Every photographer begins with a feeling: This is the kind of work I want to make. You see it in other artists’ portfolios, and somewhere inside, you know that’s what you’re aiming for too.
But when you press the shutter, what comes out doesn’t quite match. Your eye knows it’s not there yet. And that’s frustrating. It can feel like you’re chasing something just out of reach.
This discomfort has a name: The Taste Gap. The term was first introduced by Ira Glass. It captures the awkward creative phase where your taste is far more developed than your skill. You know what great work looks like. You just don’t know how to make it yet.
Here’s the good news: this gap isn’t a flaw, but a milestone. And every artist has to walk through it. The key is learning how to survive that space without giving up.
1. Acknowledge the Gap (and Know It’s a Good Sign)
The very fact that you see what’s missing in your work means you have taste. It means you’re paying attention. You’re not deluded into thinking mediocre work is great, which is a far worse place to be.
So first: celebrate the gap. It means you’re on the right path.
2. Detach From the Myth of Overnight Talent
Many photographers you admire? They didn’t just pick up a camera and create masterpieces. They created thousands of images that didn’t work before they landed on the few that did.
Remind yourself that behind every “perfect” image you see online are hundreds of unshared attempts. Comparison will rob you of your motivation if you’re not careful. You’re comparing your start to someone else’s highlight reel.
3. Make Bad Photos on Purpose
Try this for one week: go out and shoot with the intention of making something messy, chaotic, imperfect. Why? Because the fear of making something “not good enough” often keeps us from experimenting. And experimentation is how you find your style.
Let go of perfection. Create with the goal of learning, not impressing.
4. Study With Purpose
Don’t just scroll through other photographers’ work feeling envious. Break down what you like about it:
- Is it the light? The mood? The composition?
- What lens or settings do you think they used?
- How did they sequence or crop the images?
Then try to reverse-engineer it, not to copy, but to practice. Create your own version of what inspired you.
5. Keep Everything You Shoot (Even If You Hate It)
You need to see your progress. That’s why it’s so important to save your old work. A few months down the line, revisit those images. You’ll start to see how far you’ve come, and realize the gap is closing.
6. Shift from “I’m Not Good Enough” to “I’m Getting Better”
Language matters. Instead of thinking, “Why don’t my photos look like that?” ask, “What would I need to practice to get closer to that?”
Your inner voice can be your biggest critic or your best teacher.
Final Thought: Keep Showing Up
The only way out of the taste gap is through. The photographers you look up to? They just didn’t quit when their work didn’t match their taste. They kept shooting, learning, failing, and trying again.
If you’re in that frustrating place right now, know that you’re not alone. Every great photographer has stood exactly where you are.
MELISSA MARTINSEN 