Three of the Biggest Myths in Photography

Photography is a complex topic full of myths and misconceptions, and those can lead you astray and be detrimental to your growth and success as a creative. This interesting video essay discusses three common photography myths that can undermine your work and the truth that is often hiding behind them. 

Coming to you from First Man Photography, this great video essay discusses three common myths in photography and the truth behind them. One myth that I think can be particularly detrimental to newcomers is the idea that talent leads to success. That is not to say that people can't have an innate level of creative ability, but without focused, consistent practice, that will not amount to anything. On the other hand, beginners who know they have a passion for the craft often end up discouraged when they do not get immediate results, sometimes attributing this to a lack of talent, which leads to the massive turnover in entry-level DSLRs and mirrorless cameras that are constantly filtering through the used market. Really, the willingness to harness your passion and turn it into consistent practice and creative exploration is what is going to lead to success down the road. Check out the video above for the full rundown.

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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Technical aspects and gear talk is quite interesting, especially when combined with real world use. For example when learning new stuff and testing the viabity of certain gear, I often look for videos where a photographer will be attempting to use the same or similar gear in the desired environment/ use case, and then hope they included info like the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO when displaying the sample images.

Beyond that, photography is fun, especially if you are willing to play with it and experiment. If you can keep it fun, you will be more likely to come up with new creative things to do.