I was doing some pretty legit baking moves! I’m still proud of myself! …. And during this intense process of following intricate instructions and measuring flour out perfectly, I had a revelation!!! Here we are, working hard and paying attention to every detail to make sure this pie turns out perfectly…. and yet somebody is bound to make a comment about the final product once it hits the table. Maybe it’s “too runny” or not sweet enough… or maybe it’s just “not like grandma’s”! This happens all of the time. Family and friends work hard to prepare a meal and the first thing that happens at the dinner table is a guest grabs the salt. After all of that hard work, that has to make the chef’s heart sink a little.
I was thinking about all of this while we were making the pie and I realized that this happens in photography…. ALL. THE. TIME!!! Photographers, how many times have we shown our clients the back of the camera, only to receive the “Oh I look fat” comment? It’s hard to hear… because deep down, we’re hoping for an “Oh my gosh!!! That’s US?!!!” comment. We want comments that reassure us that we’re talented…. that we can truly capture magical images!!
I totally get it. As soon as I see a picture of myself, I look for my flaws. It’s a sad part of human nature but it does happen on a regular basis. I’ve realized that when the first thing a client mentions is something about not liking the way they look, that’s not a jab at me. That is their own insecurity and while it’s our job to make them look the best they possibly can, we can’t take those comments too personally. Anyone that cooks experiences this same feeling when someone says “oh, this needs salt!” as soon as they take the first bite!
Hearing that time and time again can make you want to lose confidence in your work but I just want to encourage you not to let it get to you! Realize that even though those aren’t the responses we long for, they aren’t a direct attack on you. People are just being human and they don’t even realize what they are saying! So don’t lose heart and don’t lose your passion over a few small comments! Whenever you’re feeling discouraged, just remember that you’re not alone! This happens to the best of us and the rest of us! This isn’t just a photography issue, it’s an issue for ANY creative!! We are supposed to do our BEST… to pose like champs… to make our clients feel 100% at ease…. and even when we do everything right, it doesn’t change the fact that our client has NEVER loved her arms. So when those comments come, just take a deep breath and carry on!! Don’t let them steal your joy. Learn from them and move on! You’ll actually be a better photographer because if it!
Ok, Never in my life did I think I could find a way to relate photography to cooking but it happened!!! Have an amazing tuesday everyone! :)
