Today is the day that I delete my face book account and disconnect my I-Phone.
I know that many people will laugh at me and my decision to “go bush”, maybe making side bets as to how long I will last before I come back to my senses. I don’t know what the current O/U is in days, but my advice is don’t take the odds!
I have been with FB for a loonngg time, started with a personal account, then added business accounts along the way. My main two accounts were the personal one (which is required by FB to have a business account) and the Photography one. Here I posted images, articles and used it as a marketing tool for the photo biz. It had slowly expanded, to more than 4,000 followers. As time went on I saw that the more followers I had, the less people saw the material I posted. Over the past 3 months I spent a total of about $100 “boosting” a few posts. My suspicion is that, in order to extort more money from me to reach the people already following me, FB tweaked their algorithm so that less people saw me, prompting me to pay more $.
But really, as a marketing tool for a photographer, FB is a very ineffective. It requires a good bit of time with little result.
I would sometimes tell myself that I was going to go on FB post quickly and then close it and get on to more productive work, but like a meth head with ADD I would mindlessly surf all over.
There I would sit, seeing a weird mix of funny videos (a demolition derby with the cars pulling mobile homes and campers) and the horrors of the 
world. Between laughing and crying I would be sharing, making cool, snarky comments and like-ing my way through life, satisfied with myself and the work I was doing to make the world a better place, all with the click of a mouse!
“Johnny, what did you do today to make the world a better place?” I shared a video and made a comment on FB! Yippee!
The truth is that I feel better after pulling weeds in my garden for an hour over being on FB. I accomplished some tangible thing.
I must confess that one feature I will miss is unfriending. I mean how awesome is that? Where else can you see or read or hear someone else’s opinion and just delete them? Fucking awesome! A different political view, an unkind comment about my religion, dissing my fave team, Unfriended, Bitch! HA!!!
The passive-aggressive nature of FB is built right in to it. One can anonymously dis anyone and make belittling comments about others! Really, this is one of the most alarming aspects of FB, feeding the chicken-hearted, weasels ripped my flesh side of humanity.
Yes, I confess I will miss the funny videos, seeing stupid fuck-tards drive fork lifts down a flight of stairs. And I will miss the feeling of moral 
superiority as I share some cool article about the world banking system and how they are responsible for all that is wrong with our planet. Oh well! L
And then there is the Smart/I-Phone!
I was a long holdout to getting a smart phone; it was only a few months ago that I got one. My rationale was that I could use it to build my business, it would enable me to use Instagram, and well, everyone else had one. I vowed to NOT be that guy who sits with my friends and instead of actually communicating, we all sit nearby, ignoring each other, our collective attention sucked to the small screen enclosing the singularity of a black hole…any…effort…to…pull…away…a…struggle… 
Let me say right away that there are cool aspects of having one. The basic list is getting directions, finding restaurants, and all that. Blah, blah blah. But you know what? I somehow managed to get along without one for a LONG time. It is NOT a necessity.
One could say that having a smart phone offers the opportunity to be spontaneous, you know , you’re driving along and decide suddenly to have Thai food, so you ask the phone for the nearest spots, etc. Well, the phone may not actually understand you, and you get a link to the Two Lips Escort Service, when all you wanted was a map of the tulip fields, but hey, I never knew there WAS a Two Lips Escort Service and it turns out they are VERY nice people, and I mean, how cool is that?
For me I would go to my son’s baseball game and watch. After watching a bit I’d pull out the phone and start connecting, check on my FB friends, see some scores, watch more videos, see the latest news. Whereas before I would just watch the game, maybe chat with the people nearby and think about life. Now my focus was this little all-knowing screen.
In the end having the phone disconnected me.
From people; from events; from the environment, from the here and now. I became more connected to the over there and the before and/or later.
I admit to having a somewhat addictive personality. I should have been able to use my self-control, to only check my email or FB status every hour, not minute by minute. But, I am a weak minded person and so I lost the battle.
