Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rachel Segal. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Rachel, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I am not sure you ever really overcome imposter syndrome, in my opinion it is like self-esteem, it can wax and wane throughout one’s life. You will have great days when you have all the confidence and capabilities and then you have those days where you feel you have no clue what you are doing and feel like a fraud. I believe we call being human. The best way I can remind myself how far I have come is by looking back at photos from the last 8-10 years and see the differences in my styles and quality. The only detail that has not changed is my eye for capturing an image.
As a photographer in today’s world, you have to be social media savvy. It isn’t an easy thing to do as a Gen X’er,we did not grow up it. I try to see the positive of it (even though not all may agree) I just must do my best to read through the negativity so that it doesn’t allow for the imposture syndrome to creep up more than it could.
I’d say that they best thing you can do is surround yourself with people that will be honest with you. We need to have constructive criticism, and people who do not agree with us help keep that type of balance. I do not want to have someone telling me that my work is good if it’s not, all that does for me is a disservice, however constructive criticism done properly should be viewed as healthy.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a Landscape/wildlife photographer that is primarily based in Arizona. The most exciting part is those days I am unsure where my road may lead, or what I may photograph. I have a few passions as of late, they are Salt River Wild Horses and Lake Powell where I spend a lot of time. However, I love to capture the beauty of what nature has to offer and I am always aware of my beautiful surroundings, even in the simplest of areas. We have some of the most spectacular landscapes in the Southwest, it is just a matter of getting out there. With or without a camera to enjoy.
I have a few irons in the fire these days that I am very excited about. In East Mesa we have a great little Boutique called What’s up Buttercup that supports many local artists and I happen to be one of them. I have a variety pieces there. I also have some of my pieces in the Grand Circle Arts Alliance Gallery, in Page, AZ.
I am excited to see what else is on the horizon for me.
If you don’t have the ability to evolve in today’s world, I feel you would struggle, you must find ways to catapult yourself forward, YouTube and I become great friends in order for me to learn many aspects of what all the different social media apps have to offer.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Quite honestly this would depend on an age group, that may sound like an odd thing to say however, I feel as though the younger generations have a bit of an advantage because they tend to be more tech-savvy, have more social media familiarity, and have a better understanding of some of the software that out these days. I do my best to stay up on them though. Something else they need is perseverance, particularly these days. People today seem to give up too easily on ideas, people, and even jobs, its as if they don’t want to work hard, however, you won’t get very far as a photographer without a good work ethic.
Photographers can be out in the field, see something and just know it will make for an amazing photo to capture, but not everyone has that “eye”. I was handed a camera at such a young age, and we had a darkroom in our basementso and I have been told that I have an “eye” for as far back as I can recall. I am not sure if it is a nature or nurture aspect, but my father was an amateur photographer so maybe it is nature.
I would say being able to produce a solid website is very important. having a presence online with an understanding of social media is essential. Keeping up to date on cameras, accessories, and software is always a good idea as well.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
In the last 12 months I have become much more critical about the quality of the work that I will put out for my website or for pieces to be sold. I am more critical, and self-discerning about what IS quality, and I hold myself to a much higher standard. The software I use enhances the beauty of what I capture and I love that it has the ability to take my older images and allow them to be brought up to my standards and I find something wonderful about that.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.segalphotography.com
- Instagram: @rsegalphotography
- Facebook: @Segalphotography
- Other: Where to find my art: The Grande Circle Alliance Gallery, Page AZ and Whats up Buttercup in East Mesa
Image Credits
Rachel Segal
