I have been taking pictures since I was four years old. The only thing I asked for that year was a Polaroid One Step instant camera and it was love at first sight: at the press of a button that little square would emerge and like magic, an image of exactly what I had seen through the viewfinder would appear on the paper.
I found joy in documenting the world around me and the process of capturing what was important to me (usually a hodgepodge of Barbies, my cat, and my sisters) was so much fun.
Read more – 8 Ways to Avoid Photographer’s Child Syndrome
However, I didn’t pursue photography as an art until a couple of decades later when I welcomed my kids into the world and felt this pressing desire to not only photograph their childhoods but to do so beautifully (and of course save all kinds of money doing it myself rather than going to a professional studio… feel free to shake your head and/or laugh at my ignorance now).
So I set out upon this journey of learning to use my fancy camera, learning to see light, and figuring out how to see the world within a rectangular frame. And once again, I fell in love with photography.
With all of that learning, though, came a good deal of pressure. There were constant comparisons to other artists and it seemed that as soon as I mastered one skill, my eyes were opened to my extreme lack of knowledge of another skill. As my photography evolved into a business, there was the pressure to stay afloat in a saturated market and to stand out from the crowds of momtographers.
And then there were my own kids who seemed to be protesting me, my camera, and my “artistic vision” at every turn. It didn’t take long for the fun of photography to get lost in the fog of the expectations and frustrations.
Faced with the stress of not enjoying this process that had been a source of happiness for so long and had become a part of who I was, I realized that something had to change. And so I set-out upon a mission to reconnect with the fun of taking pictures, to revive the joy of being a photographer, and to share that with the people in front of my camera.
Through a little trial and error, a lot of patience, and an extraordinary amount of silliness, I have discovered that it is indeed possible to have fun every time you pick-up your camera and every step of the photographic process can be a blast! Here’s how:
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No.01Know how to have fun outside of photography.
It was a big revelation when I discovered that I had forgotten how to have fun not just in photography but really in life. The pressures and responsibilities of being a mother, wife, and business owner had made it so that I was so focused on my to-do list that I left no time to explore the things that brought me joy.
Of course, I can’t abandon cooking dinner and vacuuming and laundry and taxes altogether, but I certainly don’t have to have every dish sparkling the minute dinner plates are cleared and it isn’t reasonable to have my floors mopped and shining for any visitor who might just pop in.
By letting go of the unreasonable expectations of “adulting” and allowing myself to stop and have fun in my daily life, I found that it was infinitely easier to translate that sense of fun into my photography.
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No.02Take time to play.
Especially when photographing kids, games and play can go a long way in making picture time fun. A quick game of Simon Says or Ring Around the Rosey can elicit giggles for the camera and exclaiming, “Race to that tree!” is so much more fun than ordering someone to “Go stand over there.”
To have clients leave me feeling as if we had a playdate rather than a family photo session means I am doing my job right (and it means that Mom and Dad are much more likely to hire me again next year!).
When you are photographing your own kids, sometimes putting the camera down to get on the floor with them and play for a minute will go a long way in earning cooperation for when you do pick-up your camera. Nothing is more important to your children than seeing that they have your undivided attention and that you enjoy them, so before you “get your shot” allow them to see how wonderful you think they are by engaging in activities they have fun doing.
Finally, have fun while you are shooting and when you are editing by experimenting and trying new things. Play with composition, light, and depth of field. Rent a new lens to get a different perspective. Try a new editing technique to see if it fits your style.
Even if these experiments are “fails,” you can have fun trying something outside of your norm.
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No.03Stop Comparing Yourself to Everyone Else.
I get it. Your Facebook feed is full of gorgeous imagery and when you look at it next to your work it is hard to feel anything but discouraged. Their houses are immaculate and they live in the midst of scenic mountain ranges and their use of light is so interesting and beautiful.
But here’s the thing: you like their work because it is THEIR WORK. It is a reflection of who those artists are and their unique way of seeing the world. The biggest strength you will ever have in your own work, and the thing that will keep creating more work fun, is being confident in your own voice and what you have to say through your photographs.
Of course, I am not saying that you can’t be inspired by other photographers. I love looking at what other artists are doing and translating the things that speak to me into my own photography. But I have learned that I cannot compare my pictures with another artist’s to deem one “better” just like it would be silly to compare Michelangelo to Matisse.
We all have a place in the greater artistic world and allowing ourselves to enjoy others’ successes rather than feel like failures by comparison.
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No.04Make fun the priority.
I am a huge proponent for identifying your artistic voice and having vision and shooting with intention. I think that these are key to growing as a photographer. I also believe that if fun is not the number one goal on your list every time you look through that viewfinder, it will get lost in the shuffle.
Read more: The Styled Photographer
A child doesn’t pick-up a toy with the expectation of creating a masterful piece of performance art; he or she reaches for that toy because it is time to have FUN! In much the same way, we need to reach for our camera with FUN as the priority and allow that to be the measure of our success.
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No.05Don’t let photography always be “work.”
This is most true for those of us in business, though I would argue that the hobbyists out there can easily suffer the pitfalls of seeing photography as “work” rather than “fun.” When we only allow photography to be our jobs… whether that be a job that pays the bills or the job that we have placed upon ourselves to document our kids or meet any number of other outside expectations… we are destined to lose track of why we started this whole thing in the first place!
Give yourself space to use photography just for you, outside of the work you are expected to do. Are you running a business? Start a personal project! Are you the family historian? Take time to try some landscape photography! Do you blog all of your sessions? Keep a private journal of your favorite work just for you! The key is to give yourself a break from the work of photography and reconnect with the fun of simply creating.
We are part of an industry that is competitive, fast-paced, and always evolving. It can be far too easy to get caught up in it all and lose track of why we picked-up those cameras in the first place. But it shouldn’t be that way. Because when we allow ourselves to have fun and stay connected to those first exhilarating moments of seeing the world as photographers, we are poised to create our very best work.
Beautifully said! It is so easy to fall into it not being fun anymore! When I start falling into that, I do exactly like you said and go back to doing what brought my love for the camera to me in the first place – nature and landscape!
Bravo!! Word of wisdom and humility for every photographer.. I experienced a very similar pitfall. I enrolled in the New York Institute of Photography in their Professional Photographers Course. I got so caught up in learning how to use all light, available, strobes, speed lights and modifiers and it almost destroyed my passion for photography. The joy, the visual process was missing. I was trying to be Perfect.
I put down my very expensive DSLR and all the trimmings and just used my cell phone camera. I focused on my composition, point of view and storytelling. This was the best thing I could have done for myself. This Christmas I took the pressure of myself and kept it simple using my cell phone for most of my images. I did and do use my Nikon but only when I am not pressured. Holidays are madness, getting people to sit down and get their photo taken. My Christmas was wonderful and I captured sensational photos and videos. I also captured brilliant images with my big boy!!
Thank you for sharing your experience and tips on how to get back to the fun of Photography and all of life.
Merry Everything and Happy Always ☄
Love this. A wonderul and imspiring read!