The Enemies of Your Photography Have Familiar Faces

The greatest enemies of your photography are Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. Knowing that is the easy part. The problem is that fear, uncertainty and doubt can creep inside your mind.

You need to learn the signs and identify the carriers.

In this episode, we talk about the kind of people who will introduce chaos into your photography. Some don't even mean to do it. They're well intentioned, but may not be aware of the consequences they put upon others.

We break down the enemies of your photography into three different types of characters.

1: The Ignorant

Don't let the word “ignorant” throw you. These aren't stupid people. They are simply ignorant of how photography works. So they make comments that may irk you, such as “That's a nice camera. It must take great photos.”

To photographers, that's kind of insulting. It means that you don't have anything to do with the outcome of your photos. Just buy good gear and let it do all the work.

While it may seem insulting, the Ignorant typically aren't trying to hurt your feelings. They're actually trying to be nice and perhaps make some conversation.

Don't let them put thoughts in your head about your skill or progress. These folks don't really know any better.

2: The Know-it-All

On the opposite end of the spectrum are the Know it All people. More often than not, these are folks who are deeply interested in photography and need to make sure you know just how smart they are.

You know the kind. These are the folks who give unsolicited critiques or have condescending comments about someone else's photography.

You know, jerks.

I've run into this type of enemy more times than I care to remember. They're particularly awful when you're getting started and sharing photos, but haven't quite mastered everything yet. That's when these trolls like to pounce.

Years ago, some of these Know it All folks made me feel awful. Now, I'm actually a bit amused by them. That's because I've improved my photography, grown more confident, and realized that these jerks typically don't know as much as they think.

I actually know some true photographers who seem to know it all, but they aren't trolling the Internet or other places to provide unsolicited critiques or make condescending comments. Instead, they're cranking out astounding photos and leading by example.

The fake Know it All is one of the biggest purveyors of doubt. Don't let them get inside your head.

3: The Non-Believers

The Non-Believers are folks who project their own uncertainty to others. Maybe it's a lack of skill, training or experience on their part. Since they can't figure out how to solve a photography problem, they're sure that you can't do it, either.

Maybe it's because of their own ego. Nobody wants to feel “less than” others, so they try to bring other people down to their level with uncertainty and casting doubt in your mind.

You have good reason to ignore those who don't believe in your abilities. They don't know what you can do, or how much you can achieve without them.

How to Deal with the Enemies of Your Photography

There are a lot of things you can do, but I subscribe to a simple maxim. Don't feed the trolls. Whether they mean well or not, there isn't much to gain by getting upset or feeling bad about your photography. So this is my advice.

Smile. Nod. Walk away.

Really, it's that simple. I don't want to engage with anyone who could bring me down, intentionally or not. There's no upside to it. I have nothing to prove to these pagans, so I just exit the scene with a smile.

It works perfectly for me.

Related Post

PF 066: Why Are Photography Forums So Mean to Visitors?

Subscribe to The Photo Flunky Show