Overcoming Obstacles

From a young age, I struggled with many fears. Some of these fears were typical of a child my age. They were unfounded fears, e.g., fear of the school bus and fireworks. Other fears went a little deeper. I dealt with a lot of separation anxiety and was terrified of the idea of being left alone. However, over the years, I took each fear and worked to overcome it.

The same principle applies to us as photographers (and adults in general).

We want to expand our talents or get the “magic shot,” but oftentimes, we choose to settle for what we know we can accomplish. Sometimes, there are valid reasons for this, such as a lack of gear, but most of the time, we settle for the same reason I chose to live in fear for so long—we are afraid to fail.

It has been said by people for centuries, but the fact remains that, without failure, growth cannot occur. And this applies not only to photography but to all aspects of life.

So, let’s live our lives expecting change and growth, working to take steps to achieve that goal. Only then can we stop living in fear of obstacles and start living in freedom.