I Felt Like a Fake and a Complete Fraud!!!

Full Blog Below:

Why I Felt Like a Fraud Shooting on Aperture Priority as a Paid Photographer

When I started getting paid for photography, I had a secret: I relied on aperture priority mode for most of my shoots. For those unfamiliar, aperture priority (A or Av mode) lets the photographer choose the aperture while the camera handles shutter speed. While it’s a fantastic tool, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being an impostor every time I used it.

The Root of the Problem: Lack of Knowledge
The real issue wasn’t the mode itself—it was my lack of understanding of how my camera worked. I leaned on aperture priority because I didn’t fully grasp how to balance the exposure triangle (aperture, shutter speed, and ISO) in manual mode under different lighting conditions.

This lack of knowledge gnawed at my confidence. When clients hired me, I felt like I was cheating them by letting the camera make some of the decisions. What if the camera chose the wrong shutter speed and blurred a key moment? What if I couldn’t adjust quickly enough to changing conditions?

Why It’s Okay to Start There

Looking back, I’ve realised that aperture priority isn’t a crutch—it’s a tool. The problem wasn’t the mode; it was my mindset. Every professional, regardless of their craft, starts somewhere. Using aperture priority gave me space to focus on composition, storytelling, and connecting with clients while I built my technical skills.

How I Overcame the Feeling

I knew I needed to bridge the gap in my knowledge to grow both as a photographer and as a professional. Here’s what I did:

Learned Manual Mode: I committed to shooting in manual during personal projects and non-critical moments. Slowly, it became second nature.

Studied Light: Understanding natural and artificial lighting transformed how I approached exposure settings.

Practiced Under Pressure: I simulated fast-paced environments to get comfortable making quick adjustments.

Growth is Part of the Journey

Today, I see that feeling like a fraud was a sign I wanted to improve. It pushed me to learn and refine my craft, so I could truly feel like the professional my clients believed I was.

If you’re in a similar position, don’t let self-doubt hold you back. Use it as fuel to sharpen your skills. Remember, photography isn’t about the mode you shoot in—it’s about the stories you tell.

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Hi and welcome to my youtube channel - My name is Grant and I’m a Photographer, Content Creator and YouTuber based on the beautiful Gold Coast, Queensland Australia. Here at my YouTube channel you will find everything to do with content creation, digital marketing, video and video editing, technology and more.

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CAMERA:
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Panasonic Leica 12mm f/1.4 - https://amzn.to/3ZceFwI
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