# data[].attributes.body
Public speaking is a weakness both professionally and personally.

# data[].attributes.body
With 18 years of experience as a police detective, I possess several strengths that I can bring into professional photography.

# data[].attributes.body
Exceptional attention to detail, which allows me to pay attention to minute details such as lighting and composition.

# data[].attributes.body
This will enable me to problem solve and capture the best possible image.

# data[].attributes.body
Allowing me to make quick decisions and adjust to different situations.

# data[].attributes.body
This strength will enable me to research my subjects or clients and plan the photo session accordingly. This includes scouting locations, selecting the appropriate equipment, and anticipating potential challenges.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
8 Tips to Improve Your Public Speaking Skills

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn how to improve your public speaking skills and why it’s important. Here are 8 tips that will improve your public speaking skills.

# data[].attributes.body
I am a first-year student studying professional photography. While I have a passion for photography, I lack technical knowledge, business, and marketing experience which can be a source of insecurity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Self-confidence is the level of belief in your ability or skills to perform a given role or function. Disappointments, abuse, neglect, or physical or mental illness can diminish self-esteem, which in turn can affect your confidence in certain situations. Social anxiety erodes your sense of capability as well.

Fortunately, you can make simple choices to build your self-confidence. Just as there are many ways to strengthen your body, there are ways you can increase your resolve by setting small goals, making healthier choices, nurturing your spirit, and finding support. Taking these steps will give you the power to:

Get to know and accept yourself.

Break free of self-sabotaging thoughts and behavior patterns.

Expand your knowledge, skills, and experiences.

Become physically, mentally, and spiritually healthier.

Deepen interpersonal relationships.

Spend Time With Yourself

Self-reflection is essential to understanding who you are and why you think the way you do. Set aside time to assess your strengths, weaknesses, and core values, and write down your insights. Dissect the challenges that threaten your self-confidence so that you can face them one step at a time.

Adopt or Maintain a Spiritual Practice

There is a positive correlation between nurturing your spiritual self-your sense of "purpose, innerness, interconnection, and transcendence"-and life satisfaction and self-esteem. Rituals such as yoga, meditation, prayer, and chanting help you calm your mind, see yourself and your situation more clearly, and connect you to your higher self. Maintaining a daily spiritual exercise also gives you practice in consistency, which can increase your self-confidence.

Use Positive Self-Talk

Psychologists say that self-talk plays a key role in our actions, emotional reactions, and goal progression. Much of our self-talk-positive and negative-happens without our really thinking about it.

Use Affirming Statements

Cultivate a Healthy Lifestyle

A 2017 study suggests that physical activity and healthy eating help improve self-esteem and self-efficacy. Wholesome foods and exercise flood your body with nutrients and endorphins (chemicals that manage pain and relieve stress) that can elevate your mood. These lifestyle behaviors help make you more physically and mentally fit to tackle life's tasks.

What Is Self-Efficacy?

Cut Out Self-Comparison

Comparing yourself to others, particularly on social media, can diminish your self-esteem and self-confidence, fostering anxiety and depression. It's okay to acknowledge that you aren't perfect, but keep in mind that nobody else is either.

Set Small Goals

Accomplishing goals increases your self-efficacy. Start by setting attainable but challenging goals, and give yourself an appropriate reward for reaching your goal. Examples include:

Goal: I will exercise for 15 minutes. Reward: Making a new workout playlist for the next time you exercise.

Goal: I will get up early tomorrow. Reward: Trying out a new coffee spot.

Goal: Making a new, healthy recipe. Reward: Enjoying what you made with a friend.

Seek Uplifting Relationships

The late motivational speaker Jim Rohn said that we are the average of our five closest acquaintances. Connect with people who will encourage and inspire you to improve in the areas you feel weak. Set boundaries with those who bring you down.

Consider Professional Help

Sometimes, we have deep-seated mental blocks that are hard to overcome on our own. A licensed therapist or counselor can teach you strategies to help you enhance your self-efficacy. They may also be able to help you uncover underlying issues such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) that could be limiting your self-confidence.

Your self-confidence may seem naturally strong or weak in certain circumstances. However, you can grow in countless ways with easy, positive changes. Build your confidence muscles by developing a stronger mind, body, and spirit. Techniques that can help with this include spending time with yourself, adopting a spiritual practice, positive self-talk, not comparing yourself to others, setting small goals, and seeking uplifting relationships.

A Word From Verywell

Your level of self-confidence can vary in different situations and can ebb and flow over time. However, if you're experiencing persistent self-confidence issues, reach out to your doctor or a mental health professional right away. Together, you can come up with a plan to face this challenge. Remember: You've got this.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is low self-confidence a symptom of depression?

