Quite the Following: Michael Tucker

For such a young and recent LSU grad, Michael Tucker has amassed a pretty sizable network of friends and colleagues. That’s partially because of his stunning images on Instagram. Back in 2012, when the app was offering a “Suggested Users” list to people who recently signed up, Tucker was selected as a featured user. He saw his followers skyrocket by 20,000, “and it’s been organic since then,” he says.

You travel a lot as a photographer. What’s kept you in Baton Rouge?
I have lots of great friends I wasn’t ready to leave and still felt very strongly that I had some growing to do … spiritually, intellectually, entrepreneurially, etc. Tack on the fact that I’d be leaving behind Louisiana Saturday nights and a city that’s booming with potential, and it wasn’t hard to convince me I should stay.

Favorite place to shoot?
My favorite place to shoot around here is River Road (south of Brightside). Foggy sunrises are often, I live nearby, and I’ve only just begun to tap the potential of its historic landscape. Farmlands at golden hour—very hard to beat. River Road twists and turns and keeps on surprising.

Favorite place in town for working on/editing your photos?
I’d say Magpie Café.

What’s been a memorable experience for you in the last year, photography-wise or otherwise?
This summer, as a whole, was a very transformative time for me. I left the comfort of Baton Rouge and worked in Chicago at an ad agency for a couple months. I learned a lot, learned again how to make a new group of friends, and ultimately became close with some people that impacted me greatly, all while hundreds of miles away from everything I knew. Also, graduating was cool.

Best trip you’ve taken in the last year?
I took a trip to Scotland strictly for fun/photos. Sunset in Glencoe, Scotland was a dream come true. I had always hoped to make it to Scotland, and that trip in particular really affirmed in me my desire to become a full-time photographer.

How did you get into photography?
My buddy Colin Henderson convinced me to start shooting film during our senior year in high school. I liked his results, wondered about the whole deal, and eventually bought an Canon A-1 on eBay. Thank God for Colin Henderson.

How have you managed to reach so many followers?
Well, a number of things factor into the audience I’ve grown—I began to take Instagram more seriously a few years ago. I posted better photos, involved myself in the Instagram community, and somehow wound up with about 8,000 followers. Instagram then, in August of 2012, placed me on their Suggested Users list, which was originally intended to grow the followings of influential community members by way of Instagram’s sign-up process (when you created an Instagram account, they’d suggest people for you to follow—I was one of those people for a couple of weeks). That boosted my following by about 20,000, and it’s been organic since then. Truth be told, it’s all about involving yourself in the community. Now, you can play the game, gain followers, and in turn, influence … but I don’t suggest doing it for the followers. The genuine, in-real-life relationships I’ve gained from Instagram far surpass any value my follower count holds.

Advice for other aspiring photographers?
As cheesy as it sounds? Just be you. Be genuine. Get outside of your comfort zone. And keep making stuff.