No matter how self-confident we are, sometimes seeing all those amazing photos on Instagram can make the self-doubt appear. This also goes for wildlife photographers, who see others constantly posting amazing images on their social media accounts. How do they do it so often? How do they have so many amazing images? Well, there are some things you may not know or haven’t thought about them. In this video, Ryan Mense brings you a few hidden truths about wildlife photography on Instagram to help you see things more realistically, and I believe they will especially help beginners to feel better about their own work.
Ryan talks about a few common practices wildlife photographers use on Instagram so it seems like they are shooting incredible photos every single day. But that’s almost never the case, and that’s something to keep in mind if we ever feel self-doubt about our own work. First of all, many photos were made during the same shooting opportunity with the same animal. Sometimes it was even during the same burst of shots! Many photographers post these images over a few months so it looks like they travel and shoot more often. The same goes for travel photographers who often post images from the same short trip over a couple of months. Plus, many of them do photography for years, so they have a considerable number of images to share even when they don’t make new ones. The second thing to remember is that the majority of photos online are post-processed. And the best-edited photos are those where you can’t figure out that they were edited. This is why you may think that your photos are bad in-camera and that they can compare to other people’s work. But keep in mind that it’s not necessarily the case, and that good editing will always make photos look better and more professional. Last but not least, remember that every great photographer was once a beginner. So, it’s not fair to compare yourself with those who already have years of experience. Also, keep in mind that many photographers will be happy to help you with anything you may want to learn. In fact, they will be honored that you look up to them and ask them for help. So don’t feel intimidated or less valuable. Instead, learn new things and don’t be afraid to ask for help and information. As Ryan puts it, he’s not sure whether he made this video for you, or for the person he was a year or two ago. However, we all have one thing in common – we were all beginners once. And I believe that all of us were at the stage when we felt that we weren’t good enough. So, I hope that this has helped you to overcome this feeling and keep on investing in your knowledge and skills. [Hidden Truths About Wildlife Photography on Instagram: Reminders and Tips for the Self-Doubters via FStoppers]
