Over the past forty years I have spoken to many photographers. I’ve given them work, advice, support, instruction and hopefully some inspiration and direction. I’ve been paid to do all of these things as a magazine art director, creative director, magazine editor and university lecturer.

However, I have also done this for free as a friend, colleague and podcaster. My advice is just that, it’s opinion based on my knowledge and experience. It’s advice not rules. I try to be objective, never subjective and base what I say on facts but others may disagree with what I say. I always make this clear from the outset stating that I have no issues if my advice is ignored. I have no problem with that. Honestly. I will only give advice if it is asked for and never comment on individual photographs. These are my rules and I am boringly consistent in sticking to them. That consistency ensures that if I am accused of having said something I would not say I can stand my ground with confidence. There is one issue however that I have with giving advice and it is this. If you accept advice which works and produces positive outcomes then you should thank the person who gave you that advice and give them the credit they deserve. Sadly, in my experience photographers are not good at this.

Perhaps it is a lack of confidence that prevents the photographer from giving credit to others for their success. Actors don’t seem to suffer the same issue, they cannot be stopped from heaping praise on others claiming that without support they would not have achieved what they have. Many thank others when being given awards but I believe that we should be doing this on a daily basis not only at the end of a red carpet on a stage holding a piece of glass or metal. I rarely hear photographers do either. Are photographers intrinsically selfish? Do they suffer from inflated egos? Or are they the opposite, afraid for others to see that they have received advice and implemented it on their photographic journey.

I don’t teach or give advice for praise but recognition is just good manners. I know that I am not the only one who feels this way.

Perhaps this introverted sense of showing success comes from our digital age. From social media, where a facade of success and strength is adopted by many as they believe it is required. Essential to the marketing of their ‘brand’ but we are not brands we are people. Brands are for products and people are not products. Such an approach leads to many believing that success comes from a belief that others believe that you are successful whatever the reality maybe. This is untrue and unsustainable.

We all have weaknesses, failures and take missteps in life and photography is no different. At these times we look for support, mentorship and like-minded-souls to guide us and bounce ideas off. It is this input that is so valuable and I believe needs to be appreciated in words and actions. I could write for days about photographers who have not done this. I know many stories both personal and known throughout the industry that reveal unpleasant truths about photographers characters. But I won’t tell them because there is no benefit to anyone in doing so. Instead I’d just like to share some advice.

If you want to keep returning to the well of help make sure that you keep filling it up. Do this by remaining humble, by always being polite and respectful and by giving praise to those you relied upon. They will appreciate all of this and be there for you when you need them to be. Not just to steal from them, to abuse their good nature but to engage in a mutually respectful relationship.

Furthur Reading:
https://unitednationsofphotography.com/2025/10/25/give-a-little-take-a-lot-how-not-to-approach-photography/

Dr.Grant Scott
After fifteen years art directing photography books and magazines such as Elle and Tatler, Scott began to work as a photographer for a number of advertising and editorial clients in 2000. Alongside his photographic career Scott has art directed numerous advertising campaigns, worked as a creative director at Sotheby’s, art directed foto8magazine, founded his own photographic gallery, edited Professional Photographer magazine and launched his own title for photographers and filmmakers Hungry Eye. He founded the United Nations of Photography in 2012, and is now a Senior Lecturer and Subject Co-ordinator: Photography at Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, and a BBC Radio contributor. Scott is the author of Professional Photography: The New Global Landscape Explained (Routledge 2014), The Essential Student Guide to Professional Photography (Routledge 2015), New Ways of Seeing: The Democratic Language of Photography (Routledge 2019), and What Does Photography Mean To You? (Bluecoat Press 2020). His photography has been published in At Home With The Makers of Style (Thames & Hudson 2006), Crash Happy: A Night at The Bangers (Cafe Royal Books 2012) and Inside Vogue House: One building, seven magazines, sixty years of stories (Orphans Publishing 2024). His film Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay was premiered in 2018.

© Grant Scott 2025