Comparison In The Photography Industry: Dear Devlin, I Feel Like I’m Falling Behind

Dear Carrie from Cardiff,

Thank you for writing this, because what you’ve just described? So many of us feel it. Maybe not always, and maybe not everyone will admit it, but those moments of comparisonitis, jealousy, and hopelessness in business are far more common than social media would ever let on.

Let me say this clearly: you are not worthless. Not by a long shot. You are having a very human response to a very distorted version of reality – Instagram reality.

This Year Is Tough

Let’s start with that. You’re not imagining it. You’re not failing because you’re not good enough. So many photographers I speak to, even those at the top of their game, are quietly telling me that this season is harder than expected. Enquiries are slower, budgets are tighter, and visibility feels like a daily fight. You’re not alone in feeling like you’re giving it your all and still falling short of where you’d hoped to be.

You’re Comparing Your Lows to Someone Else’s Highs

And those scales? They’re never going to balance out. You’re in a dip, and your friend is in a peak, of course it feels unfair. Comparing your lows to someone else’s highs is going to lower self-worth so try to be careful with what you are comparing to what. What you see when you scroll Instagram is a tiny, heavily edited highlight, never buy into it being the full reality. What you’re not seeing is what it took for them to get there, or what they might be sacrificing to stay there.

The Less Glam Side of the Glamorous Life

Let’s flip the lens a little.

Destination weddings? That’s time away from home, and loved ones. It’s long travel days and I don’t know any destination wedding photographer being chauffeur-driven to the airport to sip champagne in Upper Class. It’s more often economy seats, delayed flights and then trying to perform at your best after very little rest. Is that genuinely something you want more of in your working life?

Speaking at conferences? Huge honour, yes but also a huge pressure. It’s standing on a stage in front of your peers, trying to keep your voice steady and your slides working. I’ve seen photographers with jaw-droppingly good portfolios completely freeze on stage due to nerves.

Public speaking is not easy, and it takes a lot of preparation, mindset work, and emotional energy. If this is triggering something in you, it might be worth asking: is this something I actually want? Or is it just something I feel I should be doing because others are?

If it is a genuine goal, what steps are you taking toward it? Because I can tell you now, the people who speak at those big-name events usually hustled to get there. They likely:

• Started by speaking at smaller events
• Created their own workshops or education content
• Put themselves forward to guest on podcasts
• Built a ‘Speaker Page’ on their website
• Shared consistent, helpful content that built trust

As someone who puts on conferences myself, I don’t choose speakers based on their follower count. I look for people with strong, original ideas who can move the needle for attendees. If you have something to say, if you want to contribute, start getting visible. Get specific. Make your intentions known.

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