We were lucky to catch up with Sam Feigenbaum recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Sam, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
Confidence is definitely not something that came naturally to me, and I still struggle with it. For me, it’s all about repetition, and continuing to put yourself out there. I never became confident by doing something well once, but rather doing it multiple times with several marked failures.
As I’ve continued to work with musicians during live performances, there are several hurdles to jump- the changing lighting, the crowd, the venue, and even my own equipment. I needed to keep working at live music photography until I could jump those hurdles without question or hesitation. That doesn’t mean I don’t still encounter failure, but I know how to keep going after I do fail! I think that’s much more important than the successes.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Well, I’m a live music photographer, so that means I’m photographing the performances of musicians around Atlanta. I’m really in the infancy of my career, but I’ve had a lot of fun shooting several artists at multiple venues. I work with bands that are small and local, and usually contact them directly through social media. I’ve enjoyed shooting at venues like Masquerade, The Earl, Star Bar, Boggs Social & Supply, Northside Tavern, and 37 Main. I love local band shows because the energy is absolutely incredible, and the bands truly do love their fans for being there and enjoying their art!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three qualities that were most impactful to my journey are persistence, communication, and authenticity.
Persistence is needed to continue to put yourself out there, even if you get a no or no answer at all. I’ve had several times where I didn’t make the cut for the venue or band, but I just keep looking for the next show.
Communication is obviously important because it determines how well you interact with others in your business. It was important for me to learn how to communicate effectively, by being both positive and assertive in my position. It definitely feels like it goes hand-in-hand with confidence.
Authenticity is something to strive for, and not just in the professional world but in personal relationships as well. No one likes someone who is disingenuous and only out for the final product. I truly enjoy my time at the show and building relationships with local musicians, so authenticity comes pretty naturally in that regard!
I believe to really succeed at a goal, you have to be happy with just working the grind. If you like the result but not the process itself, you really aren’t all that likely to succeed. If you enjoy the process and the result is secondary, you’re bound to grow and meet that goal, if not surpass it!
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I am always looking for more musicians to connect with! I love the bands and artists that truly enjoy what they are doing, and the crowd can always feel that too. If there are any Atlanta music folks reading this, I’d love to see about working together!
Contact Info:
- Website: bigfigphotos.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/bigfigphotos
Image Credits
Sam Feigenbaum, Big Fig Photos LLC
