Recently, my subscription to Flickr expired and on logging in today, they asked me once again to upgrade. Something like $143 for 2 years, or $6+ a month. I balanced this in my mind. When I was exploring photography and truly enjoying making so many mistakes, Flickr was a pretty good deal.

Now, not so much.

First of all, I have learned that I don’t like walking around with a camera all the time. In Trinidad and Tobago, that’s a good way to lose a camera to someone who wants it more than you. This has happened to me once when I left a camera in an unlocked car (my fault), so I’m a bit paranoid about that. And since I mostly shoot nature, I tend to walk with longer lenses which do not allow for being inconspicuous when wandering around.

Second, I shoot less photos because I have become better at it. Flickr allowed me to see which photos were most liked, but really, many of my photos during periods were different shots of the same thing. There’s only so many landscape photos on the same beach that someone will like, but I plunged forward because I enjoyed it – and I did – and because it allowed me to get better at it.

Lastly, the camera on my phone has improved enough for most things I would shoot with the exception of some niche wildlife shots, and the sharing of photos in that regard is easy, cheap, and doesn’t require Flickr.

The technology has changed, the competition has changed, I have changed, and I suppose Flickr will be freeing up space for someone else soon enough.

I must say, I like the direction they are going in, but I suppose we have grown apart. I wish them well.