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09/24/2026 09:33:29 AM · #1 |
Good day.. I just want to get some feedback, opinions, thoughts… anything.
After many failed attempts at photography/poetry “pages” over the years, from Blogspot and DeviantArt to Facebook and Instagram, I’m thinking of giving it another serious shot.
What are your thoughts on “Fleeting Insignificance” as a brand?
My main concern is that it is too long and doesn’t immediately sound related to photography. Adding “Photography” feels like a mouthful (or is it okay?). At the same time, I want to stay somewhat in the shadows, so I don’t want to use my name.
In the past, I had “Four Questions Portraits,” where I asked people 4 questions, took their portrait, and let commenters suggest a question for the next person. It actually worked, but I wasn’t committed enough to sustain it. This time, I think I am.
I want my photographs to leave little existential blips in people’s lives… something that makes someone stop scrolling for a few seconds, look, feel, wonder, or remember.
“Fleeting Insignificance” feels like the essence of what I photograph: B&W images of human-ness, frailty, reality, the ugly, the sad, and the honest… things far from the spotlight that still deserve to be seen, understood, and even celebrated.
But is the name too difficult to remember? Does it work even if it doesn’t immediately sound photographic?
One of my dreams is to eventually publish a coffee-table photography book with the same title, Fleeting Insignificance (beautiful book title, right? 😸).
And just 30 minutes ago, I recovered an old Facebook page from about 7 years ago and realized it still has around 4,500 followers. So rather than starting from zero, I’m thinking of rebranding it and giving it another life.
So… thoughts? Keep “Fleeting Insignificance” or rethink it?
Say more.. I genuinely want to hear what you think.
Thank you in advance 🤍
Message edited by author 2026-09-24 09:34:21. |
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09/24/2026 12:03:04 PM · #2 |
your username doesn't fit on DPC, it goes into the next column.
"I want my photographs to leave little existential blips in people’s lives… something that makes someone stop scrolling for a few seconds, look, feel, wonder, or remember."
I think this is a solid mission and you should keep it front of mind when you are confronted with issues of branding and views and likes.
As far as branding goes, "Fleeting Insignificance" might work. I just started a literary magazine called "Approach to the Meaning." It is not easy to remember or catchy. But that's okay if your mission is really what you say it is. Keep in mind that "Fleeting Insignificance" has a kind of "she doth protest too much, methinks" humor to it, as though it were not enough to be insignificant, it also has to be fleeting. It's almost a parody of a literary/artistic name. The words even threaten to cancel each other out. After the insignificance goes away, does it then become significant? It's the kind of name a poet could ponder over for an hour.
If you intend to make money, your name could be a problem. People looking for portraits are not doing so to become insignificant. But if money is not the goal, then the only thing that works is persistence, regardless of what name you use.
Let me finish by saying that you are fighting the good fight. I see the poetry in your photos, and I am eager to see where you go from here. |
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09/24/2026 12:20:41 PM · #3 |
Originally posted by posthumous:
Let me finish by saying that you are fighting the good fight. I see the poetry in your photos, and I am eager to see where you go from here. |
+1 |
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09/24/2026 01:49:24 PM · #4 |
I agree with Don. I think from a rhythmic pov, fleeting insignificance is interesting, but I'm not sure what it means. Are you trying to convey a sense of impermanence?
I also think it might make a great subtitle, and you could make up a word of your own, with that as the subtext.
But to answer your question, yes I feel it's too long for a title.
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09/24/2026 03:27:58 PM · #5 |
Much agreement with previous comments. I feel like "Fleeting Significance" would be better. The moments captured are significant in that moment, then they're gone. My take on it anyway.
Sidenote:
Originally posted by posthumous:
I just started a literary magazine called "Approach to the Meaning." |
Take out "the" and people can refer to it as "ATM" which is easy to remember and also text-speak for "at the moment", as well as various other meanings. That said, I'm guessing I may have missed THE meaning. |
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09/24/2026 03:54:11 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by Art Roflmao:
Much agreement with previous comments. I feel like "Fleeting Significance" would be better. The moments captured are significant in that moment, then they're gone. My take on it anyway.
