 I’m trying to get over my fear of letting other people see my photography. I fear being judged when I share my work. I remember the first time I entered an image for a group to critique. It was a photography club that I belonged to, and it was supposed to be to help one learn how to improve one’s techniques. I had been learning, on my own, for about 1 ½ years and I needed feedback on my images. I didn’t really know if I was on the right track or had totally derailed with how I was taking photos. Up to this point, I hadn’t shared any of my images with anyone. I worried, ‘what if they don’t like it?’ And ‘what if I make a fool of myself?’ Hiding behind the fact that my image would be submitted anonymously, I decided to share my image with the club. It was a picture of a flower. I made sure that I followed the rule thirds. It was properly exposed. I made sure that there were no distracting objects in the frame that would take away from the photo. At the time, I didn’t know what else to focus on. Well, the club did NOT like it. They called it a “snapshot” and offered NO constructive criticism. They just moved on to the next person’s photo. They had completely ignored my image. I was crushed, felt like I failed and had learned nothing—except that I would keep my photography to myself, in the future. I waited years before I started this website. I promised myself that I would not open myself up to be judged by someone for my art. First, I needed to realize that “I” was not being judged. In my club example, it was anonymous. “I” couldn’t have been judged. They didn’t even know who submitted the image. Secondly, I’ve decided to try to be more “choosey” about whom I’d allow to help me with my photography. Although my confidence is still low, and I fear being deemed a failure, I try to share my work. I dropped that club and have since joined a great local club. I’ve been a member for two years now, and although I’ve not shared any photos with this group, I’m learning a lot. That, in my opinion, is what is important. I’m sharing this flower photo with you. It is from my first attempt at using off camera flash. I’m learning about directional light, what’s considered harsh/soft light, etc… Let me know what you think. I’m learning to be open to CONSTRUCTIVE criticism.
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That can really add drama to a picture. I’m learning not to fear getting wet and instead grabbing my camera. Provided I keep my photography gear dry, (water is not a friend to a lot of cameras & lenses) I’m trying to get out to explore when the weather is not “ideal.” Although I may not be ready to go racing into storms to chase a photo, there are still plenty of other weather conditions I do find suitable. I’m learning to embrace all types of weather. This image, taken on a morning that I went out to catch a beautiful sunrise, is an example of accepting the weather conditions I faced and adapting. When I saw the mist and fog, I could have turned around and gone home. If I had, I never would have captured the image that would turn out to be the first photo I ever sold. Want to Learn More Photography?
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What Is This Page?Since I love photography and teaching, I thought I would start a Blog page and share how I take my images, what I was thinking and about me. Categories
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