I’ve noticed that dramatic photos filled with bright colors of a sunset or a beautiful scene get the most likes on social media. People are not liking the skilled technique of the photographer; They’re liking what they see – the colors, the location, etc. Of course, many of these photos are taken by photographers simply because of the colors or the view, without any other reason.
Landscape and street photography, in particular, saturate social media feeds, and most photos are simply nice views, vibrant colors, or dramatic, high-contrast lighting. Then there are those who have taken up film photography, bought old analog cameras, and gone on to shoot on different film stocks. Many people are photographing what they see to demonstrate the characteristics of a particular film stock, not because the subject is particularly interesting. All these pictures are of something, not of nothing.
Don’t get me wrong—there’s nothing wrong with that. I shoot beautiful pictures of things all the time. I shoot a lot of stuff that doesn’t really make sense. I’m shooting for the sake of shooting, so that gives me a chance to take a walk. It is a creative and enjoyable way to spend time.
But I don’t know about you—I get bored of these images after a while. Now I hardly stop to look at them; As I scroll through my feed there are so many. Especially with landscape photography, I’ve become numb to looking at great photos of popular locations because there are thousands of them, all looking the same. They are beautifully composed, perfectly exposed, and dramatic with colorful skies and spectacular light. They are all something, but nothing.
We should not seek validation on mainstream social media.
The main reason I say all this is to address the frustration I hear from many photographers who feel disenchanted with their work. They proudly post their photos on social media but get very few views or likes. They feel like just another sheep in a huge flock, unable to stand out. They wonder what they are doing wrong.
First of all, it is a mistake to rely on social media as a barometer to guide your photography journey. The big social media platforms focus on superficial, attention-grabbing photos – ones that are colorful and dramatic. Unless you’re regularly traveling to exotic locations and climbing mountains at sunrise to take dramatic shots, social media may not be the place for you. Yet, many people are already doing so, and those images have become clichéd and reprehensible.
I believe the way to improve your photography and develop your skills is to find subjects that mean something to us. Make pictures of something, not of something.
Most photographers take photos of something. This is why most of what we see looks the same. Ask yourself: Does this piece communicate something or tell a story? Does it evoke any emotion? What is this about?
And whatever photo we take, we should not seek validation on mainstream social media.
The main starting point should be: Is this something that interests you? Not whether it will interest others or get likes, but whether it will actually interest you.
Okay, now I’m rambling, probably repeating myself—I do. Enough gossiping. Let’s show some examples of a photo of something versus a photo of something else.
travel photography
This is a big genre – a popular genre where photographers think the more colorful, the better. Influencers and travel bloggers have saturated social media feeds with vibrant, exotic images processed with specific Lightroom presets. The sole purpose of these photos is to stand out and garner likes. Typically, they are posted to entice you to click on an article or buy something.
As a professional travel and lifestyle photographer, I’ve shot thousands of images like this for publications and brands. I admit, I enjoyed it—even though most of my photos were taken before it became a social media phenomenon and the genre became exaggerated. At the time, my photos were for publications, not social media feeds. Today, I don’t go out of my way to find these types of shots.
Take this photo, taken in Prague, for example. It’s an incredibly interesting historical location that was photographed in brilliant light and enhanced in post-production. It got a lot of likes but now it is drowned in a sea of similar pictures. It’s a photo of something, not about anything.
This next photo, taken in Dungeness, England – the UK’s only desert – is by far my favorite of the two. The beach was dotted with dilapidated fishing boats, and a rusty wheel caught my eye. I wondered if it might have been part of the machinery used to pull boats onto the beach in the past. Here is a story. The last rays of sunlight created a beautiful blend of light and shadow as well as complementary colors. The place is depressing and sad, its glory days long gone. This photo was about that. It’s about something.
landscape photography
The Grand Canyon in Arizona is a great place for landscape photographers. Come at sunrise and you can capture a photo similar to the one I took below. It’s cute but as common as mud. It’s a photo of something, not about anything. People like this photo because of the location and beautiful colors, not because of the creative vision of the photographer. The truth is that you don’t need much creative vision or skill here. This is why the photo is mediocre—you’ve probably seen hundreds of similar photos.
Compare it to this photo of northern Spain. It’s not a famous place, just a random rural setting. It was morning, there was fog and the atmosphere was full. I felt that atmosphere and wanted to capture it. It was cold and drizzly – miserable in fact – but the morning sun was struggling to pierce the darkness.
This picture shows how I felt. It’s about how positivity was working to overcome sadness. It’s a photo of something, not of nothing.
street photography
How often do you see pictures of random people on the street walking towards the camera? They’re not doing anything interesting, there’s no story, and even the composition and lighting aren’t noteworthy. Yet we see thousands like these. Here’s one I took – it’s about some people, not some people.
Now here is a picture from the same place. I’ve used it as an example before because I really like it. Here is a story. You can’t help but wonder: Why are they holding flowers and still looking so sad? Why is a boy’s little dress hanging up?
To me it’s a picture of just about anyone.
I am photographing subjects that interest me.
intimacy
Everything I’ve discussed and the examples above are, of course, very subjective. But it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if you disagree with me or dislike what I like. The main thing is: I’m photographing subjects that interest me. I don’t do photography for likes or someone else’s approval.
To quote the incredible Rick Rubin: “In terms of priorities, motivation comes first. You come next. The audience comes last.”
So, is it time to ask yourself: What inspires you enough to move from taking a picture of something to making a picture of something?
