How a Positive Mindset Can Enhance Your Photography Experience

Mindset is important in many areas of life and having the right mindset can often make the difference between success and failure.

Psychologists often divide mindset into two distinct types – fixed mindset and growth mindset.

People with a fixed mindset tend to believe that things won’t change, that the future will be similar to the past. This can be a self-limiting belief and means that those with such a mindset are less willing to take chances and try new things since they are more fearful of failure. This is especially true if they have experienced failure in the past.

Those with a growth mindset believe that things can change and that the past does not determine the future, so they tend to take risks, avail of more opportunities and are willing to try out new ideas.

It is obvious to see which type of mindset is considered most positive, yet many photographers have some attributes of a fixed mindset, which can be a barrier to the development of their craft.

Photographers with a fixed mindset, particularly those who have experienced rejection in the past, are often anxious about what others will think of their work, they are overly concerned about receiving approval from others or ‘likes’ on social media and they are often reluctant to show their work due to fear of further rejection.

An even more common consequence of a fixed mindset is that you go out with a plan in your head for the photos you want to take and if this doesn’t materialise you have difficulty re-adjusting and often come home with nothing.

I must admit, this has happened to me and I have realised that on these particular occasions I have had a fixed mindset and it has not been advantageous to my photography.

For this reason, it is good to understand how having a positive mindset can enhance your photography experience.

Having a positive, or growth mindset, means that as a photographer you are open and flexible, willing to seize opportunities and take on new challenges. You are willing to make mistakes and you are not afraid of failure as you know that every failure is a learning opportunity. You can ask for advice and accept constructive criticism as part of the learning process.

If you have a growth mindset you are less likely to be a perfectionist and more likely to enjoy the photography process rather than be overly concerned about the results. You will easily get into a flow state and more fully appreciate the moments that you capture with your camera.

How Do You Cultivate a Positive Mindset?

Since a positive mindset can enhance your photography experience it is worthwhile discovering how to cultivate this mindset. There are many ways to do this and most of them fit under the following headings:

Make Connections: Making connections is important in photography. Feeling connected with our landscape, with nature, with people, with our subject helps us immerse ourselves fully into our photography. Making connections allows us to be more appreciative of the subjects that we avail of and the photographic opportunities that are presented to us, thereby encouraging a positive mindset.

Be Present in the Moment: Regardless of the type of photography we do it is important that we are fully invested in what we are doing. We must be totally present in the moment, which is often called being in a flow state. Those who have a positive mindset are more able to lay aside other concerns and be present in the here and now. They embrace each moment and bring their full attention to each photograph. As we consciously strive to be more present in each moment we also cultivate and nurture that more positive mindset.

Be Curious:

Curiosity is a vital characteristic for those of us who want to succeed at photography. We must be continually on the lookout for the unusual, the unexpected, the unique angle or different perspective. We must be curious about our surroundings and always developing our observational skills. We must experiment, discover, ask questions and look for answers. If we develop an enquiring mind, we can support a growth mindset.

Embrace What Is: A fixed mindset is often regarded as being pessimistic in nature, fearful of change. Yet the reality is that we can often do little to change circumstances and one thing that can help us adjust to the changing nature of life is to embrace what is rather than constantly yearning for life to be different. In our photography practice that might involve accepting our camera gear, our skill level, and our limitations for now, and by accepting what is we can allow change to happen naturally. If we can do this, we will feel more positive, not just about photography but about life in general.

FINAL THOUGHTS

While it is preferable in most walks of life to have a positive outlook and to experience life from a mindset that is willing to take on life’s challenges, it is not always easy to change your mindset, particularly one that is well established. I hope that the tips above are small steps you can make towards embracing photography from a growth mindset and that this will help you to enjoy your photography more.

Further Reading

https://proedu.com/blogs/news/how-can-a-growth-mindset-help-my-photography-business