Feeling left behind or out of touch?

It can creep up on you, insidiously, first a whisper and then a roar.

Or it can hit you with a thump.

There’s no easy way to face that feeling of irrelevance.

One day you’re flavour of your industry, being hired by all and sundry (if you can fit them in), and suddenly you’re wondering how you missed out on those jobs – briefs awarded to photographers who are, well, different to you. Maybe it’s gender, or age, nationality, whatever- it’s simply that feeling that you’ve been left behind, or left out.

You become an outsider, not an insider.

You don’t have to be a white guy over 50 for this to happen (though that might be you). You might have had a baby or a health issue, taken time off to raise kids or renovate the house, or simply become overwhelmed with industry changes. All ways you can find yourself on the outside looking in, and wondering where the door went.

Here’s the thing.

If you really want to get back ‘in’, sometimes you need to jump the fence or jimmy the door. Or find a window. It will take effort, but the first step is to believe you’re worthy of it.

To be honest, others may not see you as an outsider- it may be your monkey mind telling you that, when in fact you are admired and respected but keeping yourself small.

Shake that off- if you project it, they’ll start believing it.

Once you’ve convinced yourself that you’re still an experienced lens based image maker, capable of creating beautiful work and delivering on decent briefs (which, by the way still exist), I’m a huge fan of owning where you are right now. What have you learned from your experiences over the last few years and months? What do you have an insider’s perspective on?

Becoming relevant also means leading from the front; looking at what’s happening in the world and sharing your opinion and voice, and the best way to do this is through personal work (which will also help you feel your way back into that place of ‘Yup I can do this’).

Even if you’re feeling really happy with where you are, thank you very much, doing this will keep you relevant and top of mind.

It’s just a start, but it’s a powerful one.