Bridging the Disconnect Between Your Creative Goals and Your Technical Ability

People who are new to photography or videography often have huge levels of enthusiasm. The learning curve, however, is a steep one, and it can take many years to get to a point at which you're happy with the quality of your work. How then do you ensure that you remain enthusiastic about your craft amidst the disappointment of a mediocre standard of work? I’ve been working as a full-time filmmaker for just over five years. I am grateful that I get to learn new things on every shoot I work on. There are times when I surprise myself, and think “That project turned out way better than expected.” Then there are also times when I get hugely frustrated with a project I am working on. I start overthinking the concept, or making excuses about the gear I have available, or sometimes the client becomes too involved, and what started as a project fuelled by passion and inspiration quickly becomes something that I’d rather not put my name to.

At some point, we all have thoughts similar to these, regardless of whether you’re an industry professional with many years of experience or whether you’re a beginner trying to land your first paid gig. I have worked on many projects where I look at the finished product and think, “This is not as good as I pictured it being.” These thoughts have the potential to motivate you to work harder, but there are times when they can be a stumbling block and even cause you to walk away from the craft that you’re passionate about.

It can be easy to let the fear of failure take hold and prevent you from doing the one thing that will push your creative career forward - WORK. If you find yourself frustrated by a disconnect between the way you see your work in your mind and what you’re currently able to achieve, then be encouraged. It’s just part of the learning process, and you're not alone. Many esteemed professionals will tell you that the majority of lessons that have been learnt throughout their careers have been learnt the hard way - through trial and error. So, perhaps the biggest separation between those who make it and those who don't is persistence in the face of failure.

It’s normal to take a while… you just have to fight your way through that. - Ira Glass

This video by Daniel Sax, entitled The Gap, features the wise words of Ira Glass. This has bounced around the internet in a few various forms for a few years, but it's the kind of thing that many need to be reminded of frequently.