One of the most asked questions we see in online photography groups and forums is how to boost your confidence in photography. In our many years of photography we have some insight to share on how we gained confidence along our journey. We all start at the beginning, so don't be discouraged. How your journey unfolds is up to you, but we are all capable of creating amazing images as long as we hold tight to our passion and dedication to the craft. Here are our tips for boosting your confidence as a photographer:
Believe in yourself. Never give up no matter how hard it gets. Learn from your mistakes and move forward. There is a man from Indonesia, Achmad Zulkarnain who was born without arms and legs and went on to become a professional photographer. This goes to show that all you need to find success in photography is to overcome your obstacles. Instead of identifying and putting blame on roadblocks in your journey, ask yourself how you will overcome these roadblocks. Once you overcome that roadblock you will emerge stronger, with more knowledge and more determination to continue in your journey forward.
This one seems obvious, but nothing is going to boost your confidence more than knowing your camera and knowing your craft. It's definitely possible to take a pretty good image, given the right scene, by putting your camera in auto and letting it do the work. However, if auto does not giving you the desired outcomes you need to know how to manipulate your camera and settings to capture the story as you want to tell it. A moment is fleeting and if you are spending that moment fumbling over your camera settings that will result in a missed photograph. Our recommendation is to practice every opportunity you get. If you are sitting around on the couch watching TV, get your camera out and play with the settings. Use your pet for practice, or even the glass of wine or coffee sitting on the coffee table. Get used to having the camera in your hand and start building muscle memory so when you are presented with that once-in-a-lifetime photographic moment you know instinctively what you need to do to in order to capture that image. The digital world provides us with immediate feedback as we can review our images in real time. As you capture your images you can review the images in camera, and notate how the image adjusts as you manipulate the settings. What happens as you turn the aperture up and down? What happens as you change the white balance? Take notes and keep practicing!
Our next tip is to study photographs and artwork from popular artists or artists who inspire you. As you review these great images, what speaks to you? Examine the light, the composition, the detail the presentation and identify what makes it remarkable. Next time you are creating, reflect on some of the images you studied and try to apply those factors that appealed to you. This is not us instructing you to go and copy from the masters, rather to use their images as inspiration to create your own unique work.
It's also important to be vulnerable and ask for trusted critique with an open mind. Often when we post our images on social media we hear accolades from family and friends. We are told how great we are and that may inhibit our growth as we start to believe our images have no room for improvement. You may take that same image that received praise from family and friends only to have it ripped apart by another photographer. As you continue your photography journey we recommend reaching out to a photographer you trust and admire and ask if they are willing to critique your images. Our Facebook community, Exploretography-A Photography Community for Active Photographers, is also a safe and welcoming place for you to share your images and ask for constructive criticism. There are many photographers who are willing to provide feedback and suggestions in a helpful manner. As you apply recommendations and suggestions you'll see growth in your work, which in turn will build your confidence.
A mentor is another highly recommended relationship we suggest you seek out. As we started, especially in the realm of wedding photography, our mentors helped us out not just as it relates to the camera and the photograph, but on all other aspects of the photography industry. A mentor can help you understand how to communicate and talk with clients, how to establish a business and create contracts/model releases, ways to set up a website and sell your work, and so much more. Many commercial photographers may have a need for an assistant to help with their bags/set up lights on a shoot. Being able to observe what lenses they are selecting for a certain image or how they are setting up their lights will help you grow as a photographer. There may be some photographers that decline, but don't stop asking.
Our final recommendation is to Practice, Practice, Practice! Nothing will boost your confidence more than feeling prepared and ready to tackle any photography situation you encounter. The more you practice at home in controlled situations, the easier it will be to adjust your settings on the fly (through muscle memory) and capture those important moments. All photographers have room to improve, so never stop learning and never stop creating! The more you know, the more you'll grow your as a photographer!
We believe in you and are here to answer any questions you may have!
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