🚀 Why This Instagram Post Reached 19K Views

The day before my last newsletter went out two weeks ago, I posted a contact sheet print on Instagram. I had already shared this image in my Stories before and got a lot of comments saying it looked cool, so I figured I’d post it on my feed as well.

Since I was about to send out a newsletter, I added a CTA: "If you’re curious about the process, I’ll be sharing it in my newsletter tomorrow (Tuesday). You can subscribe for free through the link in my bio🔗"

As a result, the post reached around 14,000 accounts over the past two weeks, and my profile activity exceeded 600. As you can see, my follower count went up, and so did my newsletter subscribers.
(If you found this newsletter through that Instagram post—you're awesome. Thanks for being here!)

I don’t usually talk about social media metrics, nor do I follow any specific strategy, but let’s be honest—seeing other people’s numbers can be pretty interesting.

So, I thought I’d break down why this post performed better than my usual ones and analyze it from my perspective.

🍕 Latest Update: Testing a New Paper for Printing

To everyone who ordered MI LU’s zine “上海夜猫族 - Shanghai Night Stories”, packing is now complete, and shipping will begin today! Hope you’re excited for its arrival.

Also, in addition to darkroom printing, I also experiment with inkjet prints. Recently, I tried out Pictoran’s Kyokushi Paper, and the results were surprisingly good.(The print included with "上海夜猫族 - Shanghai Night Stories" is also printed on Pictoran’s Kyokushi Paper.)

So, as a little bonus, anyone who orders a zine from FAR EAST DARKROOM in February—including those who have already placed an order—will receive a free print made with this Kyokushi Paper. Hope you’re looking forward to it! 😊

📊 Social Media Isn’t Just a “Broadcasting Platform”—It’s a Space for Interaction

Whether 19,000 views is a big or small number doesn’t really matter. What’s more interesting is figuring out why this post got more views than usual.

I’ve always believed that social media isn’t just a platform for broadcasting—it’s a space for interaction. And I think Instagram follows the same philosophy. (Adam Mosseri, Instagram’s CEO, hasn’t explicitly said this, but I personally feel like he operates under a similar mindset.)

That’s why I don’t use social media just to showcase my photos. Instead, I treat it like a journal, sharing what I’ve been working on and engaging with people who resonate with it. That interaction is what makes social media enjoyable for me.

If I were the type of person constantly craving validation—thinking, "Look at my photos! Give me more likes!"—I’d probably be frustrated with Instagram’s current algorithm and would have shut down my account by now.

Of course, I won’t deny that going viral feels great, but at the end of the day, my goal is meaningful interactions. Even if only a few people engage with my posts, leave comments, or DM me, I find genuine joy in those interactions.

🍎 New Inspirations Lead to New Interactions

Lately, I’ve been more intentional about sharing my projects on social media—especially things I’m trying for the first time or experimenting with. More like, "Hey, I tried this—what do you think? Pretty cool, right?"

For example, I attached a peep hole (the kind you put on doors) to my camera and shot through it. I also made a zine where every single page is a color darkroom print.
And with my rocket photography—well, it was Japan’s first successful launch of the new H3 rocket, and it was also my first time shooting with a telephoto lens. Big or small, I’ve been diving into new challenges.

And the thing about trying new things is that they spark new interactions. When you see something fresh on Instagram, you want to share it or save it for later, right?

That’s exactly what led to the increase in views this time.

📟 I Want to Do Things You Can’t Find on the Internet

I love the internet. And that’s exactly why my motivation comes from doing things you can’t just look up online.

If I can try something new, share it with the world, and make it easier for others to follow that path—leading to even more people pushing boundaries and experimenting with fresh ideas—that would be amazing.

Take contact sheet prints, for example. It’s not a secret technique. Some people already know how to do it, and it’s really not that hard. But try searching for it online—you won’t find a single proper guide on how to do it.

People tend to keep technical knowledge to themselves, like some kind of trade secret. But let’s be real—in the age of AI, it’s getting harder to stand out based on technical skills alone.

Instead of keeping things locked away, why not share? Even something like Lightroom presets—rather than selling them, you could give them away for free in exchange for a newsletter sign-up or a follow. That way, you’re not just giving out a preset—you’re creating new interactions.

And look at us right now. We’re connected across Tokyo and the rest of the world—through email, of all things. In 2025, being connected through email feels kind of special, doesn’t it?

If today’s newsletter gave you any insights or sparked some inspiration, feel free to hit reply. I read every response, and I’ll do my best to reply.

That’s it for this week—thanks for reading!
Hope you have a great rest of the week. Let’s keep pushing forward 🚀

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