5 Mistakes That Will Make You Give Up On Photography

photography is such a personal hobby because we give so much of ourselves to it.  with every picture that we take, we put a little peace of our soul into it as we create an image that reflects us.  our photography resembles our style, our interests, our current life, our viewpoint and countless other things.  being that it is such a personal hobby, photography can be so emotional.  being a photographer, we take our success and failure of our images really personally because we feel that it is a direct representation of us, as a person.  that is how i feel, anyways.  when i take an amazing photo, i am proud of myself.  but when i take a photo that isn’t so great, i am really hard on myself.  on this crazy journey with photography, i have learned so much about the highs and lows that come with picking up my camera.  and through the years, i have learned how to overcome those silly moments when i want to quit picking up my camera.  today, i am happier than ever with my photography because i am no longer making these 5 mistakes.  don’t make these mistakes that could cause you to want to give up on photography.

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5 Mistakes That Will Make You Give Up On Photography

1. Not Being True To Yourself

not being true to yourself as a photographer is the biggest reason why you will give up on photography.  if you take images only because you think they will be popular with your audience or because everyone else is taking certain images, you will quickly find that you are not picking up your camera for the right reasons.  you aren’t pick up your camera for you.  don’t copy others.  don’t take on a style that isn’t yours.  don’t recreate another photographer’s images.  trust me, this will put you on the fast track to quitting because you will not be being true to yourself.

2. Not Taking Photography Classes

taking photography classes is one of the best things you can do for yourself and for your photography.  taking the time to invest in yourself will help you become a better photographer and encourage you to grow your skill.  this year, my goal is to take one photography class each month.  it is just a little something that i am doing for myself.  taking photography classes can be expensive, so if it is not in your budget, try buying photography books or eBooks to help learn something new.  it is when you invest in yourself that you will grow and nurture your passion for photography.  photographers who don’t learn or don’t want to learn will be the photographers that eventually give up on photography.

need some good photography book recommendations?  check out what is on my bookshelf.

3. Not Saying No

there is something so important about saying no.  when i was first starting out, i said yes to everyone who wanted a session or yes to anyone who said, “take a picture of this!”  after awhile, i felt a little burnt out because i was picking up my camera for people and things that didn’t really inspire me.  learning to say no was huge for me, as i am a people pleaser.  but once i learned to say no and to only pick up my camera when i really wanted to, i became much happier with my photography.  in a way, i was saving my passion for the moments that i truly loved and not wasting my passion on things that didn’t bring me joy.  this will look different for each photographer but for me, i started saying no to anything that wasn’t lifestyle family and newborn sessions and, if someone said, “hey take a picture of that cool building,” i would politely just say, “oh, how neat!” and leave my camera in my bag.

4. Competing With Others

one of my biggest pet peeves is seeing photographers compete with one another.  you guys, save your energy for your pictures!  embrace friendship with other photographers, and don’t compete.  competing with others will not only bring a negative connotation to your photography, but it will also be a huge reason why you give up on photography all together.  be happy for others when they are rocking it with their camera, and let them inspire you instead of give you a reason to compete.  cheer on other photographers and let their growth inspire you to learn more about photography.

read more: why photographers should embrace friendship, not competition.

5. Not Picking Up Your Camera

simply not picking up your camera is an obvious reason why you will eventually give up on photography.  pick up your camera and take some pictures.  know that not all of your pictures are going to be great, and that’s okay!  it is when you take mediocre pictures that you are truly learning more about your photography.  learn from your mistakes instead of allowing your mistakes to hinder your growth as a photographer.  try starting a photography project to give you a little encouragement to pick up your camera.  photography projects have been know to really inspire photographers who are ready to give up on photography.

need a photography project idea?  here are 5 photography projects every photographer should do.

if you are feeling like you are in love with your photography one day and then hate it the next, it’s normal.  we all feel that way, from time to time.  photography is so personal that it is hard to not let being uninspired bother us.  but turn those moments of being in a rut into moments of inspiration.  try taking a class, starting a photography project, embracing friendships with other photographers, being true to yourself and learn how to say no to the photography opportunities that aren’t bringing you joy.  by avoiding these 5 mistakes, you are more likely to be happier with your photography instead of encouraged to give up.

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