The most valuable tip I got was to stay clear of social media. Facebook and all other social media outlets are a controversial topic. Personally, I believe that while these platforms are a great source of inspiration, they do more harm than good for photographers who are starting out.

Before I discuss the dangers of social media, I will say this: social media is the key for marketing and a necessary evil in our trade. However, Facebook is like cancer, it’s the rust accumulating underneath a car. It eats away at life and kills creativity slowly. Countless hours are lost by surfing through other photographers’ work.

Personally, I followed a group of photographers and I found their insane skill level to be depressing and disheartening. I decided that the best way to change that was to quit social media. For six months, I was “Facebook free” and I was out shooting and editing every single day. Those six months changed my mentality and my skill level immensely.

Photography is a passion. I do it because I love it; getting paid for
it is simply a bonus. My philosophy is that an artist is always growing and there is no reason
to put a limits on the artist's skills. Within everyone there is artistic skills that can be tapped into, but only those who are passionate and ambitious ever tap into that and become artists.