Getting Comfortable Is Dangerous in Photography

It is very easy to fall into a routine in photography — taking the same general pictures, applying the same sort of edits, and taking the same opportunities. But stagnation can be a very dangerous thing both in terms of creative growth and professional success. This excellent video essay discusses why you should stop saying no to opportunities just because they might challenge you. 

Coming to you from Scott McKenna, this excellent video discusses why you should not say no to opportunities that might challenge you, as they are crucial both to improving your technical skills and expanding your creative palette. Certainly, when it comes to professional situations in which someone is paying you for your work, you do not want to step so far outside your creative abilities that you endanger your ability to deliver to your customer. On the other hand, though, most of the major steps I have taken in my professional development happened because I pushed myself to grow a bit and I developed new skills, came up with interesting ideas, or simply discovered that I was better at something than I had thought I would be (or enjoyed it more than I thought I would). Check out the video above for the full rundown from McKenna. 

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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100% correct