All images are from the @photographers_
struggle_memes Instagram account
Poking fun at professional pitfalls and vanities, the anonymous photographers_struggle_memes is a hit Instagram account which provides an outlet for fears and frustrations, and raises a laugh to boot
“Benefits of being a PHOTOGRAPHER,” reads the text on a piechart, coloured in green, pink and orange. “Money, fame, dates,” reads the key, coloured in red, blue and yellow. “FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER,” accompanies a woman walking a tightrope. “WORKING A NINE TO FIVE JOB” and “HOMELESSNESS” read the legends on either side.
This is photographers_struggle_memes, the darkly humorous Instagram account. Run by an unnamed individual – who opted to stay anonymous for this interview – it is rough-round-the-edges, glitchy, DIY. It is also clearly the work of an insider, reworking and creating memes with an ironic, conspiratorial eye. They have their finger on the industry pulse, while (they might say) that pulse remains.
“THE PHOTO INDUSTRY,” reads the caption on two young women on a sinking yacht; “ME WHO SIMPLY DECIDED TO GO DOWN WITH IT,” attached to the one smiling giddily into the camera. “Yes, I’m a photographer,” the founder tells me over email, the address tagged Photo Struggle. “I think that’s obvious. The account is run exclusively by me. I’m based in Europe, but I’m available worldwide ;)”.
The first photographers_struggle_memes post was in January 2021, the middle of the pandemic in the UK, though the founder says that was not a direct inspiration. They are a meme pages fan and, while there were a few aimed at photographers, they had not found anything that spoke to them, or that was aimed at freelance professionals working in editorial. Initially they posted a couple of memes just for fun, and as an outlet for their frustrations. Then they started to pick up followers, and have somehow kept going. Recently they have been posting more, sometimes they take a break; there are no big reasons why, they say, other than that sometimes they need to work.
“Nobody really dares to speak out publicly against photo editors, art directors or publishers, because they’re in positions of power”
Over those five years the account has become a cult hit with, at the time of writing, approaching 10k followers. Often topical and always on point, the posts reference current events, memes and talking points, or familiar foibles or industry figures, plus the ongoing grind of finding work and getting paid. “If your memes aren’t good enough, they aren’t close enough to the truth,” reads the account bio, rethinking Robert Capa’s dictum for the 21st century. Some of the jokes are very close to the bone.
“ME AT PARIS PHOTO, 10% PHOTOGRAPHY, 90% THIS:” reads the text on a shot of Anthony Bourdain, suave on a cafe terrace. “NO FESTIVAL TICKET, STILL CALLING IT A PROFESSIONAL TRIP / KNOWING I’LL BE BROKE WHEN I’M BACK HOME BUT DECIDED TO IGNORE THESE THOUGHTS / PRETENDING TO HATE CAPITALISM WHILE SECRETLY HOPING A COLLECTOR LIKES MY WORK.”
The memes attract hundreds of likes, and comments that express wry recognition; “fucking gems” or “the last one stung” are typical, and Photo Struggle says the DMs are better still. That fellow-feeling is part of the point, they say, because while photography and the photographic community can be great, it is also a tough career.
“I’ve met great people through photography and had some genuinely great experiences BUT the industry also has its darker sides, things that can make you angry, sad, or even desperate at times,” they say.
“Humour is a really good way of dealing with that. I think that’s why the account works for some people. It speaks to the same struggles they’re going through, and we can laugh about it together… Some comments (but especially the DMs) are the main reason I keep going. They’ve shown me that we all share the same struggles in this industry, and that we need this sort of humour as a release. I’m just happy about the amazing feedback I get. Otherwise, I wouldn’t continue. Honestly, the feedback I get is way better than what I get for my actual photo work.”
Photo Struggle’s comments sum up something of a dichotomy – there is a photo community, but then there are things one only says anonymously, or in private DMs; many photographers recognise the same issues, but theses issues somehow have to remain an open secret. Photo Struggle says they have sometimes considered deleting the account, in fact, “because I was worried people might find out who I am”.
And this highlights a problem because, while some of the memes are just deliciously naughty – poking fun at particular photographers or setting little bonfires of vanities – others point to very real structural problems around job security, pay and conditions. Freelancers are less able to complain and nearly all photographers are freelancers now.
“Nobody really dares to speak out publicly against photo editors, art directors or publishers, because they’re in positions of power, and there’s a real fear that public criticism could damage opportunities,” says the founder. “No group is forming to publicly campaign because everyone is afraid of losing their already poorly paid assignments.”
The success of photographers_struggle_memes points to another peculiarity; prestige in the photography industry still largely attaches to physical photobooks and exhibitions, but images can live so happily online. There are awards for the photobook of the year, presented at big art fairs and festivals, for example, but so far, no equivalents for websites, accounts or memes.
Photo Struggle recognises the problems, but they are also at peace. Instagram does not serve photography well because it encourages viewers to scroll on by, they argue; the industry needs a platform that is slower paced, because good photographs are worth more than being judged instantly then swiped away. They also prefer to keep their account as it is, on the downlow and amateur. “Most of the ideas come from situations I’ve experienced myself; 90 per cent of the memes are basically just me,” they say. “I make jokes about myself as much as anyone else.”
They add that they do not have any expectations or dreams for the account, because high expectations bring pressure and maybe disappointment, and they have already experienced that with their photography. “I don’t need that stress on a meme account too,” they say. “And it would take all the fun out of it if people knew who was behind the account. In professional circles you don’t always feel comfortable making bold statements, calling out bad behaviour, or criticising things sharply. But memes can. That’s what they’re for.”
