5 Photographers on the Biggest Mistake of Their Photography Career
I started to write an article on the biggest mistakes in the history of the photography industry.
Surprisingly, I couldn't come up with enough info. It seems that back in the day photographers weren't willing to admit when they horrifically botched a photography moment.
Thankfully, there are incredible award-winning photographers who are willing to talk about their biggest mistakes now because we can all learn from them.
Here are 5 stories.
Ben Sasso-Wedding Photographer Extraordinaire
Ben Sasso's Instagram features a lot of photos of himself and his partner, probably because the two live in a van together.
But, he's known for his rising stardom in the wedding photography industry.
His wedding photography, like the shots of himself with his significant other, is intimate.
Sasso told FStoppers his "biggest mistake (and regret) is how (he) used to view fellow photographers as competition."
"Sure, we may be in the same field, we may have similar styles and we may even be targeting the same clients, but in the end wouldn't it be so much more enjoyable if we encouraged each other? Wouldn't our work be pushed forward more if we learned from and shared with each other," he asked.
If his lengthy list of publications (including multiple editions of Rangefinder Magazine) and lengthy list of speaking gigs don't speak for the acceptance you can find in the photography community once you stop being cutthroat, I don't know what will.
Will Nicholls-Wildlife Photographer
Will Nicholls spends an inordinate amount of time in trees.
He is BCAP Canopy Access Qualified, which basically means he knows what he's doing dozens of feet up in the air.
It's one of the ways he can make an intense photo like this one feel so easy to take.
Nicholls has won many awards. Of particular note is his 2009 win as the "Young British Wildlife Photographer of the Year." But, he didn't do it without his fair share of mistakes.
"One thing that definitely held back the progression of my photography was being afraid to experiment," Nicholls told SLR Lounge.
Experimentation, to Nicholls, means creating "out-of-the-ordinary" photos using odd camera techniques and lighting conditions.
Gina Milicia-Lifestyle Photographer
Gina Milicia, a lifestyle and travel photographer, had a much different biggest mistake.
Her biggest mistake was very real and very immediate.
"I broke a wedding," she said in a blog post for Digital Photography School.
The fateful day was about 10 years before digital cameras. She was shooting a wedding. She didn't realize until the wedding was over and she had taken all of the shots that her flash tube on her external flash wasn't working properly... it was only emitting about 1/4 of the light it should have been.
She managed to salvage one photo of the dozens she took. Every single other photo was too underexposed to be saved.
However, she said she never would have been so organized as a photographer without this horrible accident.
Jana Williams-Fine Art Photographer
Jana Williams is a wedding and lifestyle photographer who made it big.
She's been named among the Top 100 Wedding Photographers in the World 3 years in a row. Her work is featured in Elle, Modern Bride, and Martha Stewart Weddings. She knows what she's doing.
But she didn't used to.
"When I first started Jana Williams Photography, I made the mistake of trying to be like other photographers," she said.
"I was driven by fear and competition," she continued.
Now, she doesn't keep secrets.
"I believe that you get what you give," she said.
Burak Erzincanli-Advertising Photographer
View this post on Instagram#beauty #editorial Model: Milica Make-up Artist: Tayfur Aldibas www.burakerzincanli.com
Erzincanli is a very specific type of photographer; he focuses on retouching.
His retouching talents are best used in advertising, and the fashion and sports industries.
His work has been featured in Maxim and Cosmopolitan, as well as publications around the world.
View this post on Instagram
Erzincanli also writes for FStoppers and admitted he accepted all work that came his way in the first few years of his photography career.
Saying "yes" too often seemed to be a big issue with most photographers who were willing to write their harrowing mistakes online.
Put the biggest mistakes of your career in the comments, if you dare!