Photography can be a pursuit marked by slow growth, and as such, insidious things can creep in and derail our journey, and it can be years before we even realize they have done so. If you would like to continue to grow as a photographer and creative, check out this fantastic video essay that discusses three mistakes that will hold you back and how to avoid them.
Coming to you from Kyle McDougall, this insightful video essay discusses three common mistakes that hold photographers back. One that I found particularly salient is the importance of not wasting time and energy on unproductive things that do nothing to move you forward. We can be guilty of this in so many ways: it can be spending too much time poring over camera specs, arguing with others online, or looking for shortcuts like presets. It can be also come about in less obvious ways, such as spending too much time editing small details of an image that really do not contribute to its overall impression and quality or that are unlikely to be noticed entirely. It is so important that we not only practice our craft, but practice it in a purposeful way. Check out the video above for the full rundown from McDougall.
What holds back my photographic advancement is my dislike for and avoidance of focusing my brain to concentrate on anything. I like things that just pop into my head effortlessly, without any need to force my brain to focus and concentrate to figure them out. So I just pick up a camera and use the features and settings that come to me automatically, and don't ever read manuals or watch tutorials because I do not like disciplining my brain and directing its thoughts.
I still have 3 flashes and a transmitter sitting in their boxes, unused, that I bought 5 years ago, because they didn't "just work" when I put batteries in them and turned them on. People told me I would have to go into the camera's menu and set it up for flash use. I scrolled thru the camera's menu for a minute or two and it wasn't readily apparent what to do to set it up for flash, so I put the flash units and transmitter back in their boxes and never looked at them again. Ditto for all other things that didn't "just come to me".
People who are willing to make their brain stay on a thing until they figure it out, even if it means concentrating for several minutes, are going to go much further with photography than I ever will.