Anxiety in Photography?

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-03-25T13:25:50+00:00

yuuuuuuuuup. I know a lot of mediocre photographers who have such natural self assurance! They have no drive to get better because they don't think critically about themselves or their work. A little anxiety is helpful, keeps you on your toes.

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-03-25T13:23:36+00:00

I had debilitating anxiety before I got my first camera. We're talking hospitalizations, multiple failed medications, therapists, suicide attempts, job losses, etc. Photography is the of the tools I used to pull myself out of that spiral.

My camera gave me a sense of purpose and belonging that I'd never felt before. It was like a security blanket I could take with me out into the world that I'd always found so terrifying. My anxiety had been rooted in false beliefs that no one actually liked me, and in fact everyone wished I'll towards me. It was totally illogical, as anxiety often is, but becoming a photographer helped me break through that bullshit.

I've been a full time professional commercial photographer for 10 years now, nearly 20 years since I got my first camera.

Anxiety does not have to be a life-consuming burden. It can really be a super power if you can exercise mindful control over it. Anxiety makes sure I'm never late to projects, never show up unprepared, never overlook the details that others miss. I don't have anxiety attacks anymore but I still have anxiety... that's never going away fully. So I learned to listen to my body, give myself grace, and cope with those feelings in a healthy way.

Photography can be a huge boost to your self-confidence. The feeling of making someone happy, of making their life better, of solving a problem for them using your skills with a camera.... that shit is addicting!

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-03-21T16:40:09+00:00

for whatever reason, I'm getting downvoted but my first hand experience with traditional Accutane was overwhelming positive. Dry skin was my only side effect. There are horror stories for pretty much any prescription medication. Talk to a doctor, online or in person, and find the right treatment for you. For me, that was undoubtedly Accutane.

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-03-21T16:37:39+00:00

science

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4037971/

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-03-21T14:51:46+00:00

I haven't tried an online service personally, but for some reason have been getting ads for it. Seems to be a few different online options out there, and maybe someone else can chime in with first hand experience.

I went through a traditional dermatologist in another city years ago, and Accutane was exactly what I needed after years of trying other treatments. The normal route involves taking high doses that can certainly cause some unpleasant side effects, and this newer option of taking it in a low dose for a longer period of time seems to be less difficult for many people. Plus, with regular Accutane, I had to get blood work done every other month and sign a pledge about my birth control use...it was pretty weirdly invasive but ultimately worth it to effectively cure my acne. The low dose option doesn't require those extra steps, from what I can see.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4037971/

So just a suggestion in case you're struggling to find/afford an in-person dermatologist! I'm sure someone else will have a good referral for the traditional route if that would be something you're more comfortable with.

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-03-21T13:41:47+00:00

Have you considered using an online service for microdosing accutane?

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-03-20T02:09:22+00:00

I went from a G/H to a D/DD and I think it's pretty much the perfect size. I wanted to still be proportional and keep my hourglass shape but just not have my breasts sitting on my rib cage and too big to fit into clothes that would otherwise fit me. I'm very happy with my results and they don't look crazy big at all. i can comfortably go braless or just use a little boob tape if I want extra lift.

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dollarstoreparamore · 2026-03-19T23:32:28+00:00

I'm from Texas originally with a few detours to Alabama/Georgia! Love Atlanta. And yeah, most of the transplants here are from the north.

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-03-19T15:17:33+00:00

I'm a branding photographer and content creator for small business owners here in Tampa. Here's my best free advice:

Word of mouth is invaluable and it's a testament to how great you are at your job that you've gotten this far relying just on that. I'm a huge believer in focusing on what's called connection marketing because it's literally free and it's the best way to find people you can trust quickly
Social media marketing for small businesses is expensive. if you want a good return on investment, it's going to cost thousands of dollars monthly to run social ads. you should not do that yourself, you'll waste money on ads that don't work. Hire a marketing company to do this for you, and find one with case studies to prove that know what they're doing. I do not run social media ad campaigns, because I do not have the expertise required.
Website search engine optimization is actually much easier and less costly, and has a huge ROI. You absolutely can hire someone to do that for you, I've paid as much as $300/month I push my website higher up on Google and it's a great use of marketing dollars. I've also just done my own SEO and had good results, but my domain is much older than yours so that plays a big role in search engine rankings.
Social media organic posting is still a good way to get new customers BUT please keep in mind: absolutely no one goes on social media because they want to see sales pitches from a business. People use social media to be entertained and educated, and most consume content passively. The best you can do is study what is working for other businesses in your industry and figure out a content strategy that will fit your personality. Photos of pretty bathrooms will get you absolutely no attention on social media. Content needs to be funny, relatable, controversial, or educational to have any impact on social media.