Extensive research indicates that low self-confidence can make people more vulnerable to depression. A 2014 study reported that teens with low self-esteem are more likely to develop depressive symptoms by their mid-30s. Low self-confidence also seems to lead to behaviors and coping mechanisms that can worsen depression.

What's the difference between self-confidence and cockiness?

Self-confidence is an inner, settled assurance of your abilities. Cockiness shows a false sense of superiority that's rooted in low self-esteem. Cockiness makes people feel threatened by the accomplishments of others, driving them to overcompensate for shortcomings. Confident people harness their power to help others, but cocky people try to dominate others.

How can I teach my child self-confidence?

Raising or influencing children to believe in themselves is a worthwhile goal with lifetime benefits. Show them unconditional love every day. Give the child in your life responsibilities according to their abilities and offer tactful feedback. Allow them to make mistakes and learn from them. Be sure to model self-confidence as well.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Looking for easy ways to build self-confidence? Try setting small goals, using positive language, and surrounding yourself with uplifting people.

# data[].attributes.body
2023- 2026
Complete degree in Bachelor of Communication and Media. Major in Professional Photography and Marketing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Recent secondary education

Adjusted Entry score including adjustment factors (additional points given in certain circumstances).

Unadjusted Entry score not including adjustment factors.
ATAR The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is a percentile rank used to assess the results of high-school applicants for undergraduate entry into university.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Bachelor of Communication and Media (Professional Photography)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
While studying the Bachelor of Communication and Media (Professional Photography), you will learn to produce high-quality, creative work for the communications and media industries.

# data[].attributes.body
I will actively engage in volunteering at charity events and sporting gatherings, not only to gain valuable experience but also to build meaningful connections within these communities.

# data[].attributes.body
I want to connect with other photographers, clients, and industry professionals to build relationships and increase exposure.

# data[].attributes.body
2024
Seek mentorship from an experienced professional photographer to acquire technical expertise and gain valuable practical experience in the field.

# data[].attributes.body
Continuous
Attend workshops, conferences and seminars to expand my knowledge.

# data[].attributes.body
2025-2026
Build a business plan and pricing strategy.

# data[].attributes.body
Remain investigating and commence working part time as a sole trader.

# data[].attributes.body
2026- Onwards

Continue to build a network of clients and stay up to date with the latest photography software and equipment.

# data[].attributes.body
2026- Onwards
Build a reputation for quality work, leading to more significant opportunities. Commence fulltime and build photography business.

# data[].attributes.body
Set achievable goals, both short-term and long-term, to maintain motivation and achieve success.

# data[].attributes.body
Practice self-care by maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

# data[].attributes.body
Engage in continuous learning, to acquire new skills and knowledge, attend workshops, and stay updated with the latest technology trends. This will help me stay relevant and improve my overall performance.

# data[].attributes.body
Saving for unexpected expenses or periods of financial difficulty.

# data[].attributes.body
Improve my skills by seeking feedback from mentors and clients, and diversifying my portfolio and capabilities.

# data[].attributes.body
As a photography student, creating a portfolio to showcase my work is an early obstacle. Producing a body of work that demonstrates my skills and style takes time and effort.

# data[].attributes.body
During this financial shift, it may be necessary to have savings or an alternative source of income.

# data[].attributes.body
Self-promotion is a crucial aspect of being a professional photographer. However, I find it challenging to self-promote.

# data[].attributes.body
Competing in the highly critical world of photography presents a challenge early in my career.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Maintaining a competitive edge is vital for success in every profession, especially photography. How you go about keeping that edge varies from photographer to photographer, market to market, and sometimes photo specialty to photo specialty.

I recently spoke with a cross section of photographers to gain perspective on what's working, what's not, and how they've adjusted their strategies to stay ahead. What follows are highlights of those interactions:

Andrew Darlow: "My competitive advantage for my pet portraiture business is that I've written an award-winning book-Pet Photography 101: Tips for Taking Better Photos of Your Dog or Cat-which often opens doors and gives people more confidence in hiring me. The book, as well as sample prints and articles on the topic in magazines and online, have helped me to establish myself as someone who is knowledgeable in the area. In addition to showing examples of my work on a dedicated Web site (candidcanine.com), I often send people to my book's companion site to download free PDFs from my book and read about recent events, articles and interviews I've done. Five years ago I met most of my clients through pet-related trade shows and word-of-mouth. Now most photo session reservations come from reading my book, doing an online search for 'pet photographer' or through my Facebook pages."

Mike Fulton: "One of TriCoast Photography's biggest competitive advantages is making a personal connection with our community. By using Facebook, emails and digital newsletters, we keep clients updated on what we're doing. To find out what our clients are doing, we make an effort to get to know them. Volume is key in photography and we jumped into it head first. By photographing children in schools and sporting events in our area, we reach every family with children ages three to 18 with positive direct marketing and start building lifelong relationships with our clients for future weddings, baby and family sessions. Our own Volume Software (FotoVelocity) gives us a solid workflow, all the way through the entire event."

