The Instagram Interviews: Christian McLeod
1. Could you tell me a little bit about yourself and how you got into photography?
I was originally born in Montana in the US of A, and was raised in Ireland since I was 8. Didn’t hit photography until I was 18, and since then it’s been a roller-coaster love affair still on it’s way up.
At 18, I picked up a camera lying in my room, as I was bored on that day, and then I just started bringing it to college, as I studied Engineering, and the camera slowly started to consume my life.
2. When did you first hear about Instagram and how has your account grown since then?
I first heard about it about 3 1/2 years ago, and joined up. However I didn’t get as great of a response as I was initially hoping for, and it turned me off immediately as I was quite impatient back then. However just under a year ago, I started uploading regularly to instagram, and have managed to build a decent following which I hope will grow larger.
3. How would you compare your usage of Instagram to your usage of Facebook?
I’ve essentially bailed on my Facebook page, due to the extremely poor interaction percentages and just letting my Instagram posts fly over to it, to keep it populated. Facebook is great if you have links to share, however with having over 6000 followers and only getting 80-190 likes on an image or link post, I can’t justify my time spent on it. As they say, time is money. Even writing this Q&A is emptying my pockets.
4. Speaking of strategies, what advice would you give to photographers looking to build up a following on Instagram?
Connect.
Plain and simple. Connect with Brands, People, and Pages. Find people whose work you truly enjoy, follow them and continue to interact, talk to them, learn from them, encourage them, collaborate with them, and help each other. That’s how this works. #CommunityNOTCompetition
5. If you could choose just one thing that has made the most impact on your work as a photographer, what would it be?
Sharing. If you’re in a position to help someone, or teach someone, or lend a hand, DO IT. It’s invaluable, it’s exactly what our society is missing and its the very thing that helps you, even though you’re the one aiming to help.
6. Any advice for someone considering a career in photography?
One HUGE tip.
The most dangerous risk of all is the risk of not spending your life doing what you want on the bet you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later.
If you love something and focus on something enough, you can make it happen.That’s something they don’t teach you in school.
7. Anything else you’d like to add?
Enjoy Instagram and don’t take it too seriously. But one big thing for any photographer out there looking to use Instagram as a good marketing tool is to ONLY upload your best work, show your strict style, show a lifestyle others would like to live, and make them crave it, then they will follow, and when they follow, treat them with every ounce of respect and interact.