Five Tips for Becoming a Happier Photographer

Photography in its pure, abstracted state is generally a happy pursuit for those who are passionate about it. In its practical implementation, there are lots of things that can make us grumpy or even disillusioned. This great videos talk about five ways to be a happier photographer.

Coming to you from Chris Ord Photography, this video examines a topic that I personally think doesn't get enough coverage. Of his five tips for becoming a happier photographer, I think the one that has been most helpful over the long run for me has been remembering who I'm shooting for (and thus, tuning out the static). As he mentions, if you voluntarily ask for critiques of your work, that's one thing, but beyond that, the only people you need to worry about pleasing are yourself and your clients. The sooner you let go of trying to please the masses on the Internet and quell the din of their unfettered (and often unqualified) feedback, the happier you'll be. Don't get caught up in counting likes and followers; just create work that makes you happy and focus on doing the same for the people putting money in your account. 

Lead image by Zukiman Mohamad, used under Creative Commons.