I know I’m not the only one who has taken a leap of faith to follow a dream. So why does it feel so scary? And kind of lonely? And a little bit like WTF am I doing? And can I really do this? These thoughts all race and give me a sense of imposter syndrome as I work to confidently call myself a photographer these days.
Here’s a little list of things that I’m doing to fight imposter syndrome:
Repetition.
The more photoshoots I do for family/friends/acquaintances, the more I’m building my photographer muscle. I get more comfortable with posing, my camera settings, as well as reading the lighting during each session. I’m also learning more about editing and being more conscious of which photos I keep, and which ones I can let go of before I edit so that I save myself time.
Post on Social Media.
Looking busy is important. Whether I actually am busy or not (or booked or not), if I have content for social media, I can appear to be busy. I’ve heard (advice from Rebecca Rice) that this can create momentum when first starting out. Looking ‘booked out’ creates a sense of professionalism and trust. If others trust me with their family photos, then my social media audience should too!
Affirmations.
Some people might call this woo-woo but I don’t care. Daily affirmations set the tone for me. If I miss a day of meditating or intentionally doing self-affirmations, I can feel it in my mood. Telling myself that I am worthy and strong and smart, capable and a great photographer really matters. If I don’t believe it, then who will?
Working on my Creative Eye.
I’m noticing smaller details these days. Little moments make me think: ‘Oh! This would be a great picture!’ I also notice natural lighting in a space. I think working on my creative juices in any medium (painting, dancing, singing, photography, writing, etc.) helps too!
Staying Grounded.
This one is hard lately. So, I’m not always doing as I say, but I’m trying. Keeping the fire of inspiration going and continuing to believe in myself is a constant challenge. Some days I’m really questioning if I’m cut out for this. Other days I’m riding a high of doing 3 sessions in a row that all went well. Throughout this whole journey I’m trying to stay level-headed and take the highs with the lows and remain grounded. I intend to keep my head down and keep chipping away at this dream until it can become my full-time dream job.
With love and without being an imposter,
Katie
Katie Postel Photography Blog 