A lack of confidence is something that oftentimes plagues photographers, especially if they’re just starting out or if they want to try their hand at a new niche. Just like any other art form, photography is something that’ll get a lot better and more enjoyable for you if you have more confidence.

As we all know, confidence also has a snowball effect, so with every little bit of confidence you build, you stand to gain more and more in time.

That begs the question, how do you build up this elusive confidence to be a better photographer? If it were so easy, then everyone would be a masterful photographer, right? Not quite.

However, the good news is that confidence is something everyone can develop. All it takes is dedication and determination to try a bunch of fun experiments, which we’ll get into right now.

Do Different and Consistent Shoots

The old saying that practice makes perfect is such a cliché, but if you really want to develop more confidence, you just have to try different things as a photographer. Not only should you be exposing yourself to different shooting conditions, but you should also be doing that on a regular basis.

The more you make this practice a regular part of your routine, the more you can master different circumstances, thus expanding your know-how. With more knowledge comes master, and that leads to increased confidence!

Instead of only looking at scenes to shoot that have perfect, flat light, challenge yourself by looking for situations with, for example, low light and backlight. Do this day after day, and then note down your observations so you can refer back to them.

Come to Terms With Reality

A sober look at what it means to gain more confidence, as well as how long it will take will work wonders. For starters, every photographer–even the most seasoned pro–still has a lot of stuff he can learn, whether it’s perfecting his technique further, refining how he runs his business, or the types of projects he throws himself into.

In other words, you’ll always gain more confidence, and there isn’t an upper limit at which point you say to yourself, “That’s it! I’ve reached my zenith of confidence.” Rather, being a photographer means that you’re on a very exciting path to continually build more confidence. You’ll do this with every photography project you undertake, with every new skill you learn, and with every business contact that you make.

Invite Critique

To be perfectly honest, critique in photography also means being able to invite, take and accept criticism. Since photography is an art form–just like any other art form–there will always be differing opinions as to the final product. This is totally natural, as art is very subjective in and of itself.

Knowing this, it doesn’t pay for you to expect that everyone will always love your images, each time you put them out or have them in a gallery.

Instead, understand that building confidence means being able to take feedback of all sorts, especially negative feedback. Sometimes, there’s something to it, but for all those other times, it pays to develop a thicker skin to allow yourself coping ability with the inevitable criticism that’s bound to come your way at all points of your career.

Learn From Better Photographers

This seems pretty straightforward, but sometimes, people won’t be humble enough to want to learn from others. Remember, photographers can always learn something, no matter what stage of their careers they find themselves in.

One of the easiest ways to develop more confidence is to simply hang around other photographers who already show confidence in numerous areas.

For instance, let’s say you want to try your hand at street photography, yet you lack the courage to just go up to people (potential subjects) and ask them if they’re alright with you taking their photo. If you go into the street with a photographer friend who’s super-calm at striking up conversations with people from all walks of life in the effort to get compliant subjects, then you’re already learning from the best.

The more you observe better photographers doing something that’s challenging for you with ease, the more you normalize that way of doing things in yourself. As a result, your confidence can and will only increase.

Read and Watch Videos

The lack of confidence that many photographers face often comes from not having enough practice with a certain technique or skill. Knowledge is power, so it stands to reason that arming yourself with more information about the technique or skill in which you have a deficit can make all the difference in the world.

There are many valuable photography resources on the internet that you can peruse. If you want the traditional experience of reading, then just crack open a fantastic photography book from your library.

If you’re more the visual and interactive type, then just head on over to YouTube to watch the many photography tutorials and how-to’s that are easily available for free.

At the end of the day, being able to wrap your head around more photography concepts and techniques will help you to gain more confidence in vital areas of photography.

Confidence Takes Time

Chances are that it’ll take some time for your confidence to develop in significant leaps and bounds, even if you follow these suggestions to a tee, but don’t get disappointed. Developing your confidence as photographer can be a multi-year project, or it can even be a lifetime project if you want to continually get better and master more concepts.

So have some patience as you try to develop your confidence. Naturally, you’ll feel more confident with each of these steps that you follow, but understand that building confidence takes commitment. If you have the determination to take on new challenges, learn from others’ examples, and inform yourself a lot about your art form, then confidence won’t elude you much longer.