In a beautifully written piece about Flickr, Ferdy Christant reminds us why photography matters — not for the numbers, the likes, or the attention, but for the joy it brings.
His words hit a nerve:
“For amateurs and enthusiasts, . . . first and foremost . . . enjoy your hobby. Enjoy photography itself as well as your topics, be they a landscape, a model or a freaky insect. Or even a Snowy Owl. This is your hobby and you should learn to enjoy it even if not a single other human being notices. Start with this. Your joy and self-worth should not depend on others.
I’m serious. Look at people having other hobbies. Reading, hiking, tennis, wood crafts, brewing beer, collecting stamps, watching movies or playing Tetris… none of these people spend hours per day seeking validation as to whether their hobby is worthwhile or has meaning. It has meaning because it is your time and you enjoy doing it. None of them determine meaning based on others as if they are monitoring a stock market of self-worth.”
I needed to hear that.
Like many photographers, I sometimes slip into caring too much about reactions — checking stats, wondering if a photo is “good enough,” comparing myself to others. But the truth is, my favorite images are usually the ones that meant something to me when I made them — not the ones that performed well.
Photography has brought me joy, calm, connection, and surprise. That’s more than enough.
You can learn more about Ferdy Christant in this 2015 interview
