Beginner Photographer Struggle: Patience
By the time I write this piece, I'll it will mark almost a month of me starting journey as a portrait photographer. I wish I could say those weeks were spent on consistently booking clients, meeting new people, and having fun while doing so. Sad to say that I only spent two weeks working with three clients. The rest of the time has been spent making sure that the important stuff (my website, portfolio, and social media presence) has been worked on. However, there has one thing that I believe is missing in this process; Something that will help me keep my head above the clouds and feet firm on the ground:
PATIENCE
What does patience have to do with my photography journey?
One thing that doesn’t get too much attention is the slow climb of an intermediate photographer. No one is going to ask you for a photo op. You ask your friends and family if they are willing to take some time out of their day to help build your portfolio. Nine times out of ten, almost everyone will decline or leave you unread. The ones who did respond will most likely take your offer to heart or, guaranteed will give you an answer that screams “I’ll take your offer….” and leave it at that.
This is where your confidence as a beginner will begin to shake
You begin to ask yourself…
“What am I doing wrong?”,
“Why won’t anyone take up my free offer?”,
“Am I not pitching my skills right?”,
“Does anyone take my passion seriously?”,
“Am I wasting my time?”,
“What’s the point of doing this?”, and
“Is this photography career really worth it?”
Thinking about the road bumps along the way will even make you question in your life and whether they genuinely care. You go down this spiral of negative thinking, making absurd assumptions that you’re on your own and might even take drastic steps in cutting certain people off.
The time I recently had to reflect has made me realize…
IT TAKES TIME!
Not everyone will risk taking a chance on you. Some will leave you with ambiguous messages, while others will come along for the ride later on. THAT’S OKAY!
Everyone has lives to live. Everyone might be caught up with something they need to take care of. Perhaps they may even be unsure of your skills. As is everyone else.
You should be confident in yourself when starting out.
Having the client come to you for pictures will be worth the wait.
That one client that took a chance on you, when you had a dry few weeks or months, will be worth while.
It comes down to being ready to exceed expectations and wow that one client when the time comes.
