Over the past couple of years of being in the photography industry, I have come across some pet peeves that have gotten in the way of my creativity and passion. Please don’t get me wrong. I have been privileged to work with some amazing clients over the years and created friendships and networks that I’ll cherish for a long time. The business side of photography is usually affected when certain boundaries are overstepped without failure of realization.

At the end of the day, it’s only right to adhere to certain etiquette when dealing with the creative business side of things. Here are my top 5 pet peeves that I’ve experienced during my journey as a photographer in the industry so far,

1. You will get Exposure.

This must be one of the major pet peeves, in the creative industry. Building your portfolio as a photographer is one of the most important things to do, and once you’ve done that, never be afraid to talk numbers. Let’s be honest for a moment: why would you use someone’s service and not pay for it? After all, I’ve never heard of bills being paid solely through exposure. Know and appreciate your worth!

2. Working for the likes and followers rather than passion.

Let’s be honest, social media is a great tool for brand marketing, as much as the numbers are important. It irks me when I see creatives focusing most of their energy on their likes and followers. There has to be a bigger picture as to why you take time to create. Let’s focus more on the passion and time we invest in our craft will have an overall impact on our longevity at both personal and business levels.

3. People think there is a fast track to success.

To put it bluntly, there is no shortcut to success. Some may arrive sooner, while others may work more before reaching ultimate success, but in most cases, success takes time. You must constantly improve your craft, build your portfolio, and meet and network with others. Finally, you must be patient and work your butt off!

4. Stealing copyrighted images for personal gain.

You randomly stumble upon a great image online and want to acquire it, but you fail to follow the right procedures. You steal without failing to give credit to the owner. This irritates many photographers. Be willing to get sued for downloading copyrighted images without permission. Let’s talk about the proper channels to follow to avoid this. Start by reaching out by requesting permission to use their work. When the owner grants access to their work, remember to give credit.

5. Being told what to shoot every time.

In case you’re reading this and you’re a photographer. You must at least have experienced this at a given point during a photoshoot where you get orders of what to shoot every time. Are you the kind of person who orders photographers around? You need to stop. Once you hire a professional photographer for work, please leave the job in their hands. They know best and will perform at a higher level when given full control of the photoshoot.

So yes! That officially rounds off my photography pet peeves. Are you a photographer? Are you in the creative industry? I would like to hear what irks you. Let’s talk in the comments section below. Peace and love.