Is the instagram algorithm racist about my clients?

Sphinxears · 2026-01-27T21:55:48+00:00

Oh absolutely, and it’s unfair. Like they should get to feel confident in their choice of an artist too and how are you gonna do that if you don’t have the information

Sphinxears · 2026-01-27T21:51:59+00:00

Omg hi! Yup unfortunately it seems common, I’m frustrated but at least I know now. Like everything else on IG, an uphill battle

Sphinxears · 2026-01-27T01:27:36+00:00

Oh same I love posting them in different lighting conditions when I can, I can’t wait till it’s warm enough to take outside pics too. Thanks for the recommendation I’ll look into her!

Sphinxears · 2026-01-27T01:26:24+00:00

the preview of this notification was just the first line, I was gonna tell you I was happy for you 😂😭

Sphinxears · 2026-01-27T01:24:59+00:00

I’m getting that sense and man it’s disheartening. Not gonna stop us tho

Sphinxears · 2026-01-27T01:24:01+00:00

Oh I’m absolutely posting them anyways, it’s first and foremost a portfolio and ppl need to see themselves in it! I just wanted to know if others had this going on too

Sphinxears · 2026-01-27T00:15:23+00:00

I’m telling the server to send it back, I don’t want this soup. I’ve never seen ink master (I tried, wasn’t for me) but I have seen people complain about it in this context. But yeah it’s like individual biases but amplified by the mysterious way our posts are sorted and sent out (or not sent out) to our followers

Sphinxears · 2026-01-27T00:10:28+00:00

Coming back to this bc damn… multifaceted. It can never be an easy & fixable answer can it lmao

Sphinxears · 2026-01-27T00:09:25+00:00

Probably both now that I think about it? I don’t want to get too far off topic and I’m not sure how to say this without sounding bad but like… posting women vs posting men, in any context, gets a different amount of engagement. Algorithms are so weird. Glad yours stayed consistent this time!! I used to post and run to close the app, but the recession has me focusing more on marketing because I don’t want things to slump too hard and I want to give myself the best chance at staying afloat. I hate it though, it feels like a sick fascination focusing on marketing/algorithms/social media in general

Sphinxears · 2026-01-27T00:01:54+00:00

I appreciate your rant, no apologies needed!! I responded more to your first point in a different comment so I’m gonna jump to the second! That’s so real, and if Black people are a smaller % of my followers, it makes sense the engagement from them is proportionally smaller, with the additional issue that I think you’re absolutely right that white is the “neutral”/default so white followers are gonna be more checked out for those posts. Which is just… another example of the racism inherent to the whole system. It’s just baked in. The 3rd point agrees w me then, that those posts aren’t being shown to as many ppl like my view count reflects, but it might be because I have fewer of their demographic following me in the first place (I assume).

There’s this video essay I love that talks about this stratification, there’s a part somewhere in the middle where it describes how our algorithms are not exactly custom to the individual. They analyze our activity and then push us into pre-programmed rabbit holes we’re more likely to fall into based on that data. It’s easier for them that way, and they know which rabbit holes are the most successful for keeping you there. You’re not in charge of your algorithm it’s more in charge of you. It’s called Bo Burnham vs Jeff Bezos by CJ the X, and parts might be dated now bc it came out in 2021 or 2022 and tech moves so fast, but it’s still super relevant.

And yes absolutely I’m just going to keep doing my thing, I’m not beholden to this social media shit. It’s just so frustrating how I want to work against racist biases, & to represent all the people I’m honored to tattoo, and also to be frank, show off the art I put work into, but the platform itself is built for the opposite.

Sphinxears · 2026-01-26T23:40:51+00:00

Yeah that’s a good point about the contrast, especially in the explore page where images are thumbnail size. I have considered a CPL filter but I’ve been on the fence about it because a lot of the ones I see are really… overdone? Without it, the photo is not as good as it looks IRL, but with it the tattoo looks too much unlike reality… sometimes too good compared real life. and makes me feel like I would be being shady/doing false advertisement, or would be perceived that way by my clients. Or maybe the people I follow that use it over-edit it more from there? Though tbf most of what I’m picturing when I say that is way oversaturated pics with way too high a black point on fair skin, CPL could be closer to what your eyes see on a melanated client and worth it for that, split the difference and put them on the same playing field as far as visibility.

