My Work Has No Depth

Trying to figure out what my photography is really saying... If anything at all.

The title of this post isn’t meant to sound depressing or clickbaity, even if it comes off that way. It’s more of a realization I’ve been having as I look at my body of work so far.

Recently, I sat down and looked through everything I’ve taken as a photographer and I wasn’t impressed. Some people might say that’s a good thing because growth comes from reviewing ourselves. Others might say, “You’re just being hard on yourself.” But I didn’t really land on either. I’m just… dissatisfied. Not because this is a new feeling or some kind of come to Jesus moment. It’s not. It’s something I’ve known deep down for a long time. And honestly? I feel like starting over.

Sometimes You Need To Be Honest With Yourself

The highs and lows of a creative journey aren’t new to the arts. So many artists deal with internal struggle or harsh self-critiques, I’m no different. But what I’ve been doing to mask that struggle has been hurting my work. I’ve been telling myself I’m happy with the images I’ve been taking, when really, that hasn’t been true. So let’s dig in a little deeper here so this doesn’t sound like I’m about to quit photography altogether.

I think what really set this off was when I noticed how little story was showing up in my work. I travel a lot for pleasure and my job (as I’ve talked about in past posts), and when I get to a new place, I’m usually excited and overwhelmed. So what ends up happening is, I fall back into the same kinds of images I’ve been making for years—some stranger used as a prop, a little patch of light, a bit of layering. It’s a formula I’ve slipped into. And I’m starting to see that. Here are some examples below

What’s the story here? In that first frame, why did I pick that guy to photograph? What am I even trying to say with these images? Or am I just showing the world I know how to take a sub frame photo? These are the questions I started asking myself and It was really hard to look at photos i’ve loved and enjoyed with such a harsh tone looming over them now. But that’s the truth and these are the hard questions i’m asking myself.

Telling A Story

What do you think about when you look at a photograph?

We’re so overloaded with images these days that it’s easy to scroll past even great ones. But when I look at photographers I love, I usually feel like they’re trying to say something with the photo—maybe a kind of human connection, maybe they’re trying to make me feel like I’m in the scene.

Whatever the case, the images that really stick tend to tell some kind of story, big or small.

What I’ve noticed in my own work is that there’s not enough story. It goes back to those examples above, what am I trying to tell you with those images? If we were sitting at a bar, I could tell you every little detail about what I was thinking or feeling for every photo I’ve ever taken. But could you figure it out just by looking at my work on your own? I don’t think it’s the artist’s job to spoon-feed the viewer, but I do think it’s important to have a clear enough vision that someone can build their own story or feeling around the image.

THIS is the lack of depth I’m talking about in the title of this post. My photography leans into wanderlust, pretty places, and travel-inspired shots, but what it’s missing is that feeling of bringing you along with me. I want you to feel what I feel when I’m standing in those places, watching the light shift or waiting for something to unfold and I haven’t been doing that. I haven’t been true to myself or taking the photos I really want to take.

Growth And Figuring Out HowTo Move Forward

I know this post might sound harsh, and in some ways it is. But that’s all part of the process. As long as you don’t give up, you grow. These moments always light a fire under me to figure out what I want to do next, how I want to see the world, and what I want to share with all of you.

Moving forward, I need to push myself to take the photos I’ve always wanted to take but got scared to try. I want to slow down and really feel the streets breathe—to wait for those stories to unfold instead of rushing past them or not even seeing them in the first place. Photography is about stopping time, so it’s our job, to freeze that split second in a way that tells the viewer everything we’re feeling.

Having this understanding and being true to yourself, with what you want to say is growth, and at the end of the day I think we should all hope to never stop growing.

Positive Time!

I’m going to end this post with some photos I do like that I’ve taken over the years, just so we can finish on a positive note. This post isn’t really about trying to teach anyone anything, it’s more of a self-written reminder to myself and a way to let you all see my progress as a photographer. Hopefully that gives you some value in your own day-to-day.

Anyway, enough rambling. Let’s look at a few photos from my collection that I actually enjoy.