For me, photography is usually done without fear. The simple reason is that, compared to music performance where "in the moment" can be utterly treacherous, once I've printed a photograph as well as I can, it's "safe". If no one likes it, that's a disappointment, but not a cause to be afraid. It's not going to be less good, or better tomorrow, and I can evaluate it as a constant and learn from it. Decades ago, however, the music conservatory experience for a lot of us often equated our musical accomplishment with our self worth. Everyone was developing the same repertoire, and comparisons were unavoidable, and often severe. No matter how well one prepared, fear, and even dread of flubbing a passage or playing out of tune made the performance experience a daunting and perilous one. On the other hand, doing well brought a more intense sense of joy and satisfaction that an appreciative and emotional response had been generated. A well received photograph is a happy thing as well, but for me it's a more temperate experience.
