This week has been a strange one. I released my second YouTube video and received some genuinely nice feedback in DMs and comments on other platforms—the kind that actually motivate you to keep creating. But underscoring that positivity lurked this sense of dread about having to spread and promote myself across so many platforms. Each one demanding its own form of presence, each one potentially a temporary home as users migrate to the next big thing.

The irony isn’t lost on me that Refrakt contributes to this fragmentation in its current form. A few uncomfortable online interactions this week only reinforced what I’ve been feeling: we need fewer platforms to shout into, and more spaces for genuine connection.

It’s been a stark reminder. I’ve caught myself spending too much time scrolling when what I really want—what I really need—is a smaller, more focused community centered around the things I actually give a shit about.

This ties back to something I’ve been thinking about with photography platforms for a long time now. I’ve seen photographers argue they don’t want a photographer-only platform because they need their work discovered by the public. But what they’re actually describing is a need for a website and a distribution channel—which is valid. I already have a website, you’re on it. It’s the distribution channels that are the kind of spaces I do not want to inhabit anymore.

I should acknowledge my perspective here… I’m in the fortunate position where I don’t rely on social media for client work or business growth. This gives me the freedom to think about platforms differently than photographers who need that visibility for their livelihood.

What I’m actually craving instead:

• A place to organise projects and work in progress
• A place to share half-formed thoughts about said projects
• A place that’s private and collaborative, and less performative
• A place you don’t have to constantly check for fear of missing out
• A place that leads to more IRL connections being made
• A place that puts expression over engagement metrics

But more than that, I want my time back. You can’t control the firehose of information that others share. That person you’ve followed for years might suddenly reveal values that clash dramatically with yours, or post something that leaves you feeling drained. While different perspectives are crucial (nobody wants an echo chamber), there’s a difference between healthy discourse and exhaustion.

This past year, and especially more recently, I’ve had this nagging feeling that Refrakt isn’t quite hitting the mark in its current form. It’s too similar to other photo platforms, inheriting many of the same pitfalls.

Right now, Refrakt contributes to the fragmentation because it’s trying to occupy a similar space to Instagram, Glass, or Foto—but it’s not different enough to carve out its own identity. People come to Refrakt with the same expectations they bring to other platforms, hoping it might be the next big thing that drives engagement or virality or generates business leads. That was never the point.

What I’m realising is that Refrakt (or something new) needs to be more of a collaborative tool than social network. Think less Instagram, more like a hybrid of Are.na and Discord. An actual home for your photography practice where the focus is on organisation and meaningful connection rather than viral potential. Sure, we could add features later that help with public visibility, like beautiful website views of your work or email newsletters based on spaces, but that would be secondary to the core purpose—creating a space where photographers can actually work with their medium, not just promote it.

It’s not a bad thing that Refrakt isn’t there right now, I just think there’s a better and more interesting, authentic way forward.

I’ve been working on a vision for something new—whether that’s a new version of Refrakt or an entirely different platform (open to name suggestions). It’s become a lot more solid and vivid in my mind. I’ve touched on this in previous posts, and you’re probably tired of hearing about it. But this new direction focuses on smaller communities built around shared interests and genuine connections. Communities that elevate each other through photography, where collaboration and raw creativity are celebrated. A space where you can choose to share publicly or work entirely in private, or even to just bounce ideas around with a friend.

So I’m stepping back from social. I’ll maintain my presence on YouTube & Refrakt, and I’ll share links to new content on Bluesky, but I’m done with the scrolling. I’m tired of reading heated debates about things that ultimately don’t matter much (like the latest Instagram grid update). Instead, I’m channeling that energy into my craft and building out the backend for this new vision, and I’ll share some more concrete updates soon.

I might even start using this journal more like a micro-blogging platform but with RSS instead—a return to the web’s more thoughtful roots.

While I’ll continue sharing links to new content on platforms like Bluesky, I won’t be actively engaging on them for the time being. If you want to chat about anything I’ve shared, email is the best way to reach me—it’s more manageable and I’m much more likely to respond thoughtfully.

Thanks for reading, Sam.

P.S. I’m aware it’s a priveledged position to be able to disengage, but I have to remember… my brain isn’t supposed to see and process all of that information. It’s already taxing enough being autistic. I have to find what works for me.