TO BE A PRO: STOP RACING FOR LIKES

Whazzup Everybody! Do you like seeing your post on social media flooded with likes? Of course you do. Who doesn't want that? But this post isn't about how to gain more likes on your social media platform but to let you know that it's not the HOW MANY LIKES you have on your social media measures your success as a photographer or artist.

Measuring your work's success by how many hits the LIKE button is a completely wrong approached to success. Today, you can notice billion of creators trying to have all their work liked by all people. For what? 

Having many likes can boosts your morale and it feels good too but fear not if you only get few likes. Having few likes doesn't even make you lesser in your field of art. 

Here are two reasons I found out why you should not measure your work through how many Likes it gets.

MEN ARE VISUAL, WOMEN ARE VAIN

Don't get me wrong here, this is just to point out something. Notice the web today, glamour and boudoir photography gets more likes than narrative portraiture. Why? Because these photos are showing the beauty of a woman's body. The Art itself is not bad at all but the question is why it gets so many likes and who likes the photograph? Why did they like it? Is it because of the proper lighting, better exposure, good composition, gives a great message, or is it because of the model lying in bed with only her undergarments?

Have you ever noticed that some pips now are showing some skins on their social media account to get more likes and page views?

HE/SHE IS AN INFLUENCER vs. YOU

Have you ever noticed that most photographers' work posted on their social media aren't that much liked compared to the one being shoot? If you're a portrait photographer, your post gets hundreds of like in a day or two but when your model posted your work, in an hour it gets hundreds of likes. Does it mean your work isn't good? It's good, by the mere fact your model posted your work on his/her account that means you made your client happy. 

He/she appreciated your output. The "likes" it gets is just a bonus!

There are lots of factors why some picture versus your photograph gets many reactions on social media. Some "likers" are friends, friends of friend this means they like a picture because they know the one posting the picture or who's in the picture not because it is a beautiful photograph.

If you want to be a pro, hone your self to be a pro-photographer. Forget about likes. Instead of racing likes, go grab your camera, any kind of camera, and take & make photographs each day!

Here are some things that might help you to be a pro:

1. Shoot what you love and relentlessly practice a perfect practice.

People can smell whether you love what you’re shooting or not, love what you’re promoting or not, love what you’re doing or not. 

2. Proper Attitude towards your clients and co-photographers. 

3. Don't always go to new, unique, and beautiful places, make an ordinary place looks like new, unique, and beautiful.

4. Have Fun

5. Share your work not for likes but for exposure

6. Let your work speaks for you and for itself

7. Repeat