Life Beyond Instagram / Facebook

If you’re reading this you’ve probably followed my link from Facebook (FB) /instagram (IG) to see why I’ve ‘suspended’ my use of those platforms.

First off, its no big deal. It’s a digital world, not real life. But I really appreciate people asking me to stay. Thank you to those that have :)

I have edited this blog down a little as I did go into one about face and body filters - and not only that actual physical changes people are making to conform to what they see as real beauty. But I'll stop now before I make it a lengthy blog again.

Whilst I won't be viewing or posting to either platform for the forseeable, I will keep them active until I've settled in and am happy with the new VERO platform. Then I'll close IG and FB forever or until they've sorted their shnizzle out.

Here’s why I’ve thrown my teddy's in the corner re IG and FB.

Last night I was scrolling through my phone screen. Scroll Scroll scroll.

Then I had one of those apparitions things. “What am I wasting my time here for? I'm hardly seeing the photos by people I know” .

I know both IG and FB have become annoying with adverts, click bait and show reels of stuff of no interest to me but last night I thought.. pardon my German "fuck it" Start afresh.

There’s more and more Artificial Intelligence videos that people think are real.

It has also become very controlling. A very non offensive but funny comment I made on a friends post was deleted by FB as aggressive.

Then of course to reams of photos of people who've actually physically changed the way they look. Its all so fake.

Hence I root my photography in the real world with little photoshop action.

Only my own black and white dark room technique and style and the occasional “that spot is looking like it may go bang at any time” removal. If its a temporary spot then I’ll pop it for you - in photoshop that is. That where PS comes in dead handy.

But also I came to realise I am morphing into the very thing I’ve fought against. A screen monkey.

Yes I do get it that you are probably reading this on a screen - but not all digital content is bad!

It can and should be more weighted to creativity, training, education.

My screen time is now going to be one for learning and appreciating others work and dinners (when I can find them) now.

The other day the TV was on in the background. A Sunday morning show where the chap was interviewing a young hopeful of a pop singer .

The interviewer caught my attention when he made an observation that young people (although not exclusively just young) feel the need to live every moment of their lives online .

The young hopeful agreed it was immense pressure. Apparently they feel ‘the pressure to conform’.

Really? Ever worked in a hospital or a public service?

Ever tried to build a business or wonder how you are going to pay your employees as your business crumbles? Sure pressure to do a selfie film must be immense.

Here’s a suggestion. Don’t film yourself. Be different. Don’t conform.

In fact you’ll save moments of your friends lives too. You can be a hero after all!

Rant over.

Anyway where was I.

I come from an era before phones and the internet - although not that long before I haste to add.

My mum found an old family wedding video during a sort out. All the guests, including a younger me with a questionable hairstyle all sat around chatting.

There wasn’t one face planted in a screen scrolling or people rushing off to do a bog selfie(?)

Nope just one person with a video camera bigger than a car on their shoulder - which due to its size and weight gave you sufficient time to duck out of shot as the camera he/she stumbled and swivelled in your direction.

As an aside that reinforces my stance on ‘organic’ film/prints. If that video had been left to a digital device of its age, we’d probably had never recovered it. No one would have seen my quiff.

Hang on, maybe digital storage isn’t so bad.

So the VERO app ‘seems’ to have a clean design. A platform for like minded people to share work on a photographic friendly backdrop.

Instagram is playing with ideas but just a few days ago one of their lead directors admitted some mistakes had been made but made no apologies that video and recommended content is the future for the platform as they evolve. Photographs are playing second fiddle. They want to compete with TikTok.

I'm a photographer.

Hence I'm off.

But I'm here to also encourage you to ask yourself some questions as it seems more and more people feel the same.

Are you spending a lot of time on things of no interest to you?

Want to focus and be involved with things you really like and of interest to you?

Then take time to think about your social media use. Make it work for you.

Be it pottery, sewing, drawing, photography, whatever, link up with those wonderfully talented people whose work amazes you, learn and be part of that action. Don't waste your time watching stuff that doesn't mean anything to you.

Scrolling through adverts and people 'doing silly things to themselves or others isn't living your best life.

It may be photography isn’t of interest to you! Thats fine. Horses for courses and all that.

But in a world of overwhelming sharing of everything and algorithms targeting you for your money, It's really important to ‘focus’ on the reality of who and what you want to spend your time on.

I’m not interested in videos or ‘celeb’ influencers or what IG or FB think I may like.

They are always wrong as I’ve yet to have videos of Mexican bandits juggling bananas being suggested to me.

If you agree and would like to continue to follow my work, then its really simple and free etc to sign up for the VERO platform. Of course it too may evolve into some monster.

When it does, someone else will come along and we’ll all move on again.

Just search for Silver Jack Photography. If I don’t see you over there, then thats cool too! Bear with me as I reset - and build the portfolio though.

And I’ll always be contactable through my website (or phone arghhhhh)…

Now, must go find those jugglers.

Ta’ra for now. init.

PS Don't forget to print your photos! Even the silly ones. NEVER leave them to digital storage. But make the ones you love the most the first you get done in case of a digital faliure!