The Joy Theif

I read a quote today, and it really stood out to me and caught my attention.  "Comparison is the thief of joy."
(and I think it was said by Theodore Roosevelt).  If you spend your life comparing yourself, or what you do to what everyone else does and basing your worth on that, then you will never be happy at all. Granted, there is nothing wrong with wanting to learn, wanting to better yourself, wanting to take what you do, and do it better. That is fine, but you should do it for YOU not because you are comparing yourself to someone else and thinking that you need to be like them.  Be yourself, take JOY in who YOU are, and apply it in everything you do. 

I had a really tough time taking the leap into putting myself out there as a learning photographer.  I've been behind a camera for years, but never doing anything about it, or with it.  Just being "safe", never taking any risks.  Being too scared to do anything about it. 


I'm not going lie when I say it is through very close friends and family that I am here today doing this at all.  They greatly encouraged me to break free of my fears and put myself out there and to learn more, to DO more.  The more I do, the more I learn, the more comfortable I feel. 


I view other photographers pages every day, and they are ones that have been doing this for years. WOW.  They are amazing.  Their shots are gorgeous, crisp, clear, detailed they POP they wow you.  It is so easy to compare myself and find myself lacking fiercely when it comes to knowledge and skill. 


It can cause doubts, can cause those fears to come creeping back up.  Then I stop in think...I'm not doing this for those photographers, I'm NOT those photographers.  I am me.  I am learning. 


Then I stumble across a term that is apparently very much used in the photography world "Fauxtographers".  A phrase that is used basically to describe newbies.  That phrase, kind of hurt, a lot. 

A huge majority of what I do isn't for pay anyway.  I mostly do volunteer work with the local shelter and a local rescue group or completely free lance helping out an individual. 


The best way to learn, is to get out and do.  Putting yourself out there into positions where you have to learn to do new things.  I know I've touched base on this same subject just a blog or two ago, but it's all very important.


I'm certainly still in the "newbie" stage, still learning, still adjusting.  I know there are those out there who buy a bunch of expensive fancy equipment and then have no idea how to use it and just wing it (and some of those same people are also really good). 

Honestly, some of my favorite shots have come from a really old Kodak Easyshare camera! That's how I started, with an old Kodak camera. It's not all about the camera.  You need knowledge of lighting, posing, and sooo much more. I worked hard and waited several years to FINALLY get a bit nicer camera.  I love my Canon, it's still not "THE" camera that I'm after.  However, I'm learning building my way up to it. 


Later this afternoon I get to spend time with a good friend and her three awesome sons.  We'll be doing family photos, and birthday photos of her youngest son, I am super excited and look forward to capturing their personalities! I felt very honored when she asked me to do photos for her as there are a great deal of very talented people in our area.


It's another chance to do something new, as I don't generally get too many older kids it's usually dogs, babies, maternity, and toddlers and preschoolers.  So to break away and get a chance to work with older kids will be a lot of fun, and will bring it's own set of new challenges which is what I love!


So, I guess I'm just trying to tell photographers: 
To the newbies...be kind to yourself.  Don't beat yourself up, don't think you have to be like everyone else to be any good and to be happy in what you do.  Don't let other photographers bring you down, work even harder and bring yourself up.
To the pro photographers:  Be kind to the newbies, ok?  Yes, some will find that this isn't for them and will move on to something else.  Others will stick with it, they will fight for it, doing their best to continually learn.  Please, don't beat them down and call them names like "fauxtographers".  Rather, build them up.  Encourage them. Didn't we all have to start somewhere?

I'm happy being "ME" but always looking to grow and learn in what I do, and what I love. 


Mae