Last updated on February 15th, 2023 at 05:15 pm
There was a time in my previous dream life when I would have done almost anything to avoid the experience of people evaluating and critiquing my photography work.
However, I am happy to report that my fear of feedback is slowly becoming a thing of the past.
I recently attended a photography competition where people openly critiqued the photographs submitted by amateur photographers.
During the competition, I sat across the aisle from one such judge and watched him look at each image as they moved across the display screen.
There were a few common themes in his critiques and suggestions tonight:
- When setting up your shot, make sure you have something ‘going on’ in the foreground, middle ground, and background. Watch for the ‘rule of thirds.’
- Look for images that have energy and movement, and ones that ‘scream the story.’
- Make sure to pay attention to how many elements in each image will be fighting for your attention.
- When setting up for a shot, always be aware of light, texture, time of day, and composition.
Many of the photographs I viewed during the slide show could have been mine–the perspectives, for the most part, were pretty traditional. This is how my eye sees potential images. Although I can’t explain it, seeing the other submitted images gave me a boost of confidence. It feels like my photography is part of something bigger than simply me and my big dream.
I also had a chance to sit next to another Olympus camera user/photographer. I helped him figure out a few technical settings on his camera–if you can believe it. To my great shock, I had a clue as to what I was talking about.
From this experience, I realized that learning by doing is the best training style for me while being around others willing to put themselves out there gives me hope that I won’t be living my freelance photography dream alone.
All-in-all, a great week for my big dream journey.
Remy Gervais
Remy Gervais is a freelance photographer and EMyth’s Coach Training and Development Manager. You’ll find her taking photographs in the California wine country.
Related Stories:
Enjoy this special 8WomenDream Guest Contributor story submitted by new and experienced big dreamers throughout the world, edited and published to capture a dream perspective from different points of view. Do you have a personal dream story to share with 8WomenDream readers? Click here to learn how to submit dream big articles for consideration.
Note: Articles by Guest Post Contributors may contain affiliate links and may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on an affiliate link.
