Do Photographers Really Need Social Media?

We live in a time where being visible feels like being valid. If you're not posting, are you still a photographer? That's the question social media has planted in our collective mindset, one that often confuses connection with attention.

Recently, I stepped away from Facebook. Not out of frustration, but self-preservation. The noise, the scrolling, the endless "updates" that don't really update anything, it wasn't adding value to my life or my work. If you want to be part of my life, reach out. Message me. Let's actually talk.

I've kept Instagram, though, for one reason: it's visual. Photography still belongs there, at least for now. But even Instagram has turned into a strange ecosystem, filled with algorithm-driven "support one another" mantras that often ring hollow. It's not about chasing likes or following only within your own niche.

Here's my suggestion:

Follow fewer people.

Follow the ones whose work genuinely inspires you, maybe five at most. The rest is noise. Avoid the endless comparisons that steal joy and perspective. Don't scroll for approval; scroll for inspiration.

My focus now is on blogs and visuals, storytelling with intention. Not every moment needs to be posted, and not every opinion deserves a stage. I'll still face trolls and negativity, but that's just life online. What I want to stay away from are the anti-social conversations, the ones where no one reads to understand anymore.

So this is me stepping back, not out.

Less noise, more meaning. Less posting, more creating.