Why Every Photographer Needs Constructive Feedback

You can't do it all alone...trust me

Hello Substack friends!

Well I’m not sure what kind of week you’ve had but it’s been a whirlwind (literally) here in Queensland. A tropical cyclone, a 4 day power outage, no internet and a lot of anxiety. We are all safe though and of course that is what matters.

I have to say that Substack and YouTube were hands down the things I missed the most and I was happy to be reconnected with the communities there. I’m still catching up on all things internet but tonight I’m sitting down to share some very important points about how to move forward with your work.

Whether you are new to photography and just finding your feet or you’ve been snapping away for years with enthusiasm and a few accolades under your belt, it’s never a bad time to seek a fellow artists advice.

Let’s get stuck into some of the benefits of offering your work up for review and the impact it can have on your direction, and more importantly your mindset!

The missing piece of the puzzle

You know when you are looking for something you’ve lost and you get so wrapped up and emotional about where it could be that you just end up pacing, pulling everything apart and thinking “where the hell could this be?”. Only to realise that it’s somewhere fairly obvious, or even more frustrating, somewhere you already looked…

This happens because we are too close to the thing we can’t find, we become desperate to find it and it clouds our judgment and our ability to see it.

Often if you ask another person to help when searching for a lost item they find it so easily because they aren’t as deeply invested and therefore frustrated as you are. They also don’t have this huge emotional response to the event because they aren’t responsible for ownership and then perceived loss of the item.

They are simply a second pair of eyes for you to borrow in a time of need.

They are valuable because they can see what you can’t.

They may also have the ability to see things differently to you.

We all view life and art through our own lenses of course and this is naturally subjective, however when it comes to our own work or creations we can really struggle to see things as they are, for better or worse.

Some of us let our own bias or personality get in the way and downplay our work, never giving it the space it deserves and allowing it to grow and develop fully.

Others may keep taking the same pictures and stick to a formula for fear of branching out.

Whilst others tend to spend all their time trying to emulate different artists work and flit from one genre to another, never finding their own voice or purpose.

It could also simply be a case of just not knowing where to focus or how to move forward, classic inaction and stagnant feelings towards your creativity.

The second pair of eyes comes in like a well slept friend helping a new tired mum who can no longer think or see straight. This second set of eyes is fresh, open, and seeing your work for the first time with the ability to provide an honest and constructive analysis of what you have spent so much time looking at.

Fresh is best. Fresh eyes will reveal so much and this is why seeking feedback is crucial to your development as an artist.

Below is a snippet of a response from my most recent portfolio review client and I think this conveys perfectly the value in actively seeking out advice and feedback for your work.

I have been marinating on your feedback and I totally agree with your selections! I actually felt a puzzle piece moment reading your feedback and observations because I have utilized many mediums to create art over the years and I was always drawn to compose my paintings as abstractions of reality. To see that connection here in my photography is a lightbulb moment for me! I am less a planner and more a create-in-the-moment kind of person, hence why I prefer to just carry the camera with me rather than setting up photoshoots. It lights me up to stumble upon a scene I can create a photo from and your review just reinforced that in me.

It’s Actually Got Nothing To Do With Your Photography

A large portion of the photographers I have provided reviews for actually don’t need help with their technical skills or their ability to seek out great images. It’s normally more a case of what I call “finding your why” which can take shape in many ways.

Often we lack direction, focus, commitment or a larger overarching purpose to our creative pursuits. This is something I go into more detail with based on the photographers body of work and goals but it’s a reaccuring theme I have noticed.

I have specific questions that are asked of you when you book in and these help me to get a well rounded view of you as a person as well as a creative, because at the end of day our output is governed by so much more than which camera we use or what we take photos of.

Often it ends up like creative self help in a way becauseI don’t think art happens in isolation from the rest of our being and existence.

If you have goals and dreams then your work should be reflective of them and a clear path needs to be made for you to get there - this is what I offer in my reviews and whilst I obviously look over your work and provide detailed feedback pertaining to it, I also take a holistic approach to the entire process.

Another common barrier that comes up in these reviews is mindset - perhaps your sis limited and that’s holding you back. Sometimes we seek feedback or advice because we want someone to give us permission to do the things we’ve been ruminating on for some time.

I know I ask people in my life deliberate questions knowing what their answer will be in order to have someone tell me one thing or another to then use that as fuel to do, or not do, the thing.

As this feedback below from a recent review client states, it’s not easy when you don’t have an accessible creative community on tap to get this detailed, honest critique.

I honestly can't thank you enough for this, and it couldn't have come at a better time. As of right now, I don't have the words, and I just wanted to say thank you so much. This truly means a lot to me, and for people who don't have a creative community to bounce ideas off, this is gold. I’m very excited to dive deeper into some of your suggestions and points of reference.

Are You Taking Yourself Seriously?

I have started running again and I’m not the best at it but I have pretty old Asics running shoes and I keep telling myself that I need to just make do with them instead of purchasing a new pair with features and comfort etc.

I’ve run 5 weeks in a row which is pretty consistent and I’m really starting to get back into it and feel like a “runner” again. My shoes are kind of holding me back to be honest but I’m scared to go out and purchase new shiny serious ones because then I’m really a “runner” with a capitol R and the shoe store person will ask me questions and assume I’m a “real “runner” and I just worry I can’t be that person…

This is all just nonsense in my head of course and the sales person gives zero fucks and likely won’t even talk to me but my anxiety, my imposter syndrome and my fear, which is really what all of those things are, is keeping me from progressing forward in my next step as a RUNNER.

We tend to not want to bet on ourselves because it keeps us safe, or we think it does. It actually keeps us down and stops us from learning, growing, achieving and having valuable experiences like opening ourselves up to critique or review.

It doesn’t have to be booking in with me either it could just be submitting your work to a competition or finally putting out that zine, selling prints or applying for something you’ve always dreamed of in the creative realm.

Something that proves to yourself that you are worth betting on.

Rarely have I had any experiences in life, especially since sharing my work online in the last four years, where I haven’t learned significant lessons that I draw from now.

The filter coffee I’m likely drinking whilst I review your work.

Are You Ready?

Last weeks portfolio review client said they had wanted to book in for 6 months and finally went ahead. I was pleased to hear that so much thought had gone into this decision and I urge you to take your time getting your work together before you do book in.

If you are like me and need a push/deadline to get things done then know that you can now book in advance using my new scheduling service via my website. This allows you to secure a future spot and then use the time leading up to it to gather your imagery.

I hold reviews every Thursday morning and I’m only taking on 4 photographers a month so if you have been on the fence or you are just over feeling so blah and directionless with your creative output then book in with me today!

I’m so excited to work with some of the wonderful photographers here on Substack that are passionate about growing as creatives, whether that’s professionally or personally, or both!

If you have some questions flying around in your head after reading this then check out the FAQ’s here, or message me directly by hitting the button below to get in touch.

I’ll see you guys next week for more advice, inspo and musings. Thanks for reading everyone. Stay creative.

Love Lucy xx