Less surprised, but still faintly disappointed...

In a near identical re-run of this time last year (see my blog post, Me Vs Instagram), my Instagram "best 9" hasn't included any of the photos I'm most proud of having created across 2022.

In fact, it even includes a photo I repeated from the previous year for Star Wars Day (May the 4th), and a photo of a photo taken nearly 25 years ago.

With the exception of the D&G Life cover, which was about the feature the magazine did on my photography, all the rest are selfies of some kind.

And the ones with the most likes are the ones of me with Meg, with the highest scoring of all being the one of me, Meg and Maggie.

I know, I know... there's a reason social media has the word "social" in it.

Of course I love being with my wife and daughter, but is the way to increase my Instagram following really just to put up a constant stream of photos of me and Meg picking brambles and sitting in cafés?

Probably.

But how would that help me grow an audience for my actual photography business?

Last year it caught me by surprise.

This year, not so much because of last year.

However, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at least a little disappointed that the photos I strive so hard to create - the ones where I stretch my abilities and grow as a photographer - don't even get a look in...

Still, my next blog post will be "2022 in Photographs", where I will show you the photos I feel most proud of from the past 12 months - stay tuned...