Happy Tuesday! Welcome back to another article and thanks a lot for supporting this blog and newsletter. That means a lot.
Over the past couple of months, I’ve found myself looking back with a touch of nostalgia at my time in Pictas. It was a wonderful community, full of interesting people and talented photographers. A vibrant, dynamic space filled with photography contests and webinars.
Yet, precisely because of its complexity, it eventually became too difficult to manage for those running it in their spare time. And in the end, it closed down.
Personally, I’m still in touch with several people who were part of that community, even though there’s no longer a “common space” where we can gather. What remains are the photography hubs on Vero, excellently managed by Eric and a group of volunteers.
So I asked myself: do communities like that—where having a shared space fueled learning, exchange, and growth—still make sense? Do they still exist? Or has the paradigm shift imposed by social media, where the priority is to stand out (by number of followers, likes, impressions, and reach), made them anachronistic and completely out of step with our times?
Honestly, I miss a space like that.
I miss a place where you don’t have to post something every day, or show only your best, “polished” side. A space you know is there when you need it: to ask a question, to have a chat with others who share your mindset.
I miss a community where the strength lies not in how much you post, but in the community itself. Volume follows naturally. Quality and quantity depend on how lively, talkative, and willing the members are to share their thoughts and knowledge with others.
That’s why, over the last two months or so, I’ve started wondering if I could recreate that space myself. To offer a tool for nostalgics like me who still believe in the power of the group to enrich the individual. Growth and fulfillment are always a give-and-take relationship.
No one in the world possesses 100% of the know-how.
But together, as a group, we can come close.
I think I’ve found an interesting tool for this purpose, but I don’t believe I can develop it alone. Exactly for the reason I just mentioned: strength lies in the group.
I’m not talking about launching a new social network (there are already far too many), or developing some incredibly complicated software. I have something much simpler in mind.
Let’s talk about it: I’m sure there are others out there who share this idea. Let’s make it concrete.
Together.
Take care and talk soon!