I am a family photographer. I am slow at editing and do not rush. Often, I deliver a gallery and feel good about it, and then I see the photos on social media and I literally get sick to my stomach picking them apart. My last gallery I delivered, my client LOVED them and posted almost every photo on social media. She tagged me in all of them and spoke of how much she loved them. HOWEVER, I immediately saw so many flaws that I didn’t see while editing, and then I’m sick to my stomach, tearing them apart. Will I ever get past this? What started as a creative outlet for me is now giving me anxiety. I don’t want to give up, but I hate this feeling! 😫 Does this ever get better? Is this a very common thing?
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Accept you just suck.
Are u sure that those are the same original edits? I mean, are u sure that she is not applying some kind of filter ? Are u watching the pictures on the same screen?
That being said, if none of the above is the case , at least u are acknowledging your mistakes, which is always great , because u’ll be able to get better and better with time .
Yes, they are my photos, no filters. I am just picking them apart. They are not on the same screen. I edit on my mac and then see them on my phone, scrolling through social media. My mac is calibrated, I’m not sure if there are different phone settings? I felt like my blacks were a little too heavy and one of the faces looked so pale, like I should have brushed on color, so he didn’t look so pale. In real life, the child was extremely pale, so I thought he was just looking like himself in photos, however I felt like he looked ghostly once I saw him on IG
I’m using imagen ai. You can get a link to Taylor Jackson that gives 1500 free edits. Helped me when I couldn’t figure out if I was editing my photos well. You can use it to sample and give you inspiration for looks on edits too if you want to do it by hand.
I have never heard of this!!! I will look into it! Is it a completely separate program, or does it link to PS or LR?
Accept yourself. I was probably one of the best musicians in my town growing up and I was so critical of my own music that I have nothing to show for it. I deleted the songs, etc. With photography when you see flaws, it’s just something to work on.
For example, I wouldn’t get close enough. Being an introvert. I could be taking a family portrait or any kind of portrait and I’d always be too far away. It’d look fine in the camera but on the computer I’d always end up having to crop it way in. Which takes away resolution. Having a higher MP camera saved me on one job.
But then I learned to get closer. But EVEN THEN, I was making crops that looked even better so I learned to get even closer.
Then I developed my own style, a lot of detail. So, say you have two people kissing, I will get so close that their full heads aren’t even in the shot, but their facial features out to their ears. Of course you don’t want to cut anything off that looks awkward.
But those flaws are helping you develop a style.
Family photographer, you might look at people using good strobe lights and you might not be and might see a big difference and feel inferior.
Thank you , so much for this! I KNOW I am comparing myself to big name photographers! I guess just improving MYSELF and stop comparing should be helpful. I just struggle with those inner voices that I suck!
Client’s happy, you should be happy. You have a workflow that works for you.
You have no idea the amount of work they might have put in on that social media photo or the set up / prep work needed to get that shot. And that’s what maybe one photo?
I’m sure you gave your client more than one photo.
OMG this is SO TRUE and I have never thought of this perspective! TY!
You’re welcome.
If it makes you feel any better, I recently read a quote from the Belgian photographer Harry Gruyaert (check him out!) about being a perfectionist when it comes to editing & always wanting to improve. He mentioned a famous French painter (Pierre Bonnard, I think) who would go to museums, have his friends distract the guards & retouch his own paintings…
I suppose it’s quite common in artists. You have to be a bit of a perfectionist to see what other people might miss. I have it too!
I do think it gets better over time, with experience. You learn from mistakes & will get a better feel of what you want. Hang in there!
OH MY GOSH THAT IS HILARIOUS! thank you for this! I have to look up that artist, I am going to chuckle all day thinking about this!
Work more. Get so busy that you don’t have time to look at stuff you’ve already done and by the time you do it’s old news anyways
Perfectionism is the thief of joy.