*You can read this article in Spanish in my other web. Entrevista y fotos a The Art of Paloma.
The growing weight of Instagram is undeniable. Navigating the culture of the image, one finds many people who in one way or another dedicate their efforts to this network. Not everyone has the same talent, ability or resilience to achieve results, so there are especially interesting cases. One of the accounts that came to my attention was Paloma García Cuanda, The Art of Paloma, so it seemed like a good idea to contact her for a while.
My idea was basically to talk and take a picture, but we turned the interview into a photo shoot. I asked her a few things and then I had to supplement that questions by phone, because, well, the photographs ate the interview.
The origins of The Art of Paloma
The Art of Paloma is not an Instagram account that appears suddenly because a 15-year-old girl discovers that she can get attention with the photos of the ice cream she eats. Paloma was experimenting quite a long time ago, in an old application called Fotolog and that was a kind of Instagram precursor. The concept was similar, but since mobile technology was not as advanced as it is today, the web was weakened and forgotten. “I started there,” says Paloma. «It was a platform where you uploaded a photo a day and there also began bloggers who later became known as Lovely Pepa or Gala González. It’s what was fashionable then
Paloma forgot a little Fotolog, and years later, she made a first attempt at Blogger where she began to release more elaborate content. «I read in a magazine that they talked about a blogger who I remembered from Fotolog. And she talked about her blog. I got in, saw it, and thought about riding one. I created a very fond one and after a while, they called me from a communication agency and offered me a professional blog and a five-year contract.
Sincerity above all
“Working in consulting” explains Paloma, who studied Business Administration and Law, “I have little time, because you have more responsibilities, and it is difficult to make posts, so the blog is a bit uncared. It’s also because with Instagram, which is what really generates the most engagement, for many brands it is enough. I like to write on the blog and it is another tool. I do not want to abandon it at all and if one day, I can, under the rhythm of work I would like to retake it, but the last post I published it a few months ago. I feel sorry because I have photos, lots of information about restaurants, hotels, there is a lot of material … ».
One of the amazing things about Paloma is that, despite being a person with a profile dedicated to the image, it does not convey at any time the sense of superficiality that one might expect. If you have to recognize that something does not come, it does. A very transparent, almost crystalline self-criticism ability.
Paloma currently has just over 172,000 followers, a more than remarkable figure. It has an important interaction with its followers, a reasonable publication rate and a very careful quality in all its contents, both in the selection of styles and in the aspect of photography.
«The Art of Paloma has more than 172,000 followers»
“It is very complicated” also explains “that a person manages an entire brand. Above all, it’s complicated to differentiate yourself from the rest and find that particular aspect that distinguishes you from others. It is very easy to copy others, to do what everyone does (although you are also inspired by what others do), but to find that part of you that likes and triumphs ». The work carried out is often difficult to detect, but the impression of authenticity and consistency that it transmits requires, paradoxically, a lot of work.
Caring for the audience
One of the curiosities that Paloma tells us about her Instagram is that, despite being fashionable, the percentage of male followers is significantly higher than the female. «It probably has to do with photos.That’s why I try to keep my balance by putting more fashion or travel photos, than bikini photos for example ».
“The main thing when you start a blog,” he explains, “is to think of a target, a target audience and see what qualities you have to reach those people. In my case, I offer lifestyle, travel, fashion, I try to ensure that the photographs are taken care of – with professional photographers – and of quality … ». When we comment on this, he confesses that he is working to improve engagement and answering all comments and messages. This extreme, that of caring for followers, is particularly laborious, but essential for maintaining a good fan base.They are people and it is important that they feel valued. “You have to take care of the audience, answer them and see them as someone close,”she says.
«I care very much about my photographs and I work with professional photographers»
We had a lot of this conversation more informally while we were taking the photos. It is true that, in personal treatment, she is much closer than one would expect, and it is that gap between the photo and its real character that wants to close.
The future outlook for Paloma, in the short term, continues on Instagram. It is clear that the increasingly clear trend is video. «More and more real things, more spontaneous, than what is now on Instagram, where things are more artificial».
My name is Sergi Albir. I am a professional photographer in Valencia, Madrid, Barcelona and more places. If you need me, whistle. Well, and if you see that that does not work, you better send me an email to sergi@archerphoto.eu or a Whatsapp, or Telegram, at +34 644459753. If you want more information about photos on Instagram, I also have posts on this website.