When another photographer takes your location…
Hey Photographers,
A few weeks ago, I arrived an hour early to my family session. It was a public park I had never shot in before, so I wanted to be well prepared. I drove all around the park, parked in different locations, and got out to walk. I had the perfect shooting plan. I knew where all the recreational activities were happening and where the ground was too wet to walk. I mapped the sun's course for my session and knew where the good light would be. We would start over here, move over there, and drive to the second spot where we would do X, Y, and Z by the water and then move up to the top of the hill to chase the sunset for the most dramatic sunset photos ever. I was excited.
I met my clients, and we drove to the first spot. We talked, laughed, fixed clothing, and I got my gear ready. It was a dream shoot before it even began. We told jokes and laughed as I walked them to the first spot. We rounded the corner, and then I heard it—laughing and talking from someone else. There were high-pitched squeals and nervous laughter. I could distinctly hear someone unknown giving directions. It sounded very familiar. Then I saw them—another photographer set up with her clients snapping away cheerfully giving instructions…in my spot.
She had slid into my starting location when I met my clients.
I was confident she didn’t do it on purpose. She probably used this spot all the time and skidded into the parking lot just in time. She must have been in her early 20s. She was pretty. Her hair was highlighted and piled up on her head in a carefree, perfect way and tied with a ribbon. I could smell her sweet perfume from fifteen feet away. Her skin was perfect, and her clients seemed to have the time of their lives with her. Jealousy hit me like a brick wall.
Here I was, in my 40s, still trying to do this photography thing, and she’s got her whole young adulthood ahead of her. She was so energetic and carefree. I thought, “She must not have any responsibilities. I bet she delivers galleries on the same day with all that time on her hands.” The waistline of my leggings suddenly began cutting into my stomach, and I could feel my laugh lines and mom's clothing sagging me down. My thoughts were relentless: “Ugh, I forgot to put on perfume again. Why didn’t I wear earrings, necklaces, or something?” I scolded myself. “And WHY IS SHE IN MY SPOT?!”
It was so frustrating! Part of me wanted to stand there and stare with arms crossed, tapping my foot to send the message that I wanted to use that spot, too. But then I would really come off as an old lady. A small animal part of my brain wanted to fight her for it—but she was so young and athletic-looking. I would surely lose. Even a part of my brain wanted to pick apart what she was doing wrong and tell my clients so they would know I was more experienced than she was.
But I didn’t. That’s not me and what I stand for. It could just as easily have been me taking her spot another day. Private locations for photo shoots are not easy to come by, and many of us are trying to make a living shooting in public areas. What is important is maintaining our professionalism, even in such challenging situations.
I've developed some coping strategies that have proven effective, and I believe they can help you, too. Read below to learn about what helps me in situations of intense self-doubt and comparing-mind.
The story from the other photographer’s point of view…
I was running late for my shoot because my physics class ran over. Thank goodness it was just a free session for my college friends, and my go-to spot wasn’t taken today, or I would have been in big trouble. I’m so grateful for them to let me practice on them. I love learning about photography, and finding people to practice with who will take me seriously is hard. I’m hoping this photography side gig will pay for my textbooks for next semester, so I’ll keep at it. After running late, I was nervous when I started the session, so I talked louder than usual and made terrible jokes that only my friends would have been kind enough to laugh at.
Then, my worst nightmare. Another photographer walked up with her clients, who were also planning to use the spot. They were laughing and having so much fun together. I froze. I got all my camera settings wrong while playing it cool. I bet she could tell I’m new. I bet she was thinking, “What is this kid doing with her play camera?” She was more experienced than me. She had a leather bag, and her camera looked more expensive with a bigger lens. Plus, she was older than me. I bet she has been doing this for 20 years and is annoyed by all of us newbies taking her locations. I wanted to crawl into a hole and die. She was so put together with her curled hair and dress with leggings. I should probably be dressing nicer for sessions. I didn’t even have time to shower and had to overdo it with perfume. How embarrassing!
Do you see what was happening here? The other photographer was probably feeling as self-conscious as I was and having as many reactive thoughts. When this happens to me on a shoot, if the other photographer looks instead of completely ignoring me, I wave with a kind smile and say hello. Then, I compliment her clients to make them smile even bigger for her…and walk on by to find another spot.
We are in this together, and you have no idea what the other person’s situation might be. This advice applies to all competitive situations and situations where we compare our lives to others (hello, social media).
Competition is overrated. No single photographer can photograph all the sessions or all the weddings. It’s a good thing there are other excellent photographers out there. We can better serve our clients by giving solid referrals when needed. I regularly provide referrals to other photographers who are the most similar to my personality and style. I could view them as my biggest competition, but I would rather see them as co-workers and my closest friends and confidants. They get me and my life’s abnormalities! We can achieve more together and create a supportive community that benefits us all.
Additionally, coveting others’ successes and keeping our “secrets” hidden is not doing our future generations any good. I believe in being an open book with all my knowledge and expertise. What will my photography legacy be if I’m not passing on what I know? Only my pictures. And, while very lovely, that isn’t where I want to limit myself.
This job can be pretty lonely at times. One of the things I miss most about psychology is the camaraderie of my co-workers and round-table discussions.
The loneliness epidemic in our current culture is why I created an interactive community for our students. We all need a place to discuss what interests us, receive support, and realize that “the competition” is genuinely our greatest asset in this industry. I’m excited to unveil it with the Kickstart Your Photography Business course this fall! If you want to be the first to access it all when it’s time, sign up for our newsletter, Seeing the Light, for inspiration from me and information about our upcoming programs and offerings.