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Let’s face it. Most of us are gear-heads, gizmo freaks and gadget hoarders with a photo wishlist that reaches far beyond our shallow pockets, maxed out credit cards and penny-filled piggy banks when it comes to photography equipment. So, how do you do what you love best but avoid financial disaster? If you’re like most photographers, you’ve spent many a sleepless nights trying to figure how to get the equipment you need and still manage to stay on a budget. Unfortunately, paying the bills wins every time and our dreams are no closer to becoming reality.

The fear of failure has loomed in and out of our minds, regardless of what we do when there’s a fair amount uncertainty involved. While most of it is based on financial disparity (i.e., being broke most of the time), it goes somewhat deeper than that. The reason for this is because people seem to fall prey to what’s called “excessive overhead.” This happens when we get it in our photo-preoccupied minds that we have to buy the latest toy or tech treat if we’re going to succeed in this business. Unfortunately, it’s this fear of inadequacy that causes photographers to end up buying much more than their budget can handle, or need. Too late, they realize they’ve spent too much on equipment they’ll never use.

Part of the problem is too often we convince ourselves that our clients and peers will judge us based on our equipment, rather than by the quality of our photography. One of the many reasons photographers buy gear they don’t need is to compensate for the lack photographic quality. They’ve fallen for the erroneous belief that better equipment makes for better photos, even if they do have the talent to advance their career without the fancy add-ons. At the root of all this is the fear of taking risks.

The issue is that without taking risks, you can’t take advantage of opportunities. You can live a quiet, reasonably happy life as a photographer (and even make a little money), but the harsh truth is that you’re unlikely to create something new and you’re also not very likely to make your mark in this world, even with thousands of dollars in gear sitting in your studio.

The unknown is a major source of fear. When you have no idea how to proceed with your photography, the potential consequences outweigh the positive. You can take the power away from fear by attending STC’s seminar and workshop and understanding what it takes to reach the next level by making clear, logical decisions based on solid photographic and business knowledge.

Let’s put things into perspective. An easy way to beat fear is to imagine the worst and its aftermath, as unpleasant as it may seem. If you chase your dreams and fall flat on your face, what’s the worst that could happen? Chances are that no matter how bad it gets, you’ll recover in a few months. Sure, they might be hard, difficult months – or even a year or two, but bad times don’t last. It’s better to try and fail than live a life of mediocrity, dreaming of what may have been.

The best way to attack your fears is to redefine the word “failure.” Each failed attempt is essentially a successful experiment and opportunity for growth. Even if a failure costs you financially, what you’ve learned can far outweigh your losses. While they may not admit it openly, the editors, publishers and clients you’ll be dealing with will always prefer someone who knows what it’s like to fail once in awhile because it’s exactly how they got to be where they are now. When people know there’s a chance a project will fail, it also makes them try harder to make it succeed.

Another way to overcome the fear of failure is to have a back-up plan. Hedge your bets by creating a contingency plan so when the first option fails, you’re ready to go at it from a different direction. Daring to fail doesn’t mean you have to lose it all, it means knowing how to manage risk intelligently so you can take the hit and keep moving while having a safety net.

If you want to reduce fear and build confidence, the best way is to take action. You’re never going to learn how to swim if you don’t jump in and do your best to keep your head above water. Everything is hard the first time. No exceptions. Once you see the water is safe, or at least not too deep, the rest will be easier to manage.

Still unconvinced? The best way to beat fear is to “burn your boats.” In the old days, the best way to get soldiers to fight was once they invaded a foreign shore, the captains burned the boats. What this meant is that if the soldiers wanted to go back home, the only way they were going to do that was with a victory. No matter if they were well-armed or only had the basic weapons, they had to charge into the fight and do their best. Believe it or not, it’s the same way with photography. No matter what kind of equipment you have, you have to go into it with all you’ve got, face the beast called Uncertainty, and make success the only option.

 

Starting small

A little-known secret is that most of the early masters of photography started with a single camera and not much else. Times were tough. It’s not like today when you could get a camera and accessories from eBay for cheap. Most of the time, they had no choice but to use the camera they either borrowed, found somewhere, bought from a catalog with only a crude drawing to go on, or were given as a gift (sometimes secondhand) by a family member.

