From the time we’re kids to the moment we step into adulthood, we spend years—sometimes decades—just trying to figure out how to be ourselves. Deep down, in the places where it matters most, we know that individuality always trumps mimicry. We understand that authenticity has power, yet when it comes to learning photography, so many of us default to imitation. We recoil into the safety of replication, trying to recreate the images we admire instead of forging our own path.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot. A few months ago, I was consulting with a young photographer, maybe 30ish, just starting out in her career. The session was set for two hours, and she spent the better part of the first one with stars in her eyes, telling me how much she loved my photography. She went on and on—about my colors, my compositions, my approach.
I was flattered, of course, but I had to stop her mid-course. Gently, I shifted the conversation from me back to her.
I told her, half-jokingly but fully seriously, “If your goal is to be me, I’m sorry—that spot is already taken.”
What she needed to be was herself. Not me. Not any other photographer she admired. Herself.
And I’ll tell you the same thing.
The most powerful work you’ll ever create won’t come from imitation or replication. It will come from your own inspiration and motivation.
Look, we all start somewhere. When I was learning, I absorbed everything I could from the photographers I admired. I studied their work. I deconstructed their compositions. I tried to figure out how they saw the world. And that’s okay—learning from others is a natural step in the process. But at some point, you have to step away from all of that and ask yourself:
What do I see? What do I feel? What do I want to say?
Photography isn’t just about taking pictures. It’s about seeing the world in a way only you can. Your experiences, your emotions, your perspective—those things are unique to you. No one else has lived your life, walked your path, or felt the things you’ve felt. So why should your work look like someone else’s?
I know it’s scary. It’s easy to follow the formulas that “work.” To stick to safe compositions. To chase likes and validation. But if you do that, you’ll always be playing catch-up. You’ll always be looking sideways at what others are doing instead of looking inside at what you have to offer.
So, here’s my challenge to you:
Be you. Seriously.
Find your own voice. Embrace your quirks. Shoot what moves you, what stirs something inside you, what makes your heart race. Forget the trends. Forget the algorithms. Forget trying to be someone else.
Because in the end, the world doesn’t need another version of someone who already exists.
The world needs you.
Click.
Jack.
