the course, be true to yourself and enjoy the journey 👍🏻😁