I Am Not Popular and That’s Certainly OK With Me
Popularity is not necessarily a key to longevity or success.
I am not a household name.
Very few people know what kind of cameras I photograph with, how I make coffee, or whether or not I ride a hoverboard.
I’ve never given millions of dollars away, have no interest in video games, and crypto bores the ever-lovin’ hell out of me.
I’m just a guy who makes things, shares some of them, and loves to teach people who want to learn.
I only have a few “followers”.
I don’t mind.
Not at all.
Popularity is generally a mass-appeal product, and personally, it’s sort of a red flag to me.
Mass appeal can turn to mass disapproval at the turn of a whim.
Mass appeal usually means the lowest common denominator. And the lowest common denominator has never been a goal.
A tweet that runs against the grain of blissfully ignorant pop culture can lose you half of your followers.
A bad movie can doom the career of a ‘popular’ actor.
A ‘popular’ artist has to keep churning out the same stuff for fear of losing their popularity—and the perks that come along with it.
And eventually, someone somewhere will say, “Wow, that guy's work is a little stale." And millions of ‘fans’ turn away as fast as you can say, Michael Bolton.
Because they weren’t really fans at all.
They were led there by an algorithm, FOMO, and their friends, who must approve all choices.
Going against the grain is, what is it the kids say… problematic?
I couldn’t care less about accumulating algorithm ‘fans’ or followers who hang on every word as long as I tell them what they want to hear.
And you may notice that mass appeal wafts like a fart on the beach.
If I simply wrote what people wanted to hear, I would be writing for their approval, and not writing about what I truly think.
There is no long-term career to be had there, bucky, none at all.
Why?
Because those readers have no interest in me, my art, my struggles, challenges, or new paths.
They are only interested in me if their friends think they are cool for liking me because their friends like me.
Sort of a popularity contest.
Popular doesn’t mean good; it is only a metric of the number of followers.
Being popular may also mean never taking a stand on anything for fear that others will not like your heartfelt stand.
I am OK with others not agreeing with me. In fact I generally welcome a good debate.
I like dialog and being challenged.
I can change my mind.
Weird, I know, right?
But I think taking a position on something I believe is important.
Holding on to popularity means never pissing anyone off for fear that some ‘fans’ will have to choose and not all will choose you.
Look, no one likes everyone. I may not be your cup of tea, but you will know what I think, why I think it, and that I stand by it.
100%.
Choose follow or block based on facts, not innuendo or perceived popularity.
I make choices as well, you know.
So I have decided that being unpopular is actually a good thing, as it allows me to focus attention on the folks who like me — flaws and all.
I present my views, my experiences, and my beliefs in photography free from any kind of political correctness or need to fit in with the other ‘popular’ writers, photographers, or YouTubers.
Or the dreaded influencer… gawd save me from influencers.
I will always give it to you straight, no sugar, no twists. I will fight for my beliefs, but I am open to being challenged.
And, on occasion, I have been known to be convinced of another perspective.
I have also admitted to being wrong now and then.
It’s OK, lots of people get things wrong. Some are smarter than me.
And how does this relate to you, gentle reader?
I acknowledge that I am unpopular, and I urge you to be as well.
Trying to be a popular photographer in your niche is harder than being yourself and concentrating on working with people who genuinely like what you do, how you do it, and who you are.
Of course, that isn’t everyone. And that is the point—it is the people YOU belong to, your tribe, and they appreciate YOU.
Being unpopular may mean you don’t get invited to hang out with all the cool kids, speak at a convention, or even get SquareSpace to sponsor you.
And that is OK. You should be more interested in taking care of your customers and building a sustainable business.
Your work should:
- Have an opinion.
- Have a point of view
- Take the road less traveled.
- Do not give in to ‘peer pressure’.
- Do not make work that looks like everyone else’s.
- Be a reflection of your values.
- Be true to your beliefs, even if they are not the ‘popular’ convention.
- Be open to change but for the right reasons
- Be open to staying just the damn way you are if that is what you love.
- Be your own, authentic self.
- Don’t be swayed by popular culture, or the tides of shifting popularity.
- Hold true to your art, be proud of what you do, and know that you are the only one capable of making what you do.
Popularity is a game of chance; played with skill by some and with devastating folly by others.
Without having a true core value set for your authentic art and being swayed by popularity, you may spend your life trying to please people who don’t really care — or matter.
Popularity is a game with rules far too difficult to understand. You will want to figure it out, but the truth is….
You never will.
I am teaching a small group of photographers how to expand their offerings by creating websites for some of their clients. It is a sprint starting Friday afternoon, and finishing up on Sunday afternoon. This is a No-Code process and anyone can learn to do this and have terrific success.
The “Build a Website Sprint” is enrolling now.
We start on March 22nd, and by Monday, March 25, you will have a website, a template for additional sites, and the knowledge on how to create a functional and beautiful website for you and your clients. This is based on WordPress and a builder called Divi that I use every day.
(All times are Pacific)
Friday, March 22, 5 PM to 8 PM
Saturday morning, March 23, 8 AM — 10 AM
Saturday afternoon, March 23, 5 PM — 7 PM
Sunday morning, 8 AM — 10 AM
Sunday afternoon, 5 PM — 8 PM
I am limiting this to only 10 students, and there are only two slots left.
LIVE — online building together, you will learn how to use Divi, a NO CODE development tool, and build a solid, well-designed website.
The value of the site could range from $1500 to $3500 in most places in the US.
