Foolish Lies You Keep Telling Yourself That Are Holding Your Photography Hostage

Photography is crazy hard to master. That difficulty becomes impossible when you start locking yourself behind walls of your own creation. Stop deluding yourself, those little restrictions that you keep using as crutches to excuse your lack of progress are only inhibiting your ability to grow. Shatter those internal lies so you can keep pushing your photography forward and become the photographer you dream of.

I Don't Have or Can’t Afford Good Enough Gear

Do you have a camera? Does it work? Then you have good enough gear. Period. There will always be some other magical piece of gear that promises to make you a better photographer. It's lying to you. Only you can make yourself a better photographer.

Better gear gives versatility and enables you to become more consistent or to overcome specific technical limitations. It doesn’t stop you from making a great photo. It doesn’t stop you from making many great photos. Only you do that. So stop it! Forget about your lack of gear and instead remember that it is great vision that makes great photos.

I Don't Have Enough Time

“How can we ever have time if we never take time?” — Merovingian

Yup, I just quoted "The Matrix," but it's painfully true. I hear this excuse all the time. You didn’t buy your camera to have an expensive dust catcher. You bought it so you could take amazing pictures. Find the time to use it.

It is so unbelievably easy to sink into the lie of not having enough time. You do have enough time, you just are not prioritizing photography. There is always time that can be found if you look for it. Make the time to build your success.

I Don't Have Good Enough Photos

I have a secret. You never will. I bet Ansel Adams died thinking his work wasn’t good enough. Don’t hold yourself back from pushing your work forward by thinking that your current work isn’t good enough.

I can think of half a dozen younger photographers I know who are holding off making their portfolio because their work isn’t “good” enough yet. A couple of them have been paralyzed in this lie for years. Don’t be that person that never moves forward out of fear that you are not good enough. You are good enough. Get your work out into the world. Then become even better.

There Isn't Anything/Anyone For Me To Photograph

Do you live in a locked and padded white cell with only a camera? Because even if you do, I bet there are still some really interesting self-portraits to be created. Everyone in the world has access to interesting things to photograph. Find an exciting story and tell it. There is always a way to perceive the mundane as extraordinary.

Furthermore, if you are looking to create a specific photo of a specific subject that you don’t have immediate access to, then start hustling your way to getting access to it. Sitting at home whining about having nothing to photograph won’t do any good. Seek out that which you want to take picture of. If photography is truly your passion, that might mean taking a trip or even moving somewhere new (take it from someone who has started over in completely new places before, it isn’t nearly as scary as it sounds).

Finding people to work with is also damn easy. I'm asked all the time how I find such gorgeous models to shoot with. The answer is absurdly simple: "I ask." Some turn me down but the vast majority are excited to collaborate.

So Get Off Your Keester And Do It!

Sound your internal trumpet! Make a vow to stop lying to yourself. Decide that today is going to be the day you obliterate those internal walls holding you back. Go out and start making better photos right now.

The best opportunity you have to become a better photographer is right now.