Imposter syndrome in photography
What is imposter syndrome?
Have you ever felt like a fraud? Or like everyone else knows what they are doing and you are winging it? Do your friends and family tell you you shouldn’t worry about it?
This is imposter syndrome – a belief you aren’t good enough for a particular group or situation when objectively you have the necessary qualifications and experience.
Photographers often suffer from it in camera clubs and Facebook groups where everybody seems to know what they are doing and there is a culture of criticism and “put down the newcomers”.
Why is it important?
It stops you making progress.
It stops you joining groups that could be fun and helpful.
It makes you anxious and afraid, both of which inhibit creativity and worry-free self-expression.
It means you focus on what you perceive as missing at the expense of building on your positives.
Why do photographers have it?
Photographers are notorious for having imposter syndrome, possibly because there are very few formal qualifications that your subconscious can rely on for validation. If you pass an exam or entry requirement you can rest assured you are in the right place and you belong. But photographers are mostly self-taught and nobody discusses their doubts and fears; we all project confidence and skill.
There’s a lot of seemingly confident people in photography. But many aggressively confident as a defence mechanism against their own imposter syndrome.
To be the first photographer in a group to admit that you don’t know what you’re doing, or you’re not sure or you disagree with someone can bring down a torrent of unhelpful and disparaging comments, so it’s no wonder we all keep quiet about it.
Join A Year With My Camera here
If you’re looking for a supportive, non-judgmental community alongside a proven beginner’s course, join Emma’s AYWMC here. The course is free by email; the community has a small annual fee:
What can you do about it?
More often than not, it’s all in your head. Nobody is looking at you, nobody thinks you don’t belong. Try being really objective: what actual evidence do you have that you are not good enough?
Find a different group (or make your own) – one where no question is “stupid”, beginners are encouraged and critique (if asked for) is constructive.
Consider getting a qualification. You might find that finishing a course like A Year With My Camera or getting a formal qualification like an LRPS gives you the confidence to stand firm and claim your space.
Think about just accepting it, and not trying to change. Could it be that you can live alongside your imposter syndrome? Just acknowledge it once in a while and let it walk with you while you get on with the rest of your life? But don’t let it take over.
Have some responses ready. If you do badly in a camera club competition, write down your immediate reaction and then try and be objective about it: did the judge criticise you, your entire practice and your whole portfolio, or did they make a valid suggestion about how one aspect of this particular photograph could be improved in their opinion. If you find yourself thinking that everyone you follow on Instagram is amazing and you are not: remind yourself they are presenting only a tiny, tiny slice of their best work to the world.
Do some research on the topic and see if any other suggestions might work for you. For example listen to Margaret Soraya’s podcast on this topic with KJ Nasrul.
A Creativity Workbook for Photographers
Emma addresses imposter syndrome and many more barriers to creativity that photographers experience in her do-at-home creativity workbook. You can download the first chapter here (free, no strings attached). If you enjoy it you can buy the whole workbook on your local Amazon store.
Imposter syndrome is a topic close to Emma’s heart because she has seen it hinder the progress of many beginner photographers. It’s one of the reasons she wrote AYWMC which is a step-by-step complete course that reassures every beginner they are learning everything they need to in the right order. Join here (free by email):
There are lots more resources on this and similar subjects in our archive:
3 mind tricks to help you get over the fear of taking your camera out in public
7 ways to leave your comfort zone behind for good