Renewing Your Passion In Photography by Kevin McNeal

Ever since I began my photography interest in 2006, I fell in love with the notion of capturing incredible scenes with all the right conditions. As photographers have come to know, this is not easy. It means that you have to return to the same location several times until all the elements combine for the perfect scene. I began this labor of love ever since i picked up a camera and I was obsessed with capturing the best image I could. In the process of doing this, I learned a lot of things about myself, good and bad.

The most important thing I learned about myself is that if I was determined to capture something I would never give up no matter how many times it took. I was persistent to a fault. But I also changed within myself in ways that I wish I could have seen better. In the pursuit of getting the best images I could get I lost my enthusiasm and passion for getting outdoors. I could not enjoy just being out in nature and love combining it with my photography passion.

I wish I could look back at tell you there was a moment when I realized this but the process was slow and I had lost myself in it. Its hard to say each time you go out and shoot that you are just going to have fun. Somewhere along the line in the act of shooting I seem to switch modes into this person who bases his happiness on how good the photo outing went. I knew if I was going to choose this for a career long term something had to change.

Like other photographers I would spend countless hours on photo forums continuously analyzing each image to see how I could be better.  Every waking moment was used to dream of ways to capture certain scenes better. What could I do to raise the bar on a scene that had not been done before? What could I do that no one had done before? How could I make this an image worthy of remembering?

I never stopped to think if I was happy with the image. Was it something that I was personally satisfied with. The thought process was always how would social media and the viewers like the image? Had I done enough to make viewers remember the image? I know when I look back it should have been the experiences of that particular outing and not the results of that outing. Over the next few years I continued this philosophy and would press harder and harder to get better images. The result was one of never being satisfied and looking outwards for approval rather than within myself.

I knew I had to change things up in my outlook towards photography and find the source of what makes my happy. I had do some soul searching to really get back to basics and forget about what everyone else thinks and really look to myself for happiness. This was going to be hard because it meant stepping back and reanalyzing what it is that makes photography so enjoyable for me.

Today, I work hard on myself and try to focus more internally. Occasionally, I still find myself being pulled into the direction of social media and what constitutes success. Its hard to determine worth in photography based on your own values, but necessary if one is to find long term success and enjoyment and not just short term.

If you have a similar experience with your time in photography would love to hear your thoughts on the subject.