Hey Reader,
This week I kept coming back to one simple idea.
The content we consume and create is shaping our photography more than we think.
Not only how we view the photography landscape, but what we aim for, what we compare ourselves to, and what we think is possible.
And the funny thing is, most of this happens quietly in the background.
So I started paying more attention to my own digital diet.
Here is what I noticed.
The Quiet Influence of What We Consume
I think we underestimate how much our feed guides our creative goals.
Who we follow.
What we watch.
The voices we let in, both external and internal.
As artists, I feel that many of the choices we make have a root that is somehow linked to a creative goal.
Why we spend our money on new equipment.
Why we experiment with new styles to be noticed more.
Why we feel behind when someone else lands our dream client.
Most of that influence comes from online.
Often from people who are living a very different story to us.
And look, it is not always bad.
Tbh, inspiration is healthy. It is fuel.
But comparison creates a different kind of hunger. One that never feels full.
If you place someone above you, your digital diet stops serving you.
If their success becomes a reason to doubt yourself, your diet is not healthy.
Pay attention to the content that expands you, inspires you, and motivates you, not shrinks you.
Healthy Content, Healthy Output
I used to think my digital diet only meant what I consumed, but it also includes what I put out into the world.
The gluten-free content menu that I present each week.
Some creators share every low moment.
Some share the struggle in a way that pulls energy out of the room.
And I get it.
Being honest is important. It is what we are told in Content 101.
But honesty without insight is not the same as value. It leans towards being self-focused.
Telling people it is hard does not help them grow.
Sharing how you move through the hard moments does.
That is the difference.
This is how I think about healthy content:
- Does it teach, entertain, or inspire, even in a small way?
- Does it offer something beyond the emotion I am experiencing?
Take, for example, this Captured newsletter; I imagine you do not read this because it is from me, and you are eager to hear my thoughts.
You read it because you get something from it.
Some small idea you can take into your week.
That is what we should aim for. Healthy stories. Healthy output.
Your Diet's Origin Matters
This part might be the most important.
The origin of your digital diet matters.
Not everything you see online is meant to be a standard for your work.
It is like watching a video about buying a house when you are travelling full-time.
The advice might be good, but it is made for someone living a different life. Photography is the same.
A lot of what we see online comes from people in completely different environments.
A fashion photographer sharing their work in Milan is playing a different game compared to someone living in a small town.
Much like an interior photographer in Puglia will naturally have different light, colours, textures and clients than someone shooting in suburban Australia.
Just the fact it is on your feed with a bunch of likes does not make it correct.
It does not mean one style is better.
It means the playing field is not the same.
I learned this when I was shooting hospitality work in Australia.
I chased a European look that was never going to appear, no matter how many lenses I tried or how I lit the room.
I only found progress when I stopped comparing my work to images made in completely different conditions.
Your style grows faster when you look at what is around you instead of what is out of reach.
Be Active, Not Passive
Most digital diets fall apart because we consume passively.
Trust me, I sit on TikTok far more than I should, and the days I do, I really feel the difference.
A healthier approach is simple.
Spend more time engaging with the people you chose to follow.
Less time drifting on the FYP.
Less content that leaves you questioning yourself.
More content that teaches you something or sparks an idea.
And when you share, share from your own world.
Your light, your city, your story.
Not a version you think will please strangers online.
The right people will still find you.
Catch you next week,
Matty 📷 🚀
P.S. You might notice a few links not working at the moment. I’m reshuffling things a bit, so thanks for your patience.