Photography, like any other visual art form, showcases the beauty and terror of the world. Photographs hold the power to narrate a story, change the perceptions of the masses, and help transform society in the long run. While we immortalize special moments in history and our personal lives, there is still a darker narrative in the medium that no one talks about: personal struggles and dealing with failure.
In today’s world, a photographer’s worth is tied to their constant productivity in continuously creating stellar works. Whenever you go and meet people at a photography gathering, you will know how everyone is dressed their best and always in an exceptional mood. The conversations are intellectual, jokes are said to lighten the mood, and the overall aura is always positive. Amidst this, what certainly gets less attention is one’s mental and emotional well-being as one battles the constant fear of failing.
If you know people in the field of photography, you realize how often they shy away from admitting what they struggle with. Someone once told me they have been battling with depression, which sometimes they can deal with, but on other days, it leaves them crippled. However, they do not have someone to speak to about the matter, as it will lead to a negative impact on their image and could result in the community shunning them socially. This is why they often feel the need to put their work before them without having a moment to be vulnerable about their emotions. And that is, indeed, very taxing on one.
While this is just one person who was brave enough to open up, there are many who struggle to face this reality. In such instances, one can’t help but wonder how much the photography community needs a massive overhaul. We need to be more open about how we look at mental health challenges and help people who are struggling with their careers. This means we do not judge people facing challenges in creating new work or expanding projects mid-way. Maybe all they need is a break and some time away to refocus on their creative endeavors, and if they do decide to take a step towards a brief hiatus, we should be supportive.
Another thing we need to ensure is that assignments, exhibitions, or book launches should not only go to favor those who are productive or easygoing. By that, I mean shunning photographers who have spoken about their mental health struggles. Due to the stigma, such photographers are often left behind despite having created exceptional series in the past. Then, for them to bounce back takes a far longer time.
Another thing we must think about is not limiting one’s persona to one social media handle, which is a facade. At the same time, they must not give projects to photographers who have a large following. That only demotivates people who have good projects but are not too social media savvy. Such an image-driven culture only continues to demotivate photographers to try something new.
While looking at the community, we must also encourage photographers to drop the facade that the community forces them to wear. Instead, together, we must shift the conversations to things that make us uncomfortable, sad, or angry. Bottling up our feelings will only lead to more pain. Instead, we can channel that energy into creating art, images that speak about how we feel, which can give others the courage to talk about things that have been weighing on their minds. After all, photographs are a reflection of who we are, and most of the time, we do lead perfect lives.
In the end, this conversation, no matter how uncomfortable, will only help build our futures collectively. Our messiness is a part of our lives, no matter where we stand in our journey. In fact, this will only help youngsters to be more open about things things that they find embarrassing (which may not be the case). We are humans first, so our well-being should be given more priority than what we bring to the table as creatives.
This is also a great time for the industry to slow down, listen, and allow these stories to grow instead of being stifled. Empathy, kindness, and warmth are the few things that will help us reach new heights in the industry.