But then, in one last moment of lucid thought it came to me!
I can just un-friend my I-Phone!!!!!
And so that’s where I am going.
Sayonara, Facebook! Adios I-Phone!
Maybe we will meet again, but I sure hope not.
North Western Images - photos by Andy Porter 
I too deleted my Facebook photography page. I’m not OK with the fact that people who want to see my work didn’t see it. As a business, I saw ZERO return. No regrets to this day.
Hi Eric, Yes, I was telling myself that I would eventually see a benefit, if I just stayed with it and built more of a following, but realized (rather late) that its a fools errand. Are you a portrait photographer, or landscape, or both?
I shoot nature inspired images , sometimes abstract, sometimes minimal, sometimes monochrome. I’ve dabbled in a little of everything bit am honing in on abstract/Minimalism. Facebook is for sunstars, sunsets and popular photography IMO.
Also, here’s my blog post on this subject😂 http://wp.me/peI2E-11m
I am with you on some of the social media. I was told to join it all and that it would help get me customers. Almost 2 years later and not one sale. I have had fun with WordPress. No one ever found my website so WP is good in that area. I do not like Tumbler and don’t have time to chat on it so I think I will delete that one soon. Facebook is so annoying I have not been able to stand it since it started. Instagram is so annoying. I can’t use it on my computer. I have been a member for many years. I do not chat, pay for promos or comment on it – I just don’t like the play with it. The only sometimes useful on is Twitter for Rare Bird Alerts and general information. I look at a few Tweets and do not chat on that one either. I only have time to take photos and put a few up on WordPress. My smartphone is handy for weather, mapping and the occasional emergency text or call. I am paying a ridiculous amount for that. I can’t cut all the ties just yet. It is addictive. I wish you peace and joy.
Yes they are addictive. There are many people out there ranting all about the wonders of social media for marketing and all that, but really I have not seen much advantage to it at all. Having a FB presence is sort of like advertising your name on a billboard, along the highway. It gets your name out there, and thats about it! Are you based out of NYC?
Yes I live in Manhattan.
I have no mercy for Mobile Devices as malicious & virus infected as they are
Amen to that!!! Glad to be rid and free of it.
Thanks, and congratulations for the good decision! I’ll be looking at your website photos, if you send a link every so often.
Hi Eileen,
Thanks, I will send links!!
My main web site ;s: http://www.andyporterimages.com and my Flickr Site is: https://www.flickr.com/photos/northwesternimages/
Best,
Andy
I know exactly what you are saying. If it weren’t for relatives in Norway and other states, I wouldn’t even be back on here. I have left once. But I do like to state in touch with them. I use other apps and things to do that, but others who don’t know about that kind of thing don’t want to make the change. So I stay on. But I did want to tell you about MeWe which is a good place to be and no ads and garbage like we see here. Very private and so are your photos. Just a thought. But if you think it isn’t helping your business, then that may not help too. However, I will miss your photos! Blessings on your future and what you do! I sure enjoyed the classes you have offered. Wishing you the best!
Thanks for the tip on MeWe, will check it out. I dont really mind the pat about FB not being effective, but it sucks you into wasting time AND I have definitely seen FB change that way people can see your posts, they are definitely limiting your reach to the people already following you, and thats messed up!
Good article. We got a mini pad instead of an i-phone for craft shows, mainly for using a card reader. I have recently closed 3 social media accounts to downsize.
Thanks! Which other social media sites did you jettison? Curious!
Sorry for the delay. I am on facebook, Twitter,Tumble, and Pinterest. Denney Knives
I understand totally. I deleted my facebook account about 2 yrs ago. Don’t miss it. It was a major time suck! I do miss seeing what friends are up to, but now I call them or send a text msg to keep in touch. I like it much better!
I can’t get rid of my iPhone though. I use the maps, notes, instagram, and several apps related to photography; photopills, photograhers ephemeris, and a couple of different camera, and editing apps, and we love facetime! It’s great to see family members that are not local.
