| You've worked hard to get where you are. You | | | | and energy, and you know you already don't |
| struggled to develop a specific technique that set | | | | have enough of either to go around. If you see |
| you apart from your competition and helped you | | | | that the person who is mimicking your style is |
| achieve a niche in your local market. Out of the | | | | doing a much better job at it than you did, take a |
| blue, along comes a newbie who copies you | | | | few lessons from them and improve your |
| blatantly and steals a piece of your action. What | | | | technique. Otherwise, just keep doing what you |
| do you do? For starters, remind yourself that | | | | do best and challenge yourself to find ways to |
| there is nothing new under the sun. Just because | | | | improve. Don't let a little competition derail your |
| you were the first to do it in your town doesn't | | | | plans. Use it as a stepping stone to make |
| mean you were the first to do it. No doubt | | | | improvements. |
| you’ve perfected the style and added | | | | Bear in mind that everyone has to start |
| something of your own to it, but in all likelihood | | | | somewhere and someone studied your |
| someone before you had the same bright idea. | | | | photographs enough to try to recreate what you |
| Secondly, know that you have indeed arrived. | | | | did. While they may be copying your style at the |
| You have achieved enough fame and recognition | | | | moment, they are still in the process of learning |
| that someone likes you enough to copy your | | | | who they are as a photographer. Chances are |
| style. Be flattered, and then move on. Your | | | | good that they will discover their own style as |
| heyday as king of the hill and master of your | | | | time goes on. If you think back, you may even |
| domain with regards to the way you were | | | | remember a time early on when you looked at a |
| shooting something is over. Oh, you'll probably still | | | | photograph and said, “I can do that. “ |
| be the best, at least for a while. But it's time to | | | | Since imitation is indeed the sincerest form of |
| start thinking about the next great technique. | | | | flattery, take a bow and be glad that you’re |
| Joggle your brain, test the limits, try new things | | | | good enough to be copied. After you have raised |
| and expand your horizons. Come up with | | | | the bar for yourself and reached new heights in |
| something new, or new for you. Then master it. | | | | your photographic career, you can thank the little |
| Don't bother trying to take action against the | | | | imitator for forcing you out of your comfort zone |
| upstart who stole your idea. Get over being upset. | | | | and helping you broaden your horizons. |
| Any negative reactions will just waste your time | | | | |