Growing up, I heard this warning about social media. I didn't have any accounts, but I struggled with it a bit in real life. I got my first social media account in 2017 and I made strict boundaries for myself, in part, to try and avoid this pitfall. But now I have realized that I still fall for it. What game do we all play, at one point or another? The comparison game. There is a reason I've resisted Pinterest with everything in me. I know myself and not only would I be tempted to waste hours on there, but I would compare my own work with others (not necessarily photography related). I'd see all these beautiful works of art and think, "well, mine wouldn't turn out anything like that". I didn't need that kind of negativity in my life (I can come up with plenty on my own!) so I've stayed off.
I'm going to be honest. On Instagram, as far as I am aware, I don't play the comparison game. I can see an image and aspire to reach that level, but I know I'm not there so I don't compare myself. But if I know that I'm not at their level, then why do I do what I just realized I do? I'll come back from a session and I critique my photos. That's well and good. I'm still learning and growing and finding my exact style so I need to analyze; see what's working and what's not. The problem is that I get frustrated with myself. I get frustrated that my systems aren't consistent. I get frustrated that I missed something obvious or didn't do something I know I should. None of this is something my client would ever know, but I know it and I know better. Why have I not gotten it yet? This is where the comparison comes in. In comes the sneaky thought that "so-and-so doesn't forget that. Look at her work. It's so consistent." This voice is a liar. Yes, this other photographer who I learn from and look up to is better than me. But she's also YEARS ahead of me in this business. And you know what? I know for a fact that she still makes mistakes and doesn't follow her systems perfectly after all these years. Besides all that, I'm positive that she weeds out hundreds of photos that her clients never see and of course she makes her work consistent. That's part of building a brand. The problem is when I forget what I know to be true and let the doubts come in. I've never once had a client who was not 100% satisfied with their photos. The little things that frustrate me are completely unnoticeable to them and that's a good thing!!!! My job is to make the experience smooth and relaxing and fun for you so you'll never know any of the stuff I'm thinking about. Maybe you're an athlete, an artist, a musician, a student, a mom, whatever. When you find yourself getting sucked into the comparison game, stop. Think about it. Is this even a fair comparison? Sometimes we can see that someone is better and we know we can achieve that too. Realizing that you can do better an then chasing that is not bad. But if someone is ahead of you and you just aren't at their level, don't compare. Admire. Aim for where they are but realize that it's a day for the future, not for now. I still admire this photographer's work and brand and the way she does her business. In a lot of ways, she is a role model for me and I want to be like her. I'm not giving that up, but I am going to work on not expecting to be her NOW. She's ten years in and I'm not. There's a lot to be said for experience. Get out there and work at your dreams and skills. Just don't let the comparison game hold you back. Blessings, Sarah
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Hi! I'm Sarah!
I am a natural light portrait photographer. I've been taking photos since 2014 and would eat a smoothie from Tropical Smoothie Cafe for lunch everyday if I could. Thank you so much for stopping by. I blog about sessions, things I'm learning, stuff in my life, and information for YOU, my client. If you like what you see around the site, I'd love to work with you! I'd also love to connect with you on Instagram. I'm @sarah_jayne_photo :) Archives
April 2024
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