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    [responseDate] => 2026-05-20T08:16:54Z
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                            [identifier] => oai:ojs2.awari.pro-metrics.org:article/115
                            [datestamp] => 2026-05-06T19:27:33Z
                            [setSpec] => a:ART
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                            [dc] => SimpleXMLElement Object
                                (
                                    [title] => Social media and visual identity: Photography as a form of social interaction
                                    [creator] => Safronova, Varvara
                                    [subject] => Array
                                        (
                                            [0] => photography
                                            [1] => visual identity
                                            [2] => social media
                                            [3] => self-presentation
                                            [4] => engagement
                                            [5] => social interaction
                                        )

                                    [description] => 
Objective. This study aimed to examine the role of photography in shaping visual identity and to understand how visual content influences self-presentation and audience engagement on social media.


Design/Methodology/Approach. A qualitative approach was adopted, combining semi-structured interviews with a descriptive analysis of Instagram content. Twenty participants (professional photographers and regular users) were interviewed to explore their visual practices and perceptions. In addition, thirty public Instagram accounts with more than 10 million followers were selected through purposive sampling to identify patterns in visual content and engagement indicators, such as likes and comments.


Results/Discussion. The findings indicate that photography functions as both a personal and a strategic tool for identity construction and social interaction. For regular users, it supports everyday self-expression, while for professionals, it is closely linked to personal branding. Content associated with emotional proximity, particularly family-related posts, showed the highest levels of engagement, followed by travel and leisure imagery. Visually refined professional content was associated with higher engagement, though this varied by presentation. The analysis also suggests that the first image in multi-image posts plays a key role in attracting audience attention.


Conclusions. The study contributes to understanding how photography shapes visual identity and mediates social interaction in digital environments, highlighting the role of audience feedback in influencing visual practices.


Originality/Value. This study offers an integrated perspective on visual identity by combining user experiences with observable patterns of engagement. It provides practical insights for understanding how visual content operates in high-visibility social media contexts and contributes to ongoing discussions in digital sociology and visual communication.

                                    [publisher] => Pro-Metrics
                                    [date] => 2026-04-08
                                    [type] => Array
                                        (
                                            [0] => info:eu-repo/semantics/article
                                            [1] => info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
                                        )

                                    [format] => application/pdf
                                    [identifier] => Array
                                        (
                                            [0] => https://awari.pro-metrics.org/index.php/a/article/view/115
                                            [1] => 10.47909/awari.115
                                        )

                                    [source] => Array
                                        (
                                            [0] => AWARI; Vol. 7 No. 1 (2026): AWARI; 1-8
                                            [1] => 2675-522X
                                        )

                                    [language] => eng
                                    [relation] => https://awari.pro-metrics.org/index.php/a/article/view/115/103
                                    [rights] => Array
                                        (
                                            [0] => Copyright (c) 2026 Varvara Safronova
                                            [1] => https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
                                        )

                                )

                        )

                )

        )

)