{
  "id": 17420552,
  "title": "I wasted my life trying to please the Instagram algorithm – I’m so much happier now I’ve stopped",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/i-wasted-my-life-trying-to-please-the-instagram-algorithm-im-so-much",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-31T14:43:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Amateur Photographer",
    "slug": "amateur-photographer",
    "url": "https://amateurphotographer.com/latest/opinion/i-wasted-my-life-trying-to-please-the-instagram-algorithm-im-so-much-happier-now-ive-stopped/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The author started sharing their photography on Instagram during their late teens and early twenties. They initially built up a small following but soon became obsessed with the algorithm and posting frequently to boost engagement. They tried to focus on a single genre or niche but found little success in terms of likes and followers. Work commitments took them away from photography for five years, but when they returned, Instagram had changed to prioritize reels and video content. The author fell into the same cycle of chasing likes and views, and their images began to lose their originality and impact. Realizing the emptiness of their approach, they returned to their roots by focusing on landscapes and their creative techniques. By doing so, the author has found peace and happiness in their photography once again, without the need for external validation from Instagram's algorithm.",
  "summary": "Shooting solely in portrait format, prioritising postcard-esque images, sound familiar? Here’s my experience, plus advice on how to avoid making the same mistakes as me The post I wasted my life trying to please the Instagram algorithm – I’m so much happier now I’ve stopped appeared first on Amateur Photographer .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}