Starting a Photography Business: Part 4 – I Have Confidence in Sunshine and Me.

In the last few weeks we’ve covered some of the basics and I thought it was about time we talked about the thorny subject that all photographers feel or have felt at one time or another; are my pictures good enough to put out there?

The song “I have Confidence in Sunshine I have Confidence in Me” from the musical The Sound of Music was going through my head this morning, and I think it sums up the place that we as photographers have to come from; we have to be able to feel comfortable showing ourselves because what we do is very, very personal.

I was talking to a business coach recently and she said photographers, artists & healers have the hardest time in coming to terms with feeling comfortable and confident in sharing their work because if there is criticism we see it as a direct reflection on ourselves, which of course logically we know it isn’t, it’s a photo it’s not us, it’s something we’ve taken though it’s not who we are.  Yet sometimes I know it’s easy to say but harder to believe.

For a long time I had a fear of putting my work out there as I was too busy comparing it to other photographers; the mistake I made was whilst looking at other photographers websites to get an idea of how I’d like my site to look I looked at some beautiful work, I looked at the prices, I gulped because some seem very low and then I stored that image in my head and I’d go back to my photos and look at them and think do they stack up?  This self doubt continued until quite recently, and I know I’m not alone as I regularly speak to professional photographers who are struggling with fear of criticism even though they have their work on sale.  It made me feel less silly and I realised that there is a lot of camaraderie and support amongst fellow professionals.

Something that really helped is a course I have returned to time and time again and was created by my friend, Jennifer McLean, Heal your Life Heal your Business, It’s a four day video streaming course and the first two days are concentrated around building self belief and removing any negative thoughts around you and your product and then visioning how you want your future to be, and starting to lay the blue print.  For me personally the way in which the exercises help usher out self doubt and replace it with confidence is incredibly easy, I repeat these over and over because it reminds me to keep my message authentic and not be afraid to show who I am.

The last two days of the course are from a purely business point of view with a top business coach helping you to think and work from a more authentic you rather than focusing purely on the money.  I’ll come back to this course when I do an article on social media as they do a fantastic guide on how best to use social media to work for you and your business.  If you follow this link and do decide to purchase this course because you feel it’s right for you then just so you are aware I will receive a small amount of money by you clicking on this link.  http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=3913409

Another thing that really helped build my confidence was just getting out there taking photos and feeling good about what I’d taken, re-building my muscles in the way I look at a subject and the way I take it.

Take what inspires you, for me it’s roaming around the countryside, looking over hedges and down hills to see if the light is right & if it’ll give me a great shot and jumping out of the car to grab a few frames.  Or sometimes it’s spending an hour taking one subject from many different angles, getting the light the background and foreground just so.  I tend to make sure I have food and drink with me so I can happily sit out in the countryside through mealtimes waiting for the sun to do its magic or the wind to blow a branch or blade of grass just as I want it.

It’s when I come away from one of these shoots and I’m as a high as a kite and singing away to myself because of the colours the sky has displayed, the shadows the sun has cast or the way it’s spotlighted a part of a grassy hill and I know that I have a SD card full of great shots and I’ve had the time of my life that I take a moment to acknowledge; yes I am a great photographer and it’s an honour to share them with others.  And it’s in that place where I stay to keep my confidence high and I hope that wherever you are on your journey you find the space to feel safe and confident in sharing your work with us.

Notes

• Admit the self doubt rather than push it down inside

• Whatever your niche is take some time to just play & enjoy your work, you’ll find more creativity comes from enjoying yourself

• Remember no two people will ever see your image in the same way and that’s okay.

• We have all felt the same way at some point & there are courses to help you feel confident.

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Ruth Bayley

Living in the beautiful rural county of Yorkshire it was perhaps natural for Ruth to have an affinity with the countryside and its wildlife. Creativity is Ruth’s driving force finding an outlet in television & radio she worked for many years as producer for BBC & ITV.

However a love of photography and for being surrounded by nature called her to go back to her photography training and bring pleasure and joy to people through her connection with our planet.

Staying in the moment when taking her images allows her to experience the natural magnificence unfolding before her eyes. It is this moment of mediation, of gratitude, that she evocatively conveys through her images.

www.healingwithphotography.co.uk