Do you need talent to become a great photographer? That's a question I heard from a video by Manny Ortiz on YouTube, so this is our addition to the conversation Manny started.

Why Do You Need Talent to Become a Great Photographer?

Here's the video that started this discussion.

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The first words on the video should ease your mind.

Lee and I discussed this on the podcast and we agree. However, we had a slightly different take on the subject.

In Manny's video, he explains his own lack of natural talent and then gives some ideas of how we can overcome our limitations. Yes, it can seem like an unfair deal at times. There are some folks who can pick up a camera, learn the rudimentary fundamentals of exposure and then start making great photos.

Why are they so naturally gifted and we aren't?

Nobody is a Born Photographer

Some of us are born with gifts that others have to work harder to achieve. However, I've yet to hear of a baby born with a camera in hand. I pity any mother who passes a DSLR along with her child.

That just ain't right.

Yet it seems that some of us are more artsy than others. Some are more athletic than others. I was jealous of those who are more academically adept than I was in school, at least until I got to college.

For the majority of my life, I thought I just didn't get math. Then as an adult student, I came into an advanced mathematics course ready to see my perfect GPA take a plunge.

It turns out that didn't happen at all.

I was fortunate enough to come across a teacher who not only knew math inside-out, she could also explain it. Before I knew it, I solved advanced mathematical computations and I truly understood why. I wasn't an idiot. I was good at math!

My problems with math weren't due to some deficiencies inside of me. I sucked at math because my previous instructors sucked at teaching!

I found photography to have a similar result. Some people do a really great job of sharing their knowledge, and some don't. While I may be a slow learner, I'm still advancing and improving my photography.

Do You Like Your First Photos?

I've never been a talented artist, but I still enjoy having a creative outlet. With the drive, passion and determination to improve, it's very possible to earn your talent. However, there is a bit of an issue when you start.

We tend to enjoy doing things that we do well. If you start off taking some nice photos, it's much easier to convince yourself to keep going.

If you get off to a rocky start, then it's easy to convince yourself that you aren't good at photography and give it up.

So how do you react to your early photos, and does that make a difference as to whether you become a talented photographer?

Lee is one of those people who doesn't like being told that she can't do something. It just drives her harder to show that she can succeed. We aren't all born with that instinct, though. For some, it's easier to quit than persevere.

My first photos were mostly horrible, but I had a few that seemed good enough to prompt me forward. A photo I took on a camping trip ended up winning a local photography contest, and that prompted me to keep taking photos.

You don't have to like all of your first photos. Instead, you need to decide what's wrong with those photos and work to improve some small thing on the next photo. It's important to see your potential and work toward it. That may take a year for some people or ten years for others, but we can each get to our potential at our own pace.

How to Encourage the Talent Within You

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