Sidenote:
Originally posted by posthumous:
I just started a literary magazine called "Approach to the Meaning." |
Take out "the" and people can refer to it as "ATM" which is easy to remember and also text-speak for "at the moment", as well as various other meanings. That said, I'm guessing I may have missed THE meaning. |
It's part of "Still Point" so actually it's SPAM |
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09/24/2026 04:35:16 PM · #7 |
This is a relief coz I’ve just been brainstorming alone I'll go crazy lol 😅
You all just gave me a different perspective. I don’t intend to make money out of this (at least ATM, or even in the near future). I just want to create something like Soft White Underbelly, Humans of New York, or even Berlin ArtParasites in my own lane. This “project/page” will basically be a repository of my ongoing work, which will eventually become a coffee-table book, so every image I put there will capture the soul of my mission.
Thanks for that line, Don (and glad2badad). it’s always a little nudge when there is even just another soul or 2 to witness your own spark in this void. @Tanguera, yes, I want to convey impermanence, and I agree with you that the name is long. But idk.. maybe yeah regardless of what name I choose, I think if I don’t stop and just keep doing my mission, maybe it can become a familiar name in the future. idk.
Thanks, ArtRoftmao. I think I’ll maybe just go for it and persist.
What do you think of these alternatives:
Kintsugi Without Gold
We Are Kintsugi Project
Human Kintsugi Project
Human Kintsugi Portraits
Kintsugi Human Project |
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09/24/2026 10:15:25 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by Art Roflmao:
Much agreement with previous comments. I feel like "Fleeting Significance" would be better. The moments captured are significant in that moment, then they're gone. My take on it anyway.
Sidenote:
Originally posted by posthumous:
I just started a literary magazine called "Approach to the Meaning." |
Take out "the" and people can refer to it as "ATM" which is easy to remember and also text-speak for "at the moment", as well as various other meanings. That said, I'm guessing I may have missed THE meaning. |
I actually thought the same thing. Fleeting Significance. Fleeting Insignificance made me think that if it's insignificant and it's fleeting, why bother? It actually conjurred up a book of still lifes in my mind, which seemed dull. Then I thought maybe it was everyday objects perhaps in a more interesting way. But each vision that jumped around was uninspiring. Which surprised me, because I first thought it was a cool name.
Just my thought stream. |
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09/25/2026 01:35:10 PM · #9 |
Originally posted by vawendy:
Originally posted by Art Roflmao:
Much agreement with previous comments. I feel like "Fleeting Significance" would be better. The moments captured are significant in that moment, then they're gone. My take on it anyway.
Sidenote:
Originally posted by posthumous:
I just started a literary magazine called "Approach to the Meaning." |
Take out "the" and people can refer to it as "ATM" which is easy to remember and also text-speak for "at the moment", as well as various other meanings. That said, I'm guessing I may have missed THE meaning. |
I actually thought the same thing. Fleeting Significance. Fleeting Insignificance made me think that if it's insignificant and it's fleeting, why bother? It actually conjurred up a book of still lifes in my mind, which seemed dull. Then I thought maybe it was everyday objects perhaps in a more interesting way. But each vision that jumped around was uninspiring. Which surprised me, because I first thought it was a cool name.
Just my thought stream. |
Thanks for your thoughts,  vawendy. That is so helpful… I think my inclination toward wordplay and word combinations stems from English not being my first language, vis-à-vis semantics vs. pragmatics.
That said, I'm thinking "Fleeting Portraits" is a great compromise? It has the first word, is poetic, easy to remember, and immediately suggests photography while preserving the theme of temporary, human moments.
What do y’all think? |
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09/25/2026 02:17:43 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by fleetinginsignificance:
. . . inclination toward wordplay and word combinations stems from English not being my first language, vis-à-vis semantics vs. pragmatics.
That said, I'm thinking "Fleeting Portraits" is a great compromise? It has the first word, is poetic, easy to remember, and immediately suggests photography while preserving the theme of temporary, human moments.