Of course, times change and we allow ourselves to become spellbound by the camera commercials and photo blogs telling us how great such-and-such a camera is, or how a certain big-name photographer only uses a certain kind of gear and going on about how we can’t live without it.

Lies. All lies.

The plain, simple truth is that you thought to have only enough to get the job done. Naturally, there will be some lighting situations which require multiple lights and gizmos before a project can be accomplished. However, here’s something to think about before you go breaking the bank: Better gear doesn’t necessarily make for better photographs, better knowledge and education does. If you don’t know what you’re doing and have no real idea of how to use a fancy camera or multiple lights, you could be wasting your time. (See our lighting guides.) A rule of thumb is that if you have a piece of equipment and you haven’t used in a year, get rid of it. You don’t need it.

The best thing to do is start small and use a minimalist approach by getting the job done with as little gear as possible. Make do with what you have. be creative. Learn how to get the same results using other options. Most of all, know your gear and learn how to control it until settings become second nature and you don’t even need to look at your camera to set it and go to work. Maximize every move you make. Amber, the hottie girl-next-door might have a Lamborghini in her garage, but that doesn’t mean she knows how to drive it. Same goes for photography.

This is where Shoot The Centerfold comes in. We believe that the knowledge and wisdom we offer to you is some of the most important steps you can take in advancing your career. Successful photographers and editors know all too well nothing happens overnight and education is one of the key foundations for any professional career.

At the Shoot The Centerfold seminars, instructors advise you on what kind of camera and lighting equipment is suitable for your photographic needs while staying within your budget. Also, not overlooking the business side of photography is half the battle. STC instructors will also help you make it on the paper side of photography.

So, what does this all mean? What should you know before you decide to make a serious commitment and possibly max out your credit cards? Let’s hear a few quotes from the masters themselves and see what they have to say.

Ric Moore

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the Titanic. When the basics aren’t there, the results always speak for themselves. I elevated my photography career one step at a time with a solid foundation and enough research before I was able to step up my game and get to where I am now. I just didn’t suddenly appear at the top. It was hard work and it demanded a lot from me. And sure, I had setbacks now and then, I questioned myself lots of times, but that’s all part of it. You can’t be afraid to fail. You simply can’t show any fear in this whatsoever. Everybody gets knocked down, but not everyone has the stomach to get back up and go another round. Also, never settle for anything but the very best out of your work, but most of all, from yourself.

 

Byron Newman

“What the wise do at the beginning, fools do at the end.” If you are facing in the right direction, all you have to do is keep on walking in order to reach your dreams. Today’s photography business is somewhat different from when I started, but the foundation remains the same. Good, solid photography will always be in demand. Come see us and we will teach you the right direction.

 

Ales Bravnicar

How many photographers does it take to change a lightbulb? Fifty. One to do it and 49 to say “I could have done that”. But could they really? Remember, a great photograph is the one where you do not think about the lights used when you look at it. Sometimes the lighting may seem overly simple, but is in fact made of complex set-ups full of little tricks only industry insiders know about. Here’s where our lighting diagrams books come in. If you want to be ready for any opportunity to impress your clients, look no further. But most important of all, it is all about you. Our books will help you reaching out of your comfort zone and have you experiment in ways you never imagined before. The more pictures you will take, the more you’ll learn about lighting and as your confidence grows, your techniques will improve. There are many battlefields in the tough world of photography business. If you are one step ahead of your competition, you have already won.

 

Jarmo Pohjaniemi

Did you know opportunities are never lost? That’s because someone will always take the ones you miss! Shoot the Centerfold photographers know this very well and how to be on top of your game, you need to realize that great photographers aren’t great only because of their technique, they are great because of their passion to learn and build something great. Take it from me, I am a perfect example of someone who came from absolutely nowhere, using a photographic education as my calling card to open the right doors.

We did it, and so can you. Join us!

 

www.ShootTheCenterfold.com