Use a grid for the media tab, and allow users to pin that as the first tab on their profile

[emilyliu7321]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

Text is not always a person's primary medium. For example, photographers, artists, etc. use photos as their primary medium, so posting on a microblogging app might not come as naturally, and they want to make their photos more discoverable.

Describe the solution you'd like

Show photos in the Media tab in a collage/grid format. This way, people can easily look at your media tab and see the photos you've posted, instead of having to scroll through it.

In addition, we can allow users to set which tab they want as their primary tab on their profile. For example, posters might want to keep Posts as the first tab you see when you visit their profile, but artists/photographers/photo-oriented people can set the Media tab as their primary tab.

Describe alternatives you've considered

• Show the Media tab as a grid without allowing users to pin the Media tab first on their profile

Additional context

n/a

[mary-ext]

@pfrazee can I work on this?

1. should there be a toggle in appearance settings where one can switch between the current timeline view vs. media grid?
2. how should interactions be defined?
   • desktop: click to view the post, shift+click to open image viewer
   • mobile: ???
   • it would be nice if the image viewer can show the post but that might take some more work heh

Image from my own client as a demonstration

[mschwendener]

Oooh - that could become my Instagram replacement.

Thinking a bit more about it, just showing 'Media' in a grid would not be enough for me, though.

I would like to be my 'Instagram replacement URL' to be curated:

• yes, grid display
• but don't show all media that I have uploaded, just a selection
• a bit more padding than in the screenshot above
• nice to have: even let me sort the pictures

Overlap with pinned posts / bookmarks / highlights functionality?

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Grid display could also be interesting for some feeds with primarily visual content, like birds or fuji.

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I'd totally pay for this (as I would for Bluesky itself, too).

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Bluesky as Instagram replacement

Edit: While we wait, artists are moving to Cara beta

[mschwendener]

This way, people can easily look at your media tab
allow users to set which tab they want as their primary tab on their profile

Would be good if the tab got an URL I can link to.

[mschwendener]

Ooohhh https://bsky.app/profile/pfrazee.com/post/3l3444p6okz2u

[Heavyferaldo]

I believe this is most likely a feature in the works. I can't imagine the developers to be blind to this, they must know what a huge draw a workable grid (and carousel) album feature would be.

I just want to add that I too would be totally happy to pay for such a feature, should Bluesky want to monetize it.

For serious artists, and for Bluesky to develop as the primary (and liberal) home for the art community, having a simple visual way to display work without the constant dread of imminent censorship is paramount. I've only been experimenting with Bluesky for a couple of weeks, but I can see it's enormous worth. I just hope they don't outgrow their charming algorithmic simplicity.

S