Photographer or Digital Creator?

Welcome to 2026 - a new year and one I feel is going to be exciting! 

I said to myself last year (aka 2 months ago!) that I would do more. More engagement, more blogging, more being seen. And so I find myself mentally taking accountability and rolling the sleeves up. 

My first task was to overhaul or checkover my Facebook and Insta accounts. Imagine my surprise when I found I was a “Digital Creative” - not a photographer. Now I did not enter this, strangely - call it the algorithm - but it did get me thinking. What’s the difference? When asked my profession, I say I’m a photographer - not I’m a digital creator. That doesn’t roll off the tongue for me! 

Enter the google rabbit hole I just went down, and as per AI Overview: 

”Photographers specialize in high-quality, edited, professional-grade imagery for long-term use (e.g., weddings, commercial, prints). Digital content creators focus on fast-turnaround, authentic, and engaging, often phone-based, media designed for immediate social media consumption. 
Photographers deliver edited, high-res files, while creators offer instant, raw content.”

Yes - well I kinda vaguely knew that. But putting it down really does put it in perspective. Content creators or Digital Creatives capture moments for the internet, producing social media content to gain attention and traction. 

I’m not going to bang on about the technical differences blah blah - but I am going to say that I’m extremely proud to say I AM A PHOTOGRAPHER. I offer high end, fully edited bespoke images for my clients; capturing genuine and real life moments with human connection. I also find myself offering to my business and commercial clients imagery that would fall under the Digital Creative banner. 

And although there is NOTHING wrong at all with being a Digital Creative, I have changed my profile to “Photographer”.