What do y’all think? |
The problem with that is that although some people use the word "portrait" as a synonym for "painting" or "picture" (I have had landscapes, still lifes, etc. referred to as "portraits" by commenters), I think that use of the the word is regional. For many if not most English speakers, in reference to visual art, a portrait is a picture of a person (though quite a few expand that to animals). I don't think you want to limit yourself/your work in that way. |
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09/25/2026 02:51:31 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by nam:
Originally posted by fleetinginsignificance:
. . . inclination toward wordplay and word combinations stems from English not being my first language, vis-à-vis semantics vs. pragmatics.
That said, I'm thinking "Fleeting Portraits" is a great compromise? It has the first word, is poetic, easy to remember, and immediately suggests photography while preserving the theme of temporary, human moments.
What do y’all think? |
The problem with that is that although some people use the word "portrait" as a synonym for "painting" or "picture" (I have had landscapes, still lifes, etc. referred to as "portraits" by commenters), I think that use of the the word is regional. For many if not most English speakers, in reference to visual art, a portrait is a picture of a person (though quite a few expand that to animals). I don't think you want to limit yourself/your work in that way. |
Thanks, nam, for this perspective. My page will actually showcase only B&W portraits, including street photography with a person/people in the frame, paired with existential words (lol). So I’m intentionally limiting the page to that genre rather than trying to do all things…
That said, what do y’all think of “Fleeting Photos”? |
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09/25/2026 03:59:17 PM · #12 |
Fleeting Insignificance makes poetic sense to me as Don described it, where "The words even threaten to cancel each other out. After the insignificance goes away, does it then become significant?" etc.
Fleeting Photos or Fleeting Portraits IMO sounds as if it's a description (fleeting) of the main subject (Photos or Portraits), and how they don't last (they fleet/fade away).
If I understand you correctly, I think you are trying to say you want these to be images of moments in time, maybe fleeting in one sense but that have emotional resonance. As you put it "something that makes someone stop scrolling for a few seconds, look, feel, wonder, or remember."
But I'm better at mulling things through than I am at words and haven't been able to come up with a suggestion.
I do think we are all in agreement that fleetinginsignificance is probably too long for a user name and might not have "staying power" in the mind's eye.
Actually, maybe staying power is a good thought to keep in mind for both the brand's user name and the images.
I'll keep an eye on this thread in case I think I can contribute anything else.
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09/25/2026 04:01:12 PM · #13 |
Originally posted by fleetinginsignificance:
Kintsugi Without Gold
We Are Kintsugi Project
Human Kintsugi Project
Human Kintsugi Portraits
Kintsugi Human Project |
Just from a raw perspective, none of those spark my curiosity. Just sayin', not negative, just doesn't lead me to them.
I liked the ethereal "Fleeting Portraits" or Signficance, or that tack.
Leaning toward portraits would be a constraint, if you use portrait, being people, in what's been a classic definition in my time and region, if that's what you intend.
Message edited by author 2026-09-25 16:10:31.
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09/25/2026 05:46:06 PM · #14 |
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09/25/2026 08:03:20 PM · #15 |
@Lynn, yesss… I’ve been looking for that phrase: “staying power.” Indeed, Fleeting Insignificance is the perfect one in terms of meaning, but its staying power is very low. Tbh, I think some people might even find “insignificance” difficult to spell. Also, if someone visited the page, forgot about it, then wanted to search for it on Facebook a month later, I bet they wouldn’t have a clue what to type. “Fleeting” + “Insignificance” just doesn’t have much staying power.
@nam, thanks for the suggestion.. Fleeting Moments is actually already taken on both Facebook and Instagram. I wouldn’t mind using it otherwise, although to me, “Fleeting Moments” doesn’t immediately suggest photography as much as I’d like. I’m leaning (well, at least right now 😅) toward Fleeting Portraits, especially since everything I plan to post there will only be BW portraits.
@NikonJeb, After sleeping on it, Kintsugi isn’t really close to my heart. I am glad you find something ethereal on "Portraits"
Summary/some more facts that might help:
1. I will only post black & white portraits on the page, including street photos with people in them. I won’t post landscapes, macros, astro, etc.
