Most experienced Instagrammers and articles online recommend showing your own photo on Instagram. People want to connect with other people, not logos or avatars, they say.
So why do I continue to use an illustration for my profile pic?
A True Reflection.
Besides being shy, there's also my need for privacy. I know there are people who'd love to be recognized on the streets but that's not me. (Part of being an INFP, I guess.)
But even more important is the fact that this illustration truly reflects who I am, maybe even more than my actual photos. Even though I'm already a full-fledged adult for many many years, deep down I feel like I'm still that young boy, curious about many things in the world and wanting to create stories & draw art, something that's been frowned upon by too many "practical" adults since I became a teenager.
Deep down, I feel like I'm still that young boy who's curious about the world & wants to create stories and art.
And so, yes, when I share my profile and my works on Instagram, I feel like this is exactly the person I'm inviting people to follow and connect with, i.e. a curious boy who finds the most joy in creating his own personal fantastical worlds. And when people do connect with me, I feel like they are similar souls who are not overly constrained by the practicalities and rules of society, and I feel like I'm truly making meaningful connections.
So I guess the inevitable question that comes next is: are you that next person I am making connections with?