Being a creative is often anything but easy, and doubt in your abilities can creep in due to all sorts of factors. That can have serious consequences on your ability to produce images, and that can lead to a spiral of reinforcement that hinders your progress. This excellent video essay features an experienced landscape photographer discussing the issue and why a positive mindset can lead you to compelling photos even in poor conditions.
Coming to you from Christian Irmler - Landscape Photography, this great video tutorial discusses the importance of self-confidence in landscape photographer. As Irmler discusses, it can be discouraging when conditions are not in your favor, but I firmly believe that compelling images can be made in any weather or environment. The key is not just having confidence in your abilities, as Irmler discusses, but embracing the light and weather you are given rather than working against it. Too often, photographers have a shot in mind and try to force it to happen when the light simply is not conducive to it, often missing out on better options and coming home frustrated. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Irmler.
And if you really want to dive into landscape photography, check out our latest tutorial, "Photographing the World: Japan With Elia Locardi!"
One formative moment in my early career, when photography was a hobby and not my profession, came when I won an award in a photography contest. "Of course", I hear you saying. But it wasn't the win that gave me confidence. It was the fact that I'd entered the very same images in another contest and not gotten even honorable mention. It made me realize how essentially subjective the activity of judging photos is. I'm not dissing the judges here. I'm sure I deserved to both lose and win. What I took away from it was that the most important judge was ME. Others could guide me, provide feedback and suggestions. But, ultimately, I had to trust my own intuition. Success or failure before one audience was largely irrelevant.
Now that I'm a pro, of course, there is only one judge who matters - my client. Which is why I seek clients who are likely to see things the way I do, and I don't take jobs that would require me to work against the way that I see, as this would serve neither my client nor myself well. I don't need to please every audience, just enough to support myself.