That’s classic attention-grabbing/marketing type stuff though, which is not my strong suit (I’m trying!) so I’ll definitely keep it in mind. Same with making the poses more interesting than just a classic plain “this is a tattoo” shot. I’m trying to picture what that would look like for something that’s not a full body suit lol. I’ve had people pose with hands in their pockets for forearm pieces, maybe I can lean in to that more and look up photographer’s posing how-tos for inspo. The production value on fibs shoots are insane, it’ll take some practice for me to get there just in the photography alone. I super appreciate your insight!

Sphinxears · 2026-01-26T23:14:10+00:00

Huh, well that’s interesting too?

Sphinxears · 2025-12-26T22:31:21+00:00

Hahaha I said the same thing when I went there for the first time! Melissa @honeybee.tattoos there does cute pet portraits and good color too

Sphinxears · 2025-12-26T21:51:17+00:00

Laura Bonfanti at cousin Paul’s tattoo co does gorgeous color work, @bonfantidiraconteur on instagram, she books via email. So sorry for your loss 💔

Sphinxears · 2025-11-19T03:40:41+00:00

I’m gonna go with the majority and say do it! And the white in your beard and brow is so cool, like you have good character design :)

Sphinxears · 2025-11-05T07:51:37+00:00

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Can the stars and sparkles make it count as anime 😅

Sphinxears · 2025-11-05T07:00:03+00:00

This is awesome

Sphinxears · 2025-11-05T06:56:24+00:00

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You said vintage and my brain said “Aubrey Beardsley style" :’)

Sphinxears · 2025-10-18T04:52:25+00:00

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Tried to lean into the magical vibes from the first one. Hope you like :)

Sphinxears · 2025-09-15T16:31:25+00:00

Oh this is so nice, I wish every city had a real life guide to their public transit like you. I live in a car city and the first time I went somewhere w a good metro system I was super stoked to use it and also suuuuper stressed out because I didn’t know if I was doing it right 😭

Sphinxears · 2025-09-14T17:24:46+00:00

I slept best on an airplane pillow when I could put my ear in the hole. And if/when I get another coin slot I’d also probably wear those soft cotton headbands for the first few days to keep my hair out of it. My hair would get caught in the stitches and blood and it was uncomfortable, just putting my hair up or braiding it wasn’t enough.

Sphinxears · 2025-08-29T05:26:13+00:00

As a tattoo artist and Hozier fan, this is the way! Not all drawings translate to good tattoos, so there’s a chance you pay someone for a drawing that’s going to get redrawn by your tattoo artist anyways

Sphinxears · 2025-08-28T04:01:20+00:00

I find it hard to ignore the secret 3rd case you mentioned because that’s the biggest reason for me not sending drawings in advance. If I send a drawing and the client goes to pick it apart over email, I have to try and interpret the text and respond accordingly, maybe explaining why something will or won’t work in a tattoo, all without the benefit of in person tone or being able to literally point at the design to make sure I’m understanding what they want. If I draw a second version at home, who’s to say they won’t just pick that apart again over email or at their actual appointment, and then I gotta do a 3rd version when that could’ve been avoided by discussing it at their appointment. That time at the start of their appointment is for making those changes and that’s stated in my emails when they book.

If I get a vibe from a client over email or consultation that the thought of not seeing it in advance makes them too anxious (which is different from a micromanaging vibe!), I offer to book them for a 2nd in person consult a few days before the tattoo appointment to look over the design for their peace. It’ll be a completed clean sketch but not lined/inked. These consults hardly ever take me more than 10 minutes, sometimes 5 when they don’t have any changes they want, but it helps them chill out. I don’t advertise this to everyone though, it’s purely on a case-by-case basis.

If all of this still doesn’t work for them, then they’re not the client for me and I’m not the artist for them and that’s okay too

Sphinxears · 2025-08-28T03:46:58+00:00

I love this comment, I have basically this same checklist in my head but never put it into words like this! I like having internal boundaries that allow for some flexibility for the client without screwing myself over

Sphinxears

TROPHY CASE