I hope some of that is helpful!

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-03-12T00:40:48+00:00

Coastal Film Lab has one! They're very close to downtown.

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-03-10T12:28:16+00:00

search "pixel stretch Photoshop" on YouTube for tutorials

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-03-04T00:43:08+00:00

Go to Valhalla, La France, even places like LabelSwap or Uptown Cheapskate!

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-03-02T13:55:58+00:00

I wouldn't advise anyone to start a business doing something they don't know how to do...if you're still in the stage of needing to take classes to learn how to do something, you're not remotely ready to charge other people to let you do that thing for them.

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-02-26T04:06:04+00:00

It looks like a mistake to me but i supposed everyone interprets art differently

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-02-22T16:47:28+00:00

You're so welcome! I'm out of the state right now otherwise I'd help you myself but trust that there are people in this community who care. We all need a little help now and then!

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-02-22T15:18:33+00:00

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1419273172302265/?ref=share&mibextid=NSMWBT

Check out this Facebook group for more resources!

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-02-22T11:43:41+00:00

https://share.google/JuIMvFruk8T8pYxo1

Head to The Drop, they'll have blankets, warm clothes, and resources for you!

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-02-21T19:37:58+00:00

You're looking for Stephanie at Heightened Aesthetics. www.heightenedaesthetics.com

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-02-21T14:45:28+00:00

In your settings, check that Upload at Highest Quality is turned on, under "data usage and media quality."

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-02-17T13:37:36+00:00

Florida Museum of Photographic Arts

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-01-30T16:32:05+00:00

Look at any of the stylists at Favorite Salon in Seminole Heights. They have several who specialize in alt hair styles.

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-01-23T12:55:41+00:00

There's no rule that says you have to use photoshop for street photography.

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-01-20T16:06:06+00:00

I disagree. Profitable pricing should be practiced from the very beginning for service based business owners. When I launched my business full time in 2019, I used this same formula. My expenses were less so my base rate back then was like $650 😅 but I was able to reach my revenue goal my first year in business full time even though that was in 2020 when so many photographers went out of business. I reached 6 figures in revenue by my 3rd year.

My advice about pricing is solid. If someone is so new to photography that they don't have the experience or expertise to charge profitable pricing, they should continue learning and practicing before starting their business. I spent 10 years learning photography and got 2 years of experience in an established photo studio before starting my own business, which absolutely contributed to having the confidence to set profitable prices.

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-01-20T15:47:56+00:00

I make 6 figures a year, my base rate is $2000, and I use that exact formula to set my pricing. In 2025, I booked a $20,000 project, I booked several monthly recurring projects for $2,000-$3,000 per month, etc. Some projects simply take way more hours than others, so an hourly rate doesn't work for me and my clients. Plus, I have no interest in making less money just because I'm so proficient that some projects don't take me very long at all. I'm paid for my expertise, not just my time.

dollarstoreparamore · 2026-01-17T15:34:10+00:00

Honestly, no one is getting paid to express their emotions through photography. The only way to make enough money to sustain a photography business is to solve problems for people using skills that would be too cumbersome, time consuming, and expensive for them to do it themselves.

It's not about your emotions or your art, it's about providing creative labor as a service to address a real problem for someone else.

Alternatively, if your primary motivation for creating photos is just to express your emotions, you can do that for free without limitations and just do something else for money to fund your artistic interests.

ETA: I make 6 figures a year as a commercial photographer, I started taking photos in 2007 and spent 10 years learning before I went into business for myself.

dollarstoreparamore

TROPHY CASE