5 Life Lessons I’ve Learned from being a Photographer

2024 marks a significant milestone for me, as it is my 15th year of being a professional photographer. The funny thing is that I only discovered my path as a creative individual and my interest in photography well into my 20’s. A lot happened since that pivotal moment, and as I navigate through this exciting and sometimes chaotic journey, I always try to take each experience, both good and bad, as a opportunity for growth and learning. Living the freelance life in the creative industry is not something that can easily be explained within just a few paragraphs, and it truly varies for everyone. However, I thought I would take a moment to share some reflections about the key lessons I have taken from this experience so far, and how it has contributed to my growth as a person.

1.Seeing Time as a Gift

You know this one – it hits hard on a random Tuesday afternoon when you least expect it. Something just happened in your life and you get that humbling feeling that every minute spent healthy and happy is a minute to hold on to. During my wedding photography time and to this day photographing families, I’m constantly reminded that documenting the small moments in life has value that increases as times passes, and that we may not fully appreciate until way down the road. Over time, the small moments seem big while the bigger moments seem small.

2. Going with the Flow

Luckily in photography, things don’t always work the way you plan them. Either on the image making or operations side of things, expecting the unexpected is a good practice to get used to and embrace. You can have an incredibly detailed plan for a shoot only to have the weather change on you last second (this is Ontario, after all). You can also get extremely excited about a project only to see it fall apart before it even started for reasons that are completely out of your control. All of that to say that having a plan is great but coming to terms with the fact that s**t can hit the fan at any given time is even better! This mindset will liberate you from stress and anxiety and will help you achieve your goals within the existing (not ideal) circumstances.

At this point, I can safely say that I’ve seen it all. No shows, bad weather, challenging shooting environments, intense clients, lack of time, and the list goes on. Problem solving skills aren’t acquired without problems.

3. Slowing Down

When I was little my mom always told me “think before you say anything” and that approach carried on to the way I create today. Sure, a lot of documentary-based work is more impulsive but for the most part, slowing down the process helps me create work that is more intentional and meaningful. Same goes for my street photography, while shooting can be a split second decision and action, I always try to physically slow my self down as I’m walking around, increasing my chances to spot a moment that is worth capturing.  

4. Dealing with Rejection

What do you mean “no”?

Truth be told, this is the hardest pill to swallow. Being rejected after putting in the time and effort as a creative can feel like falling down from a skyscraper. With that said, it’s probably the best thing that can happen to you as a person. Not to get all inspirational here but failing means that you have to make changes, and changes help you grow and improve. If you can learn how to shake it off, adjust, and get back on the horse – you’re doing great.

Remember that waves are just a part of the ocean!

5. Patience

Last and perhaps the most important one.

As a professional photographer, I have to practice patience in so many aspects of my day. From operational tasks like client interactions all the way to practical shooting situations waiting for the right moment to press that shutter button. It comes in different forms and forces you to keep calm and trust that everything will work itself out. Of course, it doesn’t always and you also learn to live with that.

Patience is your best friend as a photographer as it allows you to keep your composure and make the right decisions. Taking a deep breath when the stress levels go up helps!

If you made it all the way through - thank you! Would love to hear your thoughts and questions in the comments box below!

Shlomi