Only One Fan
You don’t need an audience to begin. Just one heart beating back.
I remember this one time I was at the bar. Early. First Band Early. And I took this photo.
The bands on stage, lights shining upon them like they were headlining some stadium tour. But in front of them?
One girl.
That’s it. Just one. Holding up her phone, recording a moment only she might care about.
I named it “Only One Fan.”
Now and then, I think about this photo.
Maybe because I’ve felt like that band before. Performing for no one. Or almost no one. Maybe you have too.
Screaming into the silence, hitting “publish” on something you spent way too long caring about, only to watch it disappear into the feed like it never existed.
It’s stupid. And divine. And human. And demoralizing. And real.
All of it, all at once.
But you know what…
One is Plenty
Yeah, I know.
“No it’s not,” you’re shouting as you slam your mug of coffee down.
Geesh, too much caffeine? Settle down. I’m just saying…
What if she wasn’t just a fan? What if she was the right one?
The one who heard the lyrics in a way no one else ever would. The one who tells a friend. Or becomes one. Or is inspired to make her own music because you dared to sing yours. What if she shows up again next week, and brings a friend.
It starts like that, doesn’t it?
One turns into two.
One Fish, Two Fish… anyone?
And maybe two doesn’t sound impressive when you’re trying to “scale,” or “build your brand,” or whatever kind of language makes it feel like we’re all pretending to be small media companies instead of just weird little artists with guitars, dreams and $23 in the bank account.
But two is more than one.
And one is enough to begin.
Who Are You Playing For?
I talked about this a couple of weeks ago. Numbers. Stats.
Metrics mess with your head.
You start chasing “reach” instead of resonance. You start making what you think people want, instead of what you need to say. And somewhere along the way, your art, your voice, gets... quieter. Not less visible. Just less honest.
I’ve done this. I’ve created the blog post for SEO. I still do it. I mean, you have to if you’re going to bring any traffic to your blog.
Am I just performing instead of expressing? Shouting instead of singing.
It’s not without a heavy sigh and a feeling of boredom that I do this. Like, I don’t like making guides, talking about specs, chasing topics based on keyword research, etc.
But I do it… because I want to reach you. And maybe in that dance, you find something else more useful than a guide.
You find a voice that sort of feels like the voice already playing in your head.
It’s comforting to know that others think and feel just like you do.
Remember the girl in the crowd.
The one fan who clapped the loudest.
The one who didn’t need a crowd to feel something real.
Remember her.
She was real.
But This Isn’t a REAL Strategy
I know it’s tempting to look at this like some lesson.
“You only need one fan” as a business model. That whole 1,000 True Fans idea, but scrappier.
That’s a shout out to scrappy dappy doo. Scooby’s lesser-known cousin. I was fan. Maybe the only one.
Anyway, where was I? Yeah, that’s not what I’m saying. I’m not selling you a “only one fan” playbook…
No, no, I’m reminding you of something older.
You started this because you felt it. Before the clicks. Before the charts. Before the pressure to optimize and monetize and justify your existence in numbers.
You picked up the camera, or the pen, or the mic, because something in you had to get out.
And maybe one person saw it. And maybe they didn’t.
But you saw it.
You made it.
That’s everything.
Here's Where I’m At
Right now, I’m sitting with that photo and thinking… I want to play like she’s always there.
Not a million people.
Not the algorithm.
Just her.
Whoever she is, watching with her whole heart, phone shaking in her hand, hoping the band never stops playing.
And maybe, if I’m lucky, I’ll look up one day and realize that one turned into more.
But even if it doesn’t?
I’ll still play.
Because the art was never for the audience.
It was for the music inside me.
Collect “Only One Fan”
Collect “Only One Fan” as a digital edition collectible NFT on Highlight.xyz OR consider upgrading your subscription if you want to support this Substack in other ways. Every bit helps keep this space alive and rocking.
Thanks For Being My Fan
Don’t underestimate the power of you. One person. Your comment. It stirs the music inside me to keep showing up and playing. Below are some screenshots of real comments from some of the first people to say, “Hey, I get you, thanks for being you, and for being here.” OK, they didn’t say it exactly like that, but it helped give me the motivation to keep showing up. Let’s just let them say what they said…
💬 Your Turn! Just like Speech Class…
Tell me: Who was your "Only One Fan"? Or… who are you still playing for? Let me know in the comments. Knowing you are out there listening gives me a little shot of motivation that coffee just doesn’t touch.
🖼️ P.S. The last blog post on See Imagery was a guide. Yeah, a guide about Event Photography for Beginners. You know how it goes. Almost every photographer has this story. The accidental first gig. The one you don’t feel ready for. The one you never asked for, but your friend thinks you’re the perfect fit. You can find that on the blog.
The Complete Event Photography Guide for Beginners
If You Missed Wednesday’s Blog Post on See Imagery
The Complete Event Photography Guide for Beginners
Thinking about shooting events but not sure where to start? This event photography guide is the one I wish I had. Full of honest tips, beginner-friendly gear advice, and ways to stay cool when the pressure hits. No jargon, just real talk.
Your still here? Cool. I hope you have an amazing day. I’ll see you in the next Stack. Remember, Wednesday is “This Week in Focus” - A short story with what’s new on See Imagery. Friday is this, “What if Nobody’s Watching”
Much love,
Michael
Well done, you. Great shot.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately that all those people who said to me, “You really should sell your work”… they didn’t actually mean to THEM! lol.
It never mattered at the time because it was just a hobby, and it was always flattering, of course… but now all I can think is will I even make enough to recoup what I’ve had to invest? I honestly don’t know. I bought my domain for 3 years. That’s how long I’m giving this.
I’m really looking forward to getting past the time suck that is setting this all up legally. I hope I don’t wind up hating photography.