Yes, that’s the one and only good reason for FB: to keep in touch with a small group of real friends, mostly from other areas/countries. Out of my 650 “friends” I probably care to stay in contact with 50. And as for the 4000+ followers on the FB photo page, it took a long time to build it up, and I kept saying, “Well, when you get to this number of followers, you’ll start to see something…” but I never did.
As for the phone, I am still sooo new to it that I have not become very attached. I used to be excited to come home and check my email and messages, but with the phone on me I checked all the time…and I never learned the other apps, so I will be in blissful ignorance disconnecting it! But I DID at least find the Two Lips Escort Service! 🙂
ROFL!! Oh yes, Siri is great for finding things you least expected or asked it to find.
Never had a facebook – and really sick of hearing about it.
Good luck – I hear it’s tough to stop.
Thanks! I dont expect it to be very hard…we’ll see.
I had expended quite a bit of work to get it expanded, but as a marketing tool it is a complete waste.
I hear that Facebook is like doing drugs – very hard to stop doing it.
I wonder if there is a Facebook rehab available. Maybe one day, huh?
Yes, yes, yes, its like an addiction, there needs to be a FB Rehab Center!
After reading your post here, I thought about getting rid of my Facebook too. And just after seeing a post about “install Moments”. Whatever photos and whatnot you upload will be “deleted, unless you switch to Moments”. So I just updated my status and said “Adios Facebook!” and giving everyone on there about a week or two before I will no longer log into it. I got tired of it saying “please move to Messenger” and all the other bullshit on my iPad and Smartphone. I won’t get rid of my phone though, because I need it to keep in touch with my friends and family members I don’t see. But other than that, I totally agree with you here. The apps were a complete waste of time, space on the device, battery, and data as well. Good luck though! Are you still going to be on here and post those fabulous photos? 🙂
Oh yes, I will be posting more pics and articles on the blog pages, I will do a short post soon and give out the links to my other sites. The drama and insanity on FB is like a virus, it infects you with shit that is just a distraction. I feel better already! As for the phone, I have an flip phone, it can text and of course has voice, its what I had for a long time, and I was happy with it. I only had the I-Phone for several months and so did not come to think I couldn’t live with out the gps and internet connection…today is Day 1 going back to the flip phone, and so far, so good!
Goo on ya!!!
Hi Andy, I totally get where you are coming from… we waste so much time on all the garbage on FB (especially) – I wonder what else would I do with that time. I recommend this article: http://shifter.media/read-why-i-deleted-my-social-media-accounts/ – It made me quit my FB and Instagram last year in Sept, came back again in November though… The thing is – and I know this is just a lame excuse – I am far far away from home, family and friends, have been for over 10 years, lived in many different places and I still feel the best way to keep in touch with people is FB. BUT… I am aware what a trap this is. With this perk comes a lot of junk. This past year, after I moved to a new city / country – I decided I wanted to make a career change. I did’t want to go back to PR and the corporate world, instead I wanted to be a photographer. I found that Social Media can help with finding my way in a new place, but I wonder if actually this is not just another illusion… Maybe making more effort to go out there, for real, would be more effective… I don’t know. I hope you will find out. I hope I’ll find out. Good luck!
What country/city are you currently in? I lived over seas for years, mostly before FB, but, yeah, I get how it is very useful for keeping in touch, and I will miss that aspect of it. Theoretically, one could just do a fast in and out on FB, and not get caught up in its drama and insanity…for me the marketing aspect of FB for the photo biz was almost zero…I did have a few peoiple find classes I teach, but never sold a print or photo tour from it. I think if I focus my efforts on the web site, blog and flickr I will generate more interest…and have less stress and more fun! As well as more time to learn new skills on PS. I will keep my experiences updated as I progress.
I just read the article you linked…thank you! it was great and very liberating. The aspect of undivided attention is right on. 🙂