As a music photographer, I get a lot of rejections. The guest list is already full, I don’t have enough followers, press isn’t allowed, or whatever the excuse is. I used to get super bent out of shape about these rejections and I considered them failures. Why wasn’t I good enough to shoot that show? Is there something I should have done better? What can I do so I can get approved next time?
It’s only now, months later and tens of rejections processed, that I realize that these aren’t failures. Rejections, in my opinion, do not equate to failures. Getting approved feels like a burst of excitement–I was approved to shoot a show and write a review! This publicist saw my work and decided they liked it enough to invite me back. And when I’m hit with a rejection, it’s hard not to feel like I failed this time.
Every email I write to a publicist is practice towards the perfect email, it’s networking and getting my name out there. It’s understanding that that specific show is not the only show in the entire world and I can easily go and fill my space and time with something else–like working on a new album review or comparing my emails to someone else’s.
If anything, failure (or lack thereof) teaches me endurance and perseverance. Alison Carr argues against the notion that writing is a fixed skill that can be easily mastered–a perspective that often shapes writing instruction. I took this approach and applied it to my own experiences. Embracing the failures that shape my experience are essential and what matters most are the steps taken afterward. How do I take this failure? Does it seriously set me back or am I able to jump back on my feet and try again next time? Letting failure stifle my creativity will not improve anything I do, whether it be writing or photography or something else entirely. Reflecting on failures and rejections are integral to my growth as a creative.
Header photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash
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