Started back in 2009, the photography-focused subreddit has over 5.1 million members, eager to learn more about different styles and techniques of the artform. In a recent interview, one of the moderators of ‘I Took a Picture’, Michael Villafranco—known to the Reddit community as u/PhlightYagami—told Bored Panda more about it:

“Our subreddit was created with the mission of providing a space for photographers to share their works and learn from one another. We take a photography-first approach. Titles for our submissions are minimal, simply setting expectations, or, in the case of abstract photography, clarifying what is in the scene.

“The photographer is then encouraged to share their gear, techniques, intention, backstory, etc. in the comments. As a result, our members see the photograph first and then decide if they want to learn more about it. It's similar to those little placards at a museum that you only check out if the work itself speaks to you,” the redditor explained.

Michael pointed out that communities such as ITAP provide many benefits to members of the subreddit and Reddit at large. “For photography enthusiasts, it is a place to see original works of art and interact with the artists,” he said. “For photographers, it is a place for sharing, teaching, growth, and connection. And for everyone, it is a place for inspiration.”

Michael Villafranco told Bored Panda that his favorite thing about the community is being able to interact with world-class photographers every day. “They are always happy to answer questions and share their techniques. It's incredible how much my knowledge of photography has grown since joining ITAP.” According to Gitnux, back in 2021, there were nearly 75 million professional photographers globally.

Villafranco also revealed what he loves most about managing the subreddit: “I love managing it because I get to work with an amazing group of moderators. Our team is small, but diverse, filled with talented photographers with a passion for sharing art and knowledge. 

“They moderate objectively and empathetically, an approach that seems to be less and less common. I didn't know it when I first joined, but I accidentally stumbled into one of the best mod teams on Reddit.”

Asked about what he enjoys most about photography itself, Michael Villafranco emphasized that it is powerful; with it, you can tell a story. “You can capture an emotion. You can turn the mundane into the incredible. Photography transcends language, culture, and even time itself. It is a marvelous form of art whose talented artists continue to push to new heights.”

With the rapid advancement of technology and somewhat incredible phone cameras, compared to what they used to be just a decade ago, people are taking more and more pictures on their devices other than digital cameras. 

Statista pointed out that over four years, from 2013 to 2017 alone, the number of digital pictures taken has doubled, reaching 1,200 billion by the end of the four-year period. It also pointed out that a phone was by far the most used device for taking digital photos, responsible for as many as 85% of them.

Photutorial revealed that there are roughly 1.81 trillion photos globally taken every year, which equals to 57,000 every second, or 5.0 billion every day. It is estimated that by 2030, roughly 2.3 trillion pictures will be taken annually.

It also suggested that the average user has somewhere around 2,100 photos on their smartphone now in 2023.

With people snapping thousands of photos every second, one might wonder if they find the time to actually enjoy the moment, rather than just capture it on their smartphone. Professor of marketing at the Yale School of Management, Gal Zauberman, believes that they do. 

“My first intuition was that somehow [taking photos] would harm your experience because it disengages you,” Professor Zauberman told Yale Insights. “It introduces another task. It’s not natural. There’s something that stands between you and the experience. But we found exactly the opposite of that.”

Zauberman’s team found that when capturing them, photographers focus on the visual aspects of the moments, which allows them to experience them more fully and more pleasurably.

If you enjoy capturing moments yourself or browsing beautiful shots shared by others, the ‘I Took a Picture’ subreddit is definitely worth your while. You can view more captivating images on Bored Panda’s previous piece on the community here.

Moderator of the subreddit Michael Villafranco also pointed out that Reddit isn't the only place to interact with the ITAP community. “Our Instagram feed contains a curated collection of incredible and awe-inspiring photographs,” he said, adding that their Discord server is a supportive group of photographers from all walks of life. “Join the conversation and chat about photography, gear, and techniques, or just talk about your day.”