Embracing Your Photography Business Mistakes

 We’ve all been there. Or actually, hopefully you haven't, and this is just me.  You arrive at a beautiful location for a client photoshoot, feeling completely prepared, and tight when your client is getting in position, you open your camera bag and your heart sinks.  Because right at that time in the session when everyone is ready to go, you realize you've left a crucial piece of equipment at home. Forgetting a memory card, a charged battery, or even an essential lens can feel like a devastating mistake, especially when you're just starting your photography business. It's a moment that can make you question everything. I can't tell you how many times I've done it. I once called a client the wrong name throughout an entire session. Yes, repeatedly. And guess what? My business didn't sink. In fact, these mistakes made me a better, more resilient photographer and business owner.

We live in a world that rewards the highlight reel.  Where perfect looking clients, gorgeous locations, and incredible images overwhelm our feeds.  It is easy to believe that all these perfect sessions happen without some huge failure along the way.  But what if we reframed our thinking and saw these “failures”  not as a sign of incompetence but as powerful lessons for growth? The truth is, making mistakes is totally normal, they are essential for building a successful and sustainable photography business.

Mistakes Build Resilience and Confidence

No one is perfect, and expecting yourself to be is a fast track to burnout. The most successful photographers aren't the ones who never make a mistake, but the ones who know how to recover from them. Forgetting a lens might force you to get creative with the gear you have, leading to a new perspective or a unique shot you wouldn't have otherwise captured. Messing up a client's name might lead to an honest and humorous conversation that breaks the ice and builds a more genuine connection.

Each time you navigate a tricky situation, you're building a mental muscle that helps you stay calm under pressure. This resilience translates into confidence. When you know you can handle a hiccup, you approach future sessions with a sense of calm readiness. You learn to problem-solve in real time, and that skill is far more valuable than a perfect track record.

Mistakes Lead to Better Systems and Processes

Every mistake is a data point. Forgetting a memory card is a clear sign that you need a pre-shoot checklist. Calling a client the wrong name shows the importance of reviewing client notes before a session. These mistakes highlight weaknesses in your workflow and provide a clear roadmap for improvement.

After my own share of mistakes, I now have a meticulously organized gear bag and a detailed checklist that I review before every single shoot. Yes, every single session. I have taken my kit to so many businesses that I know the list of things I need by heart, but I still use a checklist to make sure I don’t forget anything. And you can be sure that I now review everyone’ name before I arrive at the session so I call everyone by the correct name.

These systems were born directly from my past failures. They make my business more efficient and reliable, which in turn leads to a better client experience. Don't just make a mistake; learn from it and create a process that prevents it from happening again.

Mistakes Create Authentic Connections

Perfection is unrelatable. When you own your mistakes, you show your clients and your community that you're human. The photography business is built on trust and personal connection. Sharing a humorous story about a time you forgot something crucial can make you seem more approachable. It lets clients know that you’re a real person, not just a flawless brand. This authenticity can actually make clients feel more at ease during a shoot.

Instead of hiding your flaws, use them to your advantage. Acknowledge your mistakes, apologize when necessary, and then show how you've learned and grown. Your clients will appreciate your honesty, and it will build a stronger, more authentic relationship based on mutual trust and respect.

So, the next time something happens that makes you want to crawl into the ground and disappear, don’t panic. Embrace it as an opportunity. Your most significant lessons and your biggest leaps in confidence often come from the moments you feel the least in control. Welcome to the messy, beautiful, and absolutely rewarding journey of building your photography business.

Don’t Go it Alone

When mistakes happen in business it is easy to want to hide it under a rock and never speak of it again.  In fact there are some things that have happened during sessions that I have never spoken about publicly because, well, not everyone needs to know every. Single. Little. Thing.

BUT. . . 

 This is where having a trusted mentor can help.  It isn’t good to hold those things in because if you hold them in, you can’t learn and grow from them.  I may have not disclosed all my secrets publicly but my mentor knows of them, we worked through them together and I am a better photographer and business person because of it  

If you still do not have a mentor for your business why not?   Every successful business owner that I know has invested in someone to help them navigate the path to a more successful business.  You NEED a mentor.  And I know what you are saying, it is too expensive, I don’t have time, I will figure it out myself, blah, blah, blah.  The thing is what if a mentor could help you avoid mistakes, cut through the crap of the things you think you need to do and help you focus on the things that really matter, and be your biggest cheerleader as you go down the road to building a better business?  That sounds pretty great, right? 

Click that button below, fill out that form, and let’s connect.  The form is not a commitment on your part.  Just a step in finally doing what you know you should have been doing all along.  I can’t wait to meet you on the other side of that submit button.