There may come a time in your photography journey where you want to take your work to the next level but you aren’t sure how to get there. Whether you are looking to grow your business, improve your photography skills or enhance your creativity and vision, paying for a mentoring session with a photographer that you admire might be exactly what you need. Here are a few things to consider when choosing a mentor.
What do you want to work on most?
There are so many aspects of photography. Shooting, post-processing, light, emotion, and business tips are just a few areas to consider. What are your most important goals? Knowing exactly what you want to work on and choosing a mentor who excels in those same things will be the most beneficial to you.
Consider the style of the mentor.
Does the mentor’s style align with your goals? Are you looking to polish the style you have or are you looking to find your style? Don’t be afraid to consider choosing a mentor who has a style completely different than your own. A different perspective might push you creatively in an unexpected way.
Personality.
What kind of personality does the mentor have? Does their online personality seem kind and helpful? Are they respectful towards others and respected in the photography community? Choosing a mentor that both gives and has respect says a lot about their style of commitment in helping not only you but the photography community as a whole. It adds an extra level of reassurance when considering working with them.
Don’t be afraid to ask.
It can be intimidating or even a little scary to ask for help from someone you admire. Whether the photographer publicly offers mentoring or not, it will never hurt to ask if it is something they are interested in doing. Whether you are looking for a long term mentoring relationship or something more short term, make sure to specifically ask about it. If the mentor is interested, you can work out something that benefits both of you.
