It is easier than ever to consume literally thousands of photographs with just the swipe of a finger, and that is both a blessing and a curse, as that means we can be easily influenced into chasing trends and popular styles. This excellent video discusses the importance of discovering your own identity and photographing what makes you happy.
Coming to you from Henry Turner, this fantastic video discusses the importance of embracing what makes you happy and exploring your own creativity. Of course, if you are a professional, you have to be aware of client's wishes and of general stylistic trends, but even then, it is your personal creative identity that helps you stand out from the crowd and that attracts potential clients, which is why so many professionals advocate for the importance of constantly pursuing personal projects. After all, at the end of the day, we all picked up a camera for the first time because it was something that excited us and made us happy, and getting dragged into mimicking trends can end up sucking all of the fun out of it. Remember that at the end of the day, you choose where you point the camera and how you edit the images. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Turner.
that makes me happy