Being Popular vs. Being Yourself with Brenda Tharp

In this episode of Shutter Nonsense, Michael and Jeffrey are joined by nature photographer Brenda Tharp for a thoughtful conversation about finding your own creative voice in landscape and nature photography.

Brenda shares her perspective on the pressure to photograph popular locations, follow trends, chase social media approval, and balance personal expression with the realities of building a photography business. The conversation moves from iconic landscapes and intimate scenes to print sales, creative confidence, and the ongoing challenge of staying true to what actually excites you behind the camera.

Brenda also shares stories from her own career, life on the road, photographing beyond the obvious view, and why the most meaningful work often comes from slowing down, looking deeper, and trusting what resonates with you.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why iconic landscape locations can still be worth photographing
• The pressure photographers feel from social media trends
• Finding your own creative voice instead of chasing likes
• Balancing personal passion with the business side of photography
• Why intimate landscapes and grand views both have value
• The challenge of sharing work that feels personal
• How photographers can avoid creative burnout
• Why staying true to your own vision is a lifelong process

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Related Links:

Brenda’s website: https://www.brendatharp.com/ Brenda’s Substack: https://brendatharp.substack.com/  Pacific Northwest Art School: https://pacificnorthwestartschool.org/product-category/400-photography/ Michael’s free Featured Frames series on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/collection/500898 Northern California Council of Camera Clubs: https://n4c.org/ Richard Martin: https://www.richardmartinphoto.com/ Michael’s PhotoPack Pro App: https://www.photopackpro.com Michael’s Print Box Set: https://www.michaelrungphotography.com/limited-edition-print-folios  Ben Horne: https://www.benhorne.com/  Ernst Hass: https://ernst-haas.com/ Sammy Davis Jr, I’ve Gotta Be Me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXYndNL4Mu8 Freeman Patterson: https://www.freemanpatterson.com/ Ansel Adams quote: https://photographylife.com/two-people-in-every-photo-ansel-adams Jay Maisel: https://www.jaymaisel.com/

Learn more about Michael's photography: www.michaelrung.com Learn more about Jeffrey's photography: www.jeffreytadlock.com