TLDR - Pep talk for myself and artists/small businesses like me - hang in there and be your own biggest supporter: Occasional reminder to myself and anyone else that needs to hear it that number of likes on posts does not define our worth. Does it absolutely feel like a punch to the gut when time and again I share stuff I’m really proud of and get 3-10 likes (always sending love to that core group who always shares the love☺️ I see you, always)..? Yeah. I never really got a lot to begin with, typically hovered in the 40-120 range but even that made me perfectly happy, made me feel seen and loved by friends and fellow artists and fans. I get that I don’t “play the game” and do meaningless follows/unfollows, spam for engagement, post only at a certain time, post half-naked photos of myself, I don’t pay for fake fans and all that caca, that I’m not a celebrity or gorgeous model to begin with, that I don’t have time to totally pivot my whole world to become yet another fake tiktok “content creator”, and that there are “algorithm issues” on IG now but damn 😔 It hurts not feeliqng the love. Leaves you feeling like, “is it just not being seen or is my work that terrible?” Just gotta remind myself that I love my work at the end of the day, I cherish the connections I got to make with these amazing people or places, and that’s what matters most. 🧡 and you don’t have to like my stuff particularly but on behalf of the small business and artist community, likes literally cost nothing and are a great way to help support others ☺️ • • Muse: @rosedinardo Location: #tgsanalog @analogrecordshop Coordinator/hostess: @tgscollective Wardrobe fun: @branden.ruiz • • #blackandwhitephotography #bwphotography #blackandwhitevibes #badassbabes #lookslikefilm #gameoftones #agameoftones #portraitphotography #losangelesphotographer #orangecountyphotographer #editorialshoot #edgyshoot #moodyvibes #90svibes #moodygrams #pursuitofportraits #portraitgames #portraitmode #portraits #staycreative #createalways #thegroovyshack #tgscollective #tgslocations #fashionshoot #analogrecordshop #records #recordstore #peptalk (at Analog Record Shop) https://www.instagram.com/p/CiMNp2ruL3M/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=