Allison Earnest: "My competitive edge is my 28 years' experience as a professional photographer and custom photofinisher, as well as my passion for photography and lighting. I have a bachelor's degree in business and I teach aspiring photographers through my lighting books-Sculpting with Light®: Techniques for Portrait Photographers and Light Modifiers: A Digital Guide to Sculpting with Light® (Amherst Media)-and a third, tentatively titled The Art of Product Photography, out next summer. With so many people entering the field, I stay focused on my marketing target: commercial clients. I recently did a complete redesign on my Web site, which remains my most beneficial marketing tool.

Jim Jordan: "I'm a one-stop shop. Besides photography, I offer full production services, including casting, locations, permits, etc. My Livebooks Web site is a great vehicle to show my clients how this all works. The site has a client-only section, which allows me to make a customized presentation for clients, where I can include every aspect of what I offer so clients can see just how much time and money they will save by enlisting all of my services. My competitive advantage has definitely changed over time. As I've grown as a photographer, I've been able to network with other professionals and build a working relationship with them."

Maria Mack: "My competitive edge is that I am always striving to be better than my last shoot or wedding. Developing a good, consistent body of work is really important, but knowing when to take risks is what helps me to stand out from my competition. Also, staying current, which includes everything from my Web site, blog, social media and marketing materials being kept fresh and up to date. I did a complete revamp of my Web site and blog at the beginning of the year and the impact has been huge."

Ed McCulloch: "In addition to offering photography, I have a director's reel, which allows me to take care of clients' print and TV campaigns, saving them and their agencies time and money. My agent Tim Mitchell lets them know that I'm versatile and can handle both print and TV. He takes out ads in Workbook, Archive, sends out emails and makes monthly ad agency visits. I do fewer print mailings than I used to, and more time on emails directing people to the TV spots I've done on my reel."

Michael P. Toothman: "My ability to impart a photojournalistic feel to my work as a differentiator has resulted in greater interest in my portfolio. It starts from the first meeting where ideas are discussed and concepts are storyboarded. By following reliable, repeatable planning processes, I leave nothing to chance and my team fully understands the message I am trying to convey with my image, and the essential elements in crafting that message. The result is a professional shoot that is more relaxed, less chaotic and aligned toward my overall objectives. Visible metaphor marketing collateral addresses this project management-oriented process, and describes how it brings value to the final image."

Emily Potts: "Emily Potts Photography is the studio in town where clients are able to commission custom portrait art for their homes. In a market with many shoot-and-burn photographers, this level of service is something that truly sets us apart. Our service includes an appointment during which we design a portrait display for the clients' home; their portrait session results in professionally printed heirloom pieces they can be proud to display. While we have always emphasized wall art for our clients' homes, today we design collections of wall portraits that showcase multiple images versus one statement piece for a space. With this shift in design philosophy, we have printed materials featuring clients' walls adorned with our portraits and brochures showcasing our imagery."

Dan'niel McKnight: "My competitive advantage as a photographer in my market is my fearlessness and creativity. I have always been very creative, but I wasn't always brave enough to show it and take risks to the extent that I do now. My inspiration has come from the experience and life-changing opportunity of photographing and getting to know singer Adam Lambert. His ability to be and accept himself, no matter what, has given me the confidence to take risks in my wedding career more than ever before. My competitors and associates tell me that I think outside the box more than anyone they know. I was the first photographer in Oklahoma to offer Trash The Dress. Now the trend is very popular. By putting aside what everyone else is doing and letting the artist inside me emerge, clients pay for the artistry."

Martin Vrabko: "One of my advantages is how I treat people, showing no difference between celebrities and non-celebrities. We are all connected; we just play different games. Clients share their photography experiences with others. I don't do any other marketing. Word of mouth or personal recommendation is my best marketing tool, and in my opinion, the most powerful marketing. I'm always increasing my technical and artistic abilities, and bringing those new skills and experience to my work and communications with my clients. The business situation is difficult because the world has changed, but we still have old patterns. I always am looking for new ways."

Alice B. Miller is the owner of Plum Communications Inc. (www.plumcomm.com), a Long Island, NY, editorial services and marketing-communications company that supports the photo industry. Previously the editor of Studio Photography magazine, Alice has a growing clientele that includes photographers, manufacturers, publications and associations. She is the director of public relations for the International Photographic Council.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Are You Keeping Your Competitive Advantage

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Maintaining a competitive edge is vital for success in every profession, especially photography. How you go about keeping that edge varies from photographer to photographer, market to market, and sometimes photo specialty to photo specialty.

