I can't emphasize enough how important it has been for me to actually shoot my own pictures instead of shooting pictures for others.
It's something that speaks to me in how things or people are placed or arranged in my surroundings and I'm not sure if it's a real thing or not. I'm trying to explore it and I really have to.
My vision might be naive and not as refined as the professionals', but in the end it really doesn't matter.
The majority of us might not be good at taking photographs, but if we feel something when we look at our own pictures the art is valid. At least for our selves.
It's kind of cool to shoot a picture that becomes popular even though you've been inspired (or copied) by the great artists taking it, and it's really hard to be unpopular shooting your own thing, but those first likes or acknowledgements feel really good.
It took a really long time for me to understand this because I wanted to take great pictures from the start. It might work for some people, but not for me.
I deeply urge all of you to be inspired by your surroundings and (kind of cliché) follow the light.
In the end, as a viewer, I believe people's real interest is to see what you saw. Like, "what did he or she see here?"
At least that's really interesting to me. Of course there are other pictures as well that might not speak that language, but are good in their own way.
So, if you don't consider your self an artist... start considering it now. You might just be one if you want to.
Second... Let go. What do you see that fascinates you. Take a photo of it.