Note: Photographers’ Friday is a weekly blog series directed toward professional photographers, and in some instances, serious amateur photographers. All Photographers’ Friday blog posts will assume that readers have a basic working knowledge of digital SLR cameras, but if you’re left with questions or don’t understand any of the information, don’t hesitate to ask. We love e-mails!

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This is something I shared the other day in the Pursuit 31 Facebook group — an amazing community of Christian women creatives that I’ve talked about again and again. The support I’ve found from those women is wonderful, and they are always quick to answer each other’s questions and help each other out.

But that’s not how it always goes in the photography community, especially in the world of social media, where people spew callous words from their computer keyboards that they likely wouldn’t have the guts — or ill manners — to say to someone’s face. It’s so disheartening and frustrating. We all, hopefully, got into photography because we love it. We certainly didn’t get into photography because it’s so elegant and glamorous (see photo of me sprawling in the sand below for evidence). So, if we got into photography because we’re passionate about it, should’t we encourage other people who are passionate about it, instead of belittling them for wanting to learn and grow?
I want to hit my head against my desk every time I see a photographer backhandedly criticizing another photographer under the guise of offering guidance or advice — but if I did, I’d have a permanent bruise.

And it really, really galls me when I see it coming from someone I’ve taken the time to explain basic concepts to without making them feel stupid for not already knowing the answer or running their business a certain way.

Keep loving on each other, everyone. None of us know it all.

~ Laura