# data[].attributes.body
The field of photography is constantly evolving with new technology and equipment. Keeping up with evolving technology as well as building a client base will be a challenge.

# data[].attributes.body
Camping provides me with an opportunity to connect with nature and rejuvenate myself.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The 23 best travel podcasts to listen to now

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The top travel podcasts to listen to and download now, including The Travel Diaries, Travel with Rick Steves and Simon Calder's Escape, as chosen by Wanderlust

# data[].attributes.body
Integrity is my top value. I prioritise honesty and transparency, even when admitting errors or areas for improvement.

# data[].attributes.body
Accountability for one's decisions and actions is essential, regardless of whether they result in success or failure. It is important to take responsibility for one's choices and their consequences.

# data[].attributes.body
I strongly believe that empathy is important, which involves understanding, sharing, and appreciating others' feelings and perspectives.

# data[].attributes.body
I strongly believe in and advocate for fair treatment and equal opportunities for all individuals, regardless of their background, race, gender, or any other personal characteristic.

# data[].attributes.body
I believe in facing challenges, adversity, and difficult situations with bravery and determination. I think it's important to confront obstacles head-on, rather than avoiding or ignoring them. By being brave and determined in the face of difficulty, we can grow and learn from our experiences, and ultimately become stronger and more resilient individuals.

# data[].attributes.body
My goal is to complete my Bachelor of Communication and Media degree at USQ successfully. I will ensure that I put in the necessary effort and dedication to achieve this objective.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
University of Southern Queensland | University of Southern Queensland

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
UniSQ has been delivering flexible study options for over 40 years, and is rated 5/5 stars for graduate starting salary. Learn more & apply today.

# data[].attributes.headline
To be successful as a recognised professional photographer. 

# data[].attributes.subject
To be successful as a recognised professional photographer. 

# data[].attributes.body
My aspiration is to establish myself as a professional photographer, specialising in portrait and wedding photography. This career choice stems from my profound passion for seizing moments, emotions, and narratives in the lives of others.

# data[].attributes.body
I aspire to launch my own professional photography business.

# data[].attributes.body
I aim to establish a work-life balance that harmonises with my life.

# data[].attributes.headline
To be mentored by established Photographer

# data[].attributes.subject
To be mentored by established Photographer

# data[].attributes.body
I am excited about the opportunity to engage a mentor and gain insights into the intricacies of running a successful photography business.

# data[].attributes.body
Complete my degree- Bachelor of Communication and Media, Majoring in Professional Photography and Marketing

# data[].attributes.body
I want to create a versatile and stunning portfolio that displays my photography style and range.

# data[].attributes.body
I want to learn the fundamentals of running a photography business, including pricing, contracts, marketing, and legal considerations. Complete a course in small business.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore a wide range of online courses offered by Australia’s leading RTOs, tertiary institutes and universities. Find a course today

# data[].attributes.body
I want to participate in community events and contribute to assist with community engagement and networking.

# data[].attributes.body
Create a business plan and financial strategy to ensure sustainability and profitability.

# data[].attributes.body
Invest in high-quality equipment and stay current with advancements in photography technology.

# data[].attributes.body
Lesley, C., & Donna, M. (2017). The road to social work and human service practice with student resource. Cengage Australia.

Schmidt, M. K., Murdock Bishop, J. L., & Becker, K. (2019). Using photography to enhance development of self, professional identity, and multicultural awareness. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 14(1), 105-114.

Benzaghta, M. A., Elwalda, A., Mousa, M. M., Erkan, I., & Rahman, M. (2021). SWOT analysis applications: An integrative literature review. Journal of Global Business Insights, 6(1), 55-73.

Wu, C., & Wang, Y. (2011). Understanding proactive leadership. In Advances in global leadership (pp. 299-314). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

# data[].attributes.body
Bhasin,H. (2020). 9 Planning skills essential for achieving success. https://www.marketing91.com/planning-skills/

Doyle,A. (2020). Definition and Examples of Analytical Skills. https://www.thebalancemoney.com/analytical-skills-list-2063729

Fox, H. (2015). Leading a travel photography workshop across Morocco. http://hillaryfox.com/travel-photography-workshop-morocco/

Iford, (2020). Edge2learn. https://www.edge2learn.com/top-10-tools-to-successfully-cultivate-adaptability/

Knoxbox. (2021). Enhance Detail Orientation Skills With Online Training. https://knowxbox.com/blogs/attention-to-detail-skills/

Perry, E. (2021). 8 Tips to improve your public speaking skills. https://www.betterup.com/blog/how-to-improve-public-speaking

https://www.rangefinderonline.com/news-features/tips-techniques/how-are-you-keeping-your-competitive-advantage/

https://www.tafecourses.com.au/courses/small-business-management/brisbane/
https://www.marketing91.com/planning-skills/