What's holding you back is your source of opportunity

[If you happen to be sick of my incessant philosophical waxing, scroll to the bottom of this message for some crunchy tactical treats!]

Not to be a dummy, but "if it were easy, everyone would be doing it."

Ask any photographer I've coached, I'm big on challenging comfort zones.

For 13 years I've asked folks, "What's the biggest challenge holding you back today?" And I've gotten hundreds of not thousands of answers to that question.

Some markets suck, straight up - there are towns and cities in America and around the world that are absolute black holes for reaching a full-time income as a professional photographer.

But...that's almost never the biggest obstacle for folks.

(My photography company, Outlaw Photography, has thrived in rural Texas towns from populations 900 to 1,850, though I've never been afraid to reach into the markets like San Antonio and Austin!)

What's holding you back is almost always the internal game.

"I'm not good enough... I'm not getting better fast enough... It's already too late... I don't have time / talent / camera gear / social media skills / sales skills... Everybody has a great camera on their phone today... I'm too old/young, too boring/nerdy, too introverted, too awkward, too YouNameIt."

Just a word of encouragement today: your obstacle is your opportunity.

Where you feel like quitting is where most photographers want to quit. Why you want to quit is why most photographers do quit. And that's why you have to learn to love the obstacles you face, internal and external: because they're barriers others refuse to break through, mountains others fear to climb.

If you can fight past what's holding you back today, you can reach rare air, where there is less competition and even more opportunity (clients, creativity, cash!).

Do that enough times, and you can own your zip code as a professional photographer.

Do it more, and you can own your area code and beyond.

The opportunity is there. The universe will definitely test your resolve, how serious you are about making your dream come true.

Let me encourage you today to stand up, fight forward, and pass that test.

Scared? Self-defeating? Self-sabotaging?

E-mail me and let me know what you're feeling. We'll work together to get you the breakthrough you so desperately need. :)

James Michael Taylor
www.parttimephoto.com

P.S. You asked for tactics? I got tactics! When was the last time you called your past clients to check in with them? Ask about how they're enjoying their photos, if they need any extra prints, and if they've thought about their next photo shoot - fall is coming this month, leaves will be turning, pumpkin patches will be popping up, Halloween costumes are on sale now... Sounds like great opportunities for some discounted 'event' shoots, such as partnering with a local church pumpkin patch or school fall festival, to tease your clients back in front of your camera. Want to brainstorm ideas? E-mail me and let's talk. :)


There's safety in doing nothing

They say all human behavior is purposive.

Even what you say to yourself is a bad habit meets a need. It may be a non-conscious one, but some result is sought, even if it's destructive but comfortingly familiar.

Are you shooting as much as you want to be?

Are you reaching out to your market to get more paying customers?

If you're trying to become a more successful professional photographer, but you're not doing the things that lead to that result, the question is an obvious...why not?

There's a sense of safety in doing nothing...can't take a bad photo if you take no photos. Can't get a bad client if you have no clients. Can't have to give someone a refund if nobody pays you.

The brain is really good at survival, but it hasn't evolved as fast as the world has.

We fear failure and rejection like we fear being eaten by a tiger. Same fight or flight response. Same adrenaline rush and sweaty palms. Same overthinking worst-case scenarios until we're paralyzed, or just slip away into distraction so we don't have to confront our (purposive!) limiting thoughts and actions.

My encouragement today is to bring your non-conscious motivations to light, and make them answer to you for how they are stopping you from achieving your professional photography dreams.

"Why don't I do the things I know I need to do to get what I truly want?"

If you'd like to turn this exercise into a conversation, just e-mail me and tell me what's going on - what you feel is holding you back. Or if you don't even know what's holding you back, or why you're not doing the things you want to do. It's okay...it's normal. :) And a good conversation can help get you unstuck.

James Michael
www.parttimephoto.com


It shouldn't have to be so hard, right?

Is photography grinding you down?

"Why does this have to be so hard?"

"Ugh I'm SO not excited to work on this..."

