Who We Choose to Follow
Wedding photography is full of voices personalities and paths. It is a diverse field which is beautiful but it also makes it easy to lose sight of an important question.
Who are we actually following and why.
We tend to take the loudest voices as our role models. The people on stages in podcasts in magazines on social media. We see their reach their confidence their visibility and we assume they must be right. We assume that visibility equals wisdom. That volume equals truth. That success equals happiness.
But it does not.
Just because someone is seen does not mean what they say is universally true. It does not mean they are fulfilled or grounded. A microphone in someone’s hand tells you nothing about their inner world. There is a stage effect. When someone stands in front of a room we automatically believe they know more they have figured something out they are above doubt. But we do not know that.
I include myself here. I have stood on stages. I have shared thoughts publicly. And I know how quickly people place you into a role you never claimed. The role of someone who has answers. The truth is I do not have definitive answers. I am still searching for balance for honesty for a way of living and working that feels true to me.
This is not about tearing others down. There are many inspiring people in our industry. People who are thoughtful grounded helpful. But it is worth looking more consciously at who we choose to listen to and why. The better we know ourselves the easier it becomes to understand which voices support us and which ones unsettle us. Which paths align with us and which paths only distract us.
Because once you know what you truly want you can see more clearly what nourishes you and what drains you. What inspires you and what confuses you.
We need healthier role models. People who do good work without shouting. People who enjoy what they do without the need to constantly prove themselves. People who define success not through attention but through inner calm and consistency.
The quiet ones often carry something many of us are searching for. Peace. A deep kind of satisfaction. We all feel that longing. The loud ones are easier to see but often the quiet ones have built something steadier and more true. You have to look for them. It is worth the effort.
Maybe the best role models are not the ones in the spotlight but the ones who walk their path quietly with honesty focus and contentment.
The wedding industry needs role models who are honest reflective and human. People who know how to listen not only how to speak. Visibility is not proof of truth and silence is not a lack of insight. Real inspiration rarely comes from the center of attention. It grows in the quiet places where people are simply themselves.
