I'm on there Andy but to be honest struggle with it. I'm not sure I need/want another platform just for photographers. Yes, I want to connect with photographers but also artists, poets, writers, organisations, magazines, galleries, conservationists, architects, publishers etc.
I agree with you, Iain. I'm eager to see where Michael and his team take the @fotoapp.co, but I don't think it will replace Instagram. And I'm not sure it's trying to either. I think it's becoming something else. That said, I'm not sure I'm its target demographic.
I think both of you will be happy with Foto in 1-2 years as we build out the feature set more. This is 1.0. Perhaps the 3.0 version of Foto when it’s a more mature platform will click. This is basically the MVP.
I’m really glad I got in on the first day of public. I’m looking forward to its growth and where we go and looking forward to being nothing like IG. 👍👍
I totally hear that & I'm sure it will go from strength to strength. You guys are working really hard to create an alternative.
I suppose from my point of view I would like to see it marketed & branded as something for everyone, not just photographers....
Everyone is welcome on Foto. Photographers are always the first to pick up apps like ours. Going mainstream will take time and we aren’t quite ready for a big marketing push. We need to add more features and we have a lot of features planned that will be enjoyed by everyone.
...I think most photographers want to be sharing their work with a wide audience, not just other photographers. And yet, Foto at the moment feels like a place for photographers. If I was for example an academic working in geography & place would I be drawn to Foto at the moment?
It’s be nice if people would just watch us make progress vs writing us off immediately. Too many people are quick to make a final judgement and focus on the negatives vs focusing on the potential. We want more people on Foto than photographers.
It would be great to find a way to make it feel like an inclusive place for people from all backgrounds, not too much of a niche platform for photographers.
But I am not meaning to sound negative, I know you guys will be planning this for it :)
I've not looked back in again for a couple of days, just didn't click with me or encourage me to explore. Been getting back to my long-time neglected Flickr and think that still serves me better for most things photographic, and - slowly - Bluesky is covering many of the other ares of interest.
Curious why you don’t think you are the target? While I don’t think it will replace IG either I don’t want it to be anything like it. IG, could die tomorrow and I would not care one bit. IG has never helped me personally or financially. Nothing but frustration. Thats part luck & part on me. 🤷🏻♂️
You nailed it, Iain. That's the strongest point about IG. It's not only a place for photographers, but for all kinds of artists and creators. That's why I can't let it go yet. As an example, one of the reasons I don't like Flickr is that it's an echo chamber for photographers.
I love Foto for now, the UI is great and it seems more photogs from my IG network are jumpin' in than in Bluesky. But ultimately, I want a place to be full of diverse voices. As much as I hate Meta, I've yet to find something like IG, even with the shitty ads, the stupid reels, and all that stuff.
Meta is actively supporting the Trump administration
The Journal reported that at a November Mar-a-Lago dinner, Trump told Zuckerberg that resolving the lawsuit was required for the tech mogul to be "brought into the tent."
I know. That disgusts me. That’s the reason I don’t post anything anymore on Meta. I still browse IG from time to time, but without any interactions. I hope people that matters to me will move to other platforms. Nowadays, I spent most of my time here, on Foto and on Mastodon.
Hopefully, I will just spend less time on social networks and more time on in-person interactions. Better for my mental health and my values. But still, I miss the community that I grew up on IG.
So far I've found it incredibly cumbersome to use sadly. I want to like it. It won't let me add my website. I would love to see who the person I follow, follows. I'll keep playing with it.
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I suppose from my point of view I would like to see it marketed & branded as something for everyone, not just photographers....
But I am not meaning to sound negative, I know you guys will be planning this for it :)
The Journal reported that at a November Mar-a-Lago dinner, Trump told Zuckerberg that resolving the lawsuit was required for the tech mogul to be "brought into the tent."