"I'm so tired of nothing getting better."

A pastor I'm studying with talks about a concept called convergence:

Where your talents and skills align with your passion. Where what you're good at aligns with what you're interested in; professionally, a convergence that leads to something people will pay you for. (I can't convince anyone to pay me to be mediocre at playing videogames...hmm...)

If your back were out of alignment, you'd feel pain, and do what it takes to get it right.

I want to set you free tonight.

I don't know who this is for, but it may be you.

You don't have to do it this way.

Let that sink in... It doesn't have to be this way. Chasing your dream shouldn't hurt all the time. It shouldn't be a grind.

I want you to let it go.

Let what go?

Let go of whatever you're stuck on. You've wrapped your thoughts, imagination, fears and anger around something... Something you think is absolutely essential.

You've convinced yourself.

I want to free you from the lie that's holding you back.

"BUT JAMES MICHAEL, my photography sucks! I can't get clients! They won't pay! My web site is a mess! I'm a has-been and an imposter! There's nothing I can do!"

I know. You've been telling me for 12 years.

I promise you... It's okay. I just need you to let it go.

Your art is good enough. Your skills are good enough. Your people are out there...you just need to connect with them, and help them. Help them get what they want...what you have to give. You can start simple, start small, start today (or at least this weekend). You can take steps toward where you dream of being.

It's that easy. (And that complicated.)

My encouragement: get clear on how you want this professional photography business to make YOU feel. What needs to happen to make YOU feel that way? What needs to change? What steps can help?

Does that make your path a little clearer?

Whether it does or doesn't, please, e-mail me and let me know where you're at in your journey, and what you're feeling about where you're at today.

I'm here to help.

James Michael Taylor
www.parttimephoto.com


How to slay anxiety as a photographer going into the New Year

The responses to my recent "What's holding you back?" e-mail have been awesome. I'm so glad to hear from you!

(if you're not subscribed to my e-mail newsletter, you can get on the list using the sign-up box on the right side of any page of PTP, or just drop me an e-mail and I'll add you :)

Maurizio is capturing in photos this historic pandemic experience from the epicenter of its outbreak in Italy. He's working on a book in both Italian and English, which I'll share with you guys as it's available, if you'd like to see how one fellow PTP reader is turning what could be a downturn into a new opportunity.

Penny responded and said she's anxious about getting back into photography in 2021, doubting her ability to perform behind the camera.

I'm sure hundreds (thousands?) of us feel the same.

I know you've read it many times before, but I'll share again Roosevelt's wonderful analogy of the arena:

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

My take:

The quickest and surest way to overcome photography anxiety is inside the arena.

The longer you are outside the arena staring in, wondering, imagining, not knowing, the greater the resistance you'll build until you finally choose never to step in the arena at all.

"Not worth it," you'll convince yourself. It's easy. We've all done it. Many times. Many regrets there.

My encouragement to you today, is if you're anxious about getting back into the arena of professional photography here in 2021, stop trying to overcome that anxiety from the outside in.

Step into the arena, and realize your fears were shadows, trying to keep your blessings locked away from those who would be most blessed by them - your subjects, your clients, your family through financial boon and your joy of creative expression.

Once more into the breach, to quote another famous line.

What's the biggest challenge holding you back today? E-mail me and let me know.

James Michael Taylor
www.parttimephoto.com

P.S. Start small. Photograph a friend. Have fun. Less stress and perfectionism, more curiosity and wonder. Invite your favorite clients in for a shoot. Practice social distancing, wear a mask, be safe, but again, have fun. You're a photographer because you choose to be - never forget that.


What's the biggest challenge holding you back today? 2021 Edition

I've been asking you the same question for 12 years now:

What's the biggest challenge holding you back today?

It's been a minute since I asked, so I thought I'd touch base - let's talk, shall we?

Whether you feel stuck in your art or business or both, I'm here for you guys. I don't write as much as I used to, but I'm always praying peace and progress for you, standing by at the ready to ask annoyingly direct questions that get at the heart of why you're not where you want to be as a professional photographer.

