Street Photography in New York City
Most Instagram “photographers” churn out filtered content, not craft. Read why 9 out of 10 fail to qualify as true photographers—and how to be the 10%.
Why 90% of Instagram “Photographers” Aren’t Photographers at All
Scroll through Instagram and you’ll see endless grids of glowing faces, stylized interiors, pastel skies, and that one ring-light silhouette everyone posts at golden hour. You might call many of these people “photographers.” I would call most of them content machines.
Real photography is more than filters, presets, and trending aesthetic formulas. It’s intentional framing, conceptual depth, mastery of light, understanding of process, and the ability to make an image that holds up beyond the scroll. Instagram turned the act of making images into a content ritual—and most fall into that trap.
Here’s why most so-called Instagram photographers don’t deserve the title—and how you can stop being one.
1. They shoot for the algorithm, not for the image
The platform’s mechanics reward what gets engagement: Reels, bold visuals, fast consumption. Instagram is now primarily video first.
Still, many treat stills as reels in disguise. They optimize for algorithms, not aesthetics.
Still, many treat stills as reels in disguise. They optimize for algorithms, not aesthetics.
Those “perfect” grids? They often come at the cost of genuine vision. You see consistent tones, repeated motifs, mimicry of what “works.” The photograph becomes a template, not an act of seeing.
2. They confuse popularity with skill
Likes, shares, saves—they make us feel seen. But photography skill isn’t proven by viral reach. It’s proven by consistency, technique, editing restraint, and evolving voice.
Many available tutorials peddle the idea: “10 presets to go viral,” or “shoot for Reels and watch your following explode.” But having a million followers doesn’t make you a craftsman. It makes you a brand.
Professional photographers complain: Instagram pressures them to become influencers to stay relevant.
The irony: in chasing reach, much of the medium’s integrity is sacrificed.
The irony: in chasing reach, much of the medium’s integrity is sacrificed.
3. They shoot what they think sells, not what they see
Original vision demands risk. Instagram incentives reward what already sells. So artists conform: flat tones, minimalism, moody interiors, and sunlit facades—all replicated.
That duplication stifles voice. If every feed looks the same, then nothing stands out. Real photographers don’t ask “Will it get likes?” They ask “Does it say something?”
This conformity is a symptom. Many emerging creators never develop a critical eye—they follow trends because they’re visible, not because they resonate.
4. They lack technical discipline
You can slap on a preset and call it a mood, but that doesn’t fix a blown highlight, poor composition, chromatic aberration, poor color balance, or inconsistent exposure.
True photographers understand their tools: lenses, light behavior, dynamic range, color science. They test gear. They know when to underexpose or overexpose. They prep.
Many Instagram shooters skip these steps. They rely entirely on post. The result: images that fall apart when viewed larger than phone size, printed, or in a gallery context.
5. They depend on validation, not critique
A “like” is passive. A comment that says “This is interesting” is lazy. Real growth comes from feedback, critique, failure. Many Instagram creators don’t actively seek criticism. They seek applause.
The problem: without critique, you plateau. Without rigorous self-assessment, you repeat the same tricks. The image becomes performance; vulnerability becomes risk.
6. They neglect narrative and concept
Aesthetics without meaning is decoration. A white minimal interior, a model leaning against a wall, soft light-that works. If that’s all you ever do, your portfolio is a theme park, not a body of work.
Real photographers think in narratives: Why this subject? What tension? What light tells the story? What frame feels inevitable?
Instagram rewards surface. So many “photographers” never go deeper than surface.
7. They can’t sustain when the algorithm changes
Instagram’s rules shift constantly. The platform is pushing video, Reels, new formats.
Those built entirely around the algorithm— trendy formats, clickbait captions, gimmicks—break when priorities change. Real photographers build on fundamentals. Their work transcends format, platform, and trend.
8. They don’t care about the physical or archival life of their work
Most Instagram-based work never lives beyond the digital feed. It’s never printed, exhibited, or archived. When the server dies or the platform changes, the work disappears.
True photographers consider permanence: durability, print, legacy. They shoot RAW, capture files for longer formats, test prints, restore archives. Their images don’t collapse when pixels vanish.
How to Be Among the 10%
If you’re reading this and cringing, good. Because the path out is simple (not easy). Shoot deliberately, not for trends. Seek critique, not applause. Study light, lens behavior, exposure. Build a habit of editing rigorously. Grow a coherent body of work, not scattershot content. Test prints, show work in real life, experience your images outside the phone. Accept obscurity while you deepen your craft.
The Instagram masses are loud. Real photographers are quieter-but their work doesn’t disappear with the algorithm.
