One key thing I’ve learned is that photography — portraiture, especially — is never truly a solo act. It’s a conversation, a push and pull between my vision and the presence, the energy, the individuality of the person in front of me. True collaboration, the kind where creativity fuels itself, can take an image somewhere I never expected. And that’s the kind of exchange I welcome.
But I’ve also learned that not every compromise is creative. Some are born from doubt, from outside noise, from the pressure to make something more palatable or expected. And those compromises? They don’t serve the work. They don’t serve me.
Now, don’t get me wrong — this isn’t about refusing to take input or thinking my way is the only way. If anything, real collaboration makes an image better. The best shoots are the ones where everyone brings something real to the table, where there’s mutual trust and energy. I love when that happens. That’s when the work takes on a life of its own.
But not all feedback is about making the art stronger. Sometimes it’s about making it safer. Sometimes it’s about making it more digestible for an audience that isn’t even mine. And sometimes — let’s be honest — it’s just about someone wanting to feel like they’re in control. And that’s where I draw the line.
It took me years to recognize the difference — when to bend, when to stand firm, when to let the natural synergy of collaboration shape the outcome, and when to push back against forces that have nothing to do with art. And let me tell you, learning that distinction is a game-changer. Because once you stop compromising for the wrong reasons, the work gets better. It gets stronger. It gets you-er. (Yes, I just made that a word; roll with it.)
I used to second guess myself too much, worried that standing firm would make me difficult or uncooperative. But here’s the thing — having a vision and respecting it isn’t the same as being stubborn. It’s just knowing what actually serves the work versus what’s just noise. And the truth is, when you stick to what feels right, the right collaborators will stick with you.
Boundaries in art aren’t walls; they’re structure. They’re the framework that keeps the vision intact. And the best collaborations happen when everyone involved understands that — when the goal is to elevate, not dilute.
So, I keep learning. Keep refining. Keep holding the line where it matters. Because the work deserves it. And because I refuse to spend another shoot explaining why something doesn’t need to be “more commercial” when it was never meant to be in the first place.