With TikTok’s future uncertain in the US, and Instagram’s divisive ownership and controversial rectangular updates, photographers and creatives are looking for an alternative platform to display their work.
It would now seem that the photographic community is ready to return to a past flame: Flickr.
Earlier this month I came across a Reddit post on the r/photography thread from a user who wrote that Instagram had been driving them mad lately, citing battles with the algorithm, pointless content and the “overwhelming push for video content.” They added, “it’s all become too much. As someone who loves photography for the sake of the craft, it feels like Instagram has forgotten its roots.”
Describing their recent revisit to Flickr like “a breath of fresh air”, they asked, “remember when platforms were more about sharing and appreciating photography rather than chasing engagement metrics? That’s the vibe I’ve found on Flickr.”
They cited these four reasons as to why they have gone back to Flickr:
• No algorithms in sight: Your feed is chronological, so you actually see the work of the people you follow without worrying about “optimizing” your post to be seen.
• Focus on photography: It’s still a platform for photographers. Whether you're a professional or an amateur, the emphasis is on images – not reels, not stories, just photos.
• Communities and groups: I’ve joined a few groups that align with my interests, and the level of engagement feels genuine. Discussions are more about technique, inspiration, or sharing ideas – not just “Nice shot! Follow me back?” comments.
• Archive of memories: Flickr has such a deep history. Browsing through the platform, I stumbled upon older images from both myself and others that reminded me of why I fell in love with photography in the first place.
The general consensus among the comments on the thread was entirely in favor of returning to Flickr.
“Instagram is dead for photographers,” says one user. “Flickr is great - as you say, not much drama, just photography. Certainly less toxic than most places these days,” said another.
A third said, “The clean interface and focus on the photography is likely why the U.S. Department of State maintains their photography database on Flickr still.”
A natural progression after the potential demise of TikTok is that visual artists move seamlessly to Instagram. However, the platform has been plagued by controversy in recent days.
In a desperate attempt to stay relevant, Meta recently offered to pay up to $5,000 (around £4,000 / AU$8,000) to popular creators in the United States to join Facebook and Instagram.
It says those joining from "third-party social apps" will get cash based on "an evaluation of your social presence,” and although it doesn’t mention TikTok by name, it's clearly trying to capitalize on the platform's uncertain future by offering people who make their living from social media a cash incentive.
At the same time, Instagram users were furious recently when they viewed their profiles to see that Meta had changed the square grid to a portrait one, destroying carefully curated profiles, and prompting many people to look for an alternative platform.
In addition, the dominant social media platforms are alienating users who don't ascribe to the new President's politics. Mark Zuckerberg recently donated $1 million to the Trump fund, and announced this month that Meta would end third-party fact-checking in favor of a tactic taken by Elon Musk-owned X – another prolific Trump supporter – in an apparent attempt to pander to the President's previous criticisms of Meta’s platform.
Meta has also today been forced to deny forcing users to follow official accounts belonging to senior figures in the new Trump administration. Users of Instagram and Facebook have reported discovering that they have been made to “automatically” follow the new president, as well as Vice President JD Vance, and First Lady Melania Trump.
For photographers looking to share photos free of politics, Flickr might be the best answer.
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