Why Thinking of Your Photography Business Competitively Can Hurt You

The professional photography space is crowded, and if you are trying to carve out your spot in it, it can feel like a very competitive pursuit. And while it is true that establishing and maintaining your business can be a very competitive thing, it can actually be detrimental to think of it that way. This excellent video details why that is and what a better approach might be.

Coming to you from Joe Edelman, this informative video discusses why thinking of photography as a competition can be detrimental to your work and professional success. I think is important to consider. When in a competitive mindset, we tend to try to outdo others at already established games, and in the world of photography, that can mean trying to create the same images others have made thousands of times, only better. But rather than doing this and blending in with the crowd, why not find your true creative voice and establish a unique identity? Doing this can lead to far greater success and satisfaction. Check out the video above for Edelman's full thoughts.

If you would like to learn more about the business of photography, check out "Making Real Money: The Business of Commercial Photography With Monte Isom!"

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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1 Comment

Topic starts with about 7.5 minutes of advertising. I skipped most of it and skipped the entire thing after that. This guy can't be taken seriously.
Christopher Malcolm, looking back at your posting of yesterday, this is a good example of why social media is a negative thing in photography.