What are my photos? What do they mean? What do I want to achieve?
I’ve always loved taking photos during my trips. That’s how I developed the hobby and gradually learned the craft. There’s a special kind of joy when you capture a photo that turns out like a postcard — the feeling of accomplishment is hard to put into words.
When I started taking photos, social media was already booming. I asked myself what kind of photos I really wanted to take, and I came up with two options:
- Photos that carry stories and characters.
- Photos that achieve postcard-like imagery.
Even though I experimented with both styles, I naturally gravitated towards the latter. There’s a deep sense of fulfillment when at least one photo from each trip looks like something you’d find on a postcard. In fact, at one point, I even renamed my Instagram to Postcard Impressions (for awhile).
When it comes to any creative art, I strongly believe there’s no right or wrong. No one can measure art on a universal scale — it entirely depends on the person experiencing it.
As I write this, AI is being used in countless ways, and its integration into daily life has become the norm. With just a few lines of prompts, machines can now generate photos and videos. So the question becomes: where do we place our own creative pieces in a world where even art can be artificially generated?
It’s natural for creatives to seek validation, even though it’s not really necessary. Whether you’re a poet, writer, photographer, or painter, the desire for acknowledgement has always been there — it’s just that the way we receive that validation has evolved over time.
When I started posting photos on Instagram in 2019 and the early 2020s, the likes and followers gave me a sense of validation. It motivated me to keep sharing and continue developing the hobby. Although I started photography simply because I enjoyed it, that intention shifted slightly once I began posting regularly on Instagram.
But it didn’t take long to realize that Instagram’s algorithm — and its system of validation — changes according to its business model. It began pushing more video content, especially reels. I have nothing against reels — short-form videos can be a great way to summarize trips. I even tried making a few myself.
Still, the question remains: What are your photos to you? Why are you taking them?
Today, I still take a lot of photos. But I don’t post most of them on Instagram anymore. I lost interest in taking photos for the gram. Now, I take them for myself. I still edit them, and I’m proud of them. But I no longer feel the rush to post them right after a trip just to keep up with the algorithm.
Now, my photos are for me — not for the gram.
Maybe it’s time to create a photo gallery here on this webpage.
