In Order to Follow Your Dreams…

…You actually need to have some of your own.

I’m not sure if I read that somewhere or if it just popped into my head. But I’ve been mulling that thought over the past couple of days, thinking about photography, art, and business.

There’s a lot of photographers out there now, myself included. And for every established photographer I know, I can probably think of two more aspiring ones from among friends, family, and acquaintances. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. This post isn’t going to be some rant against the invasion of “moms with cameras” and the watering down of quality photography. Frankly, I’m sure I have contributed to some of that myself.

But I have begun to wonder if anyone is asking themselves, “Why am I doing this?” Is anyone truly producing something original and creative, or are we all copying one another? I look around at photography blogs and see a lot of the same stuff. Cue photo of wedding shoes hanging from a lampshade. Cue photo of cute couple holding hands standing against a wall.

I know I’m guilty of this myself some, too. I’ve settled for the easy and expected shots instead of pushing for something more real and original. Whose dream am I following then?

What is my dream? My dream is to create powerful, moving images that capture the essence of my clients and the stories of their lives. My dream is to exceed their expectations, producing the best photos I can possibly create.

And I know if that’s my dream, then I need someone to give me a good kick in the pants. I need someone who can tell me the truth about my work, who can push me to move beyond my comfort zone. I need someone to say, “You know, that photo sucks,” if the photo really sucks. And I need them to tell me why and how I could have done better.

Because the truth is, though we may often think we are our own worst critiques, as artists, we are often blind to our work’s imperfections. We simply can’t see what’s wrong with it. We need an impartial eye to give it to us like it is but not try to sell us their dream in the process. We need encouragement but not sales tactics for a product.

There is no magic product to good photos. No bag, lens, camera, or flash is going to help you become a great photographer. Hard work and honest feedback will. If you’re serious about being a photographer, I would encourage you to seek out those who are better than you and ask for (and be willing to accept!) critique.

To put my money where my mouth is, I’ve signed up for a one-of-a-kind week-long break-you-down-and-build-you-up workshop taught by a team of the most talented wedding photojournalists out there. The Foundation Workshop. There’s no staged model shoot with a gorgeous bride and groom, there’s no luncheon about networking, and there’s no products to buy. Instead there’s two days of shooting an assignment by yourself, a live critique of every single shot you took (no editing or deleting allowed) done in front of everyone else, and 20 plus talented mentors pushing you to be the best photographer that you can be.

I’m so excited, thrilled, scared, nervous, elated, anxious, and so, so ready to get pushed out of my comfort zone. I am ready to follow my dreams, not someone else’s. I am doing this mostly for me–I want to be a better photographer–but I know that in the end, I’m also doing this for my clients. Me being a better photographer means better photos for them. Less fluff, more real stuff.

So if you’re a photographer–established or aspiring–find your own dreams and follow them.