Again, for probably the 1,000th time (plus):

What's the biggest challenge holding you back today? E-mail me and let me know.

James Michael Taylor
www.parttimephoto.com


Testing your faith as a professional photographer

The frustrations of being an artist-entrepreneur test your faith, right?

Faith in yourself, faith in these possibilities, faith in whether or not you should even bother trying so hard.

Instead of testing your faith, how about we faithfully test?

Just for a few months...

If you feel stagnant and frustrated, here's my challenge to you:

1. Choose a path forward:

Whatever you feel is holding you back from making better photos and earning more clients, choose a path to solve the problem. Stop trying to be perfect, stop trying to figure out every possible outcome, stop having FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) about all the things you're NOT choosing so you can follow this path forward... And choose how you're going to take bold, clear, tangible action to fix what isn't working - OR to test something fun, fresh, new, different, to see if it DOES work for you. This is your TEST.

2. Commit to this path for the next three months:

Whatever you're testing - photography techniques, bravery challenges, how you ask people to do business with you and how often (protip: more is good) - COMMIT to test this path for the next three months. ALL IN. Burn the boats, there's no going back. Just commit your full energy, attention, available time, and heart to really giving this test everything you can give it to be successful.

3. Evaluate at the end:

Set a calendar reminder on a day you can set aside 30-90 minutes and EVALUATE your results. What were you trying to accomplish? What were you trying to make happen? What was different because you chose this path and committed fully to it? Did you see the results you wanted? Why or why not?

And, vitally...

4. Pivot:

What worked? What didn't? What do you want to TEST differently for the next three months to see if it works better, based on this new knowledge - new data - you have to work with because you really gave it your all over the last three months?

Simple, but not easy.

The Resistance will show up. Distraction will lure you away. Self-defeat will try and reign.

It's okay for this to be hard. This is your opportunity to overcome where others quit. This is where you hurt, but learn, and grow, and get better.

"I want to be better."

Choose. Commit. Try hard. Be patient. Have faith. Test and evaluate and pivot.

Be better.

What's stopping you? E-mail me and let me know.

James Michael Taylor
www.parttimephoto.com


Nobody believes you

Nobody believes you.

It's not your fault - spammy marketers have burned out consumers on "value." Everybody's product or service is the best ever.

But...

Ever bought anything on Amazon?

Figuring around the same price, do you buy the 3.5-star widget, or the 4.5-star widget?

This is social proof. Social proof is how you really prove your value to someone who has never worked with you. Social proof is massively powerful. Social proof proves results - social proof proves promises.

Social proof is testimonials.

Real people, real clients, sharing real experiences with you and your photography.

No joke: if you don't know what you're doing with marketing, if you don't know how to market yourself, if you're out of ideas or sick of gimmicks, just start by sharing client testimonials. Anything nice anyone has ever said about you and your work.

"What if I don't have any testimonials?"

Get them. Ask your past clients, free or paid, anyone who has worked with you. Ask them if you can interview them about their experience with you, so you can help them write a testimonial to share with other folks who might be in the market for professional photography.

"What if I don't have any clients?"

Then, like I talk about in Freemium Photography, get busy. Get booked solid with any mix of free and paid clients. You need momentum so you can practice your photography and your business skills, and so you can plant seeds of experiences that can grow into great testimonials.

"What if I'm scared to ask for testimonials? Why can't I just wait for them to come in organically?"

For the same reason it's so hard to passively get the phone to ring with new business. Proactive success almost always precedes passive success. Why shoot with 10 clients and get one testimonial when you can shoot with 10 clients and get nine testimonials? The only difference is being brave enough to ask.

Three questions:

1. Are you currently flooding your marketing with testimonials from happy clients?

2. Why not?

3. What can you do to change that?

If you're stuck, e-mail me and let me know - I read every e-mail.

James Michael Taylor
www.parttimephoto.com