Making Connections through Social Media
JONATHAN YUE
Photographer Justin Boruta sees this on an everyday basis. Seeing people in Toronto with big DSLRs in their hands, he believes that’s where a problem lies. Becoming a well-known photographer in Toronto is not as easy as it looks. It’s no longer about who owns a camera, but about who can make their photos pop in such a photogenic city.
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“It’s hard to grow a crowd in a city that’s super saturated with photographers, so it’s hard to stand out from them,” Boruta says.
This is where social media comes in. Sites like Instagram and Twitter are portfolios for photographers who are able to reach massive audiences and receive recognition for their work.
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Known as @borvta on Instagram and Twitter, Boruta shares his best works with his followers and it’s helped him build connections. This year, Boruta transitioned from rooftop photography to the Toronto street life. People noticed that change, and he now has over 10 thousand followers on Instagram. His popularity is getting noticed and he’s been offered to shoot at concerts and events such as the Veld Music Festival.
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“I’ve met so many different people, the connection that social media has with people around the world is crazy,” Boruta says. “People in New York, Chicago that I’ve never met before, these connections just lead to more opportunities down the road.”
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Social media portfolios are catching the attention of traditional media. Newspapers, magazines, and online publications are beginning to reach out to these photographers. The online media site, LADBible, for example invited Boruta to host it’s SnapChat, and it helped Boruta get exposure but also helped LADBible pique the interest of different audiences. Even the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) partnered up with local Toronto photographers to promote and showcase the museum.
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Last August, the ROM started the #emptyROM series, an event that invited photographers into the museum with their cameras to take pictures before opening hours. Ryan Dodge, the digital content manager at the ROM, was interested in building a new relationship with the local photographers and their audience.
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“We wanted to engage with a community we don’t normally engage with,” Dodge says. “We were interested in seeing the museum through their eyes.”
It also didn’t cost the ROM much to co-ordinate the project either. Some photos were later published on the ROM’s blog, showcasing the photographers and the cool things they saw in the museum.
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Popular media companies in Toronto, like BlogTO, are inviting photographers to “takeover” the company’s SnapChat and Instagram. The ROM wanted to incorporate Toronto photographers too, staying relevant in the ways they communicate with their visitors. Dodge says that they see the audience on these sites and is interested in promoting the ROM through these platforms.
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“People are engaging with us online and there is an audience there. It’s just one more thing that justifies what we’re doing on social media and the #emptyROM events,” Dodge explains
Videographer Eric Tam, says he sees the benefits of working with organizations to expand his creative works. The creator of VuePoint, a Toronto production house that does projects for small and national businesses, Tam says that these social media interactions with photographers is what keeps people interested in the content.
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“Those types of platforms are meant to be featuring any kind of photographers or creators to get themselves out there, with many of those platforms having the goal of reaching certain audiences,” Tam explains.
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Tam credits his use of social media for allowing his clients to see what Viewpoint has done in the past, and through that, gain the trust and confidence to give them projects. Since their main way of advertising themselves is by using Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube, Tam believes that they are a good way for introducing who they are to people.
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“For potential or new clients coming, they will be able to see our social media accounts as a first point of contact, as well as see our behind the scenes content, and how we operate,” Tam says.
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Social media is changing how these photographers are finding work. Opportunities are being opened through their online portfolios and people from all over the world can see it. They are no longer limited to the term “Toronto” photographers and can reach a greater audience. They reach more people and for people like Boruta, Dodge, and Tam, it benefits everyone.
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“Social media allows me to reach so many people from across the world,” Boruta says. “I encourage people to share their work just because inspiration is such a good trait to have. Just being an inspiration on the social media platform is always good.”
Courtesy: Justin Boruta/@borvta