2. I plan to invest in the page and spend money promoting it through Facebook ads.
3. www.facebook.com/FleetingPortraits is available
4. I really want Fleeting (In)significance, but staying power-considered, I might not be able to reach a wider audience if they won't remember the page |
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09/25/2026 08:21:33 PM · #16 |
What about simply "fleeting..."
Otherwise, regardless of what I said before, I like fleeting insignificance better than any of the other options so far. |
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09/25/2026 08:26:15 PM · #17 |
I was looking up synonyms for both fleeting and insignificance just out of curiosity.
It came up with Fugacious
There you go! Fugacious insignificance! 😜 |
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09/25/2026 08:33:28 PM · #18 |
Reconsider lovemelvin. It's memorable, enigmatic and has a punk rock quirk.
It's fun to say. All the kids will want one. |
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09/25/2026 08:34:53 PM · #19 |
Originally posted by vawendy:
What about simply "fleeting..."
Otherwise, regardless of what I said before, I like fleeting insignificance better than any of the other options so far. |
I like.. minimalist... these are the top results for fleeting  |
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09/25/2026 08:35:15 PM · #20 |
Originally posted by vawendy:
I was looking up synonyms for both fleeting and insignificance just out of curiosity.
It came up with Fugacious
There you go! Fugacious insignificance! 😜 |
bwahahaha.. made me laugh |
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09/25/2026 08:38:45 PM · #21 |
Originally posted by skewsme:
Reconsider lovemelvin. It's memorable, enigmatic and has a punk rock quirk.
It's fun to say. All the kids will want one. |
I know this will work, especially when your(my) name is at stake, literally… but as someone who hasn’t developed strong social skills, I don’t wanna be out there… I started a poetry page using my name, and it reached 10K followers… and one day, I decided to delete it because I didn’t wanna be out there. I’m that kid who’s in the 4th row, in a corner |
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09/25/2026 08:48:59 PM · #22 |
Here's the current page btw - The original idea behind “Four Questions Portraits” was to post a portrait of a person and ask them 4 questions. The questions and their answers will be the caption. Then, people in the comments could suggest questions they’d like me to ask the next person… and the cycle goes on
What if I keep my original idea, then have a subset or a “miniseries” in between the main Four Questions Portraits, where I can post B&W street photos with existential write-ups? That way, I can keep the original concept while still having a space for the kind of photography and writing I want to explore now. Because if I saw a page named “Four Questions Portraits,” I would naturally be curious about what it is… "Questions" = curiosity = page visit
Message edited by author 2026-09-25 21:05:59. |
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09/25/2026 09:15:19 PM · #23 |
You definitely shouldn't listen to me. I have the heart of a mathematician, not an artist or poet. I'm overly pedantic. But it's been fun to be part of the conversation.
I love the Four Questions idea — but why bother with the word "portrait". Four questions intrigues me. Portrait makes it less interesting. It also seems a bit redundant since they're looking at portraits. Just a thought.
But love the idea, and was disappointed that there wasn't a portrait with the four questions when I clicked on the link! |
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09/25/2026 09:31:48 PM · #24 |
Originally posted by vawendy:
You definitely shouldn't listen to me. I have the heart of a mathematician, not an artist or poet. I'm overly pedantic. But it's been fun to be part of the conversation.
I love the Four Questions idea — but why bother with the word "portrait". Four questions intrigues me. Portrait makes it less interesting. It also seems a bit redundant since they're looking at portraits. Just a thought.
But love the idea, and was disappointed that there wasn't a portrait with the four questions when I clicked on the link! |
I'm soo glad you're in this convo 😅 I’ll think it over and sleep on it… I'm liking your minimalist perspective.. Four Questions wouldn't also exclude those not into photography.. it would invite those into existentialism as well (Q&A part of the post)
I just checked, and apparently this page is already 12 years old.. Yesterday, I deleted all my previous portraits posts because I had put a watermark with my name on them 😅. Also, I wanted to signal a relaunch and start fresh. Too bad, though, because some of those portraits Q&A really hit the spot |
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