Photo of the Day (#PhotoOfTheDay, #POTD) became one of Instagram’s most-used hashtags, with photographers posting daily images to build audiences and maintain creative momentum. The hashtag culture shaped Instagram’s early photography community.
The Daily Posting Ritual
Emerging from Flickr’s “365 project” culture (one photo every day for a year), #PhotoOfTheDay migrated to Instagram 2011-2013. Photographers committed to daily posting for:
- Audience growth: Consistent posting = algorithmic favor
- Creative discipline: Forced daily shooting/editing practice
- Community connection: Feature accounts reposted daily photos
Feature Account Economy
2013-2017: Massive feature accounts like:
- @instagram (Official): Occasional #PhotoOfTheDay features
- @natgeo: National Geographic’s daily stunning imagery
- @earthpix, @beautifuldestinations: Travel photo aggregators with millions of followers
Getting featured by these accounts could bring 10K-100K+ new followers overnight.
The Algorithm Game
2015-2018: Instagram’s algorithm favored frequent posting. Photographers posted 1-3 times daily with #PhotoOfTheDay, #InstaDaily, #DailyPhoto to maximize reach.
2019-Present: Instagram de-emphasized hashtags for Reels/algorithmic feeds. #PhotoOfTheDay usage declined but remained popular among photography purists.
Photography Challenges
365 Photo Projects: Photographers committed to 365 consecutive daily photos. Many created project-specific hashtags (#MyYear2015, #365Project).
Themed daily hashtags:
- #MountainMonday
- #TravelTuesday
- #WisdomWednesday (quotes over photos)
- #ThrowbackThursday (#TBT)
- #FollowFriday (#FF)
- #Caturday (cat photos)
Criticism
Quality vs. Quantity: Daily posting pressure led to mediocre content flooding feeds. “Spray and pray” photographers posted everything instead of curating.
Hashtag spam: Posts stuffed with 30 hashtags (#PhotoOfTheDay #InstaGood #InstaDaily #Beautiful #Nature #Travel…) became annoying.
Burnout: Maintaining daily posting schedules caused creative exhaustion. Many photographers abandoned 365 projects mid-year.
Evolution
2020-Present: Daily posting culture shifted to:
- Instagram Stories: Lower-pressure daily content
- TikTok: Short-form video replaced daily photo posts
- Newsletters: Email (Substack) for thoughtful weekly photography instead of daily Instagram
Legacy
#PhotoOfTheDay defined Instagram’s early photography culture but became victim of platform algorithm changes, hashtag saturation, and creator burnout.
Learn More
- 365 project communities: r/365PhotoProject
- Photography hashtag guides: Later, Flick hashtag analytics
- Feature account history: Instagram blog (2012-2016 era)