"Sharing Art Is the Price of Making It, Exposing Your Vulnerability Is the Fee"
The line from Rick Rubin's book that stayed with me.
I’ll also share a recent photos I took that might not related to this writing but I hope you can enjoy both 😉
I’ve been reading The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin lately. I’m about halfway through. There are one or two things that didn’t quite land for me, but I’ve already found a lot of wisdom in it. Honestly, it’s been the most enjoyable book I’ve read this year.
There’s a lot I could talk about, but this time, I just want to reflect on one line that really stuck with me, it’s the one I used for the title of this writing.
I realized that a lot of what Rick Rubin talks about in his book are things I’ve already been doing, and I’ve genuinely enjoyed them. I’ve made a photobook, did both solo and group exhibitions, created YouTube videos, and written my thoughts here on Substack. I see all of these as forms of art, based in something I truly love, which is photography.
But I also know that sometimes, I hold back from sharing my work.
Sometimes I feel like I’m not ready for what people might think.
Sometimes I’m scared of sharing something too personal, even if it’s through photos or videos or writing. Worried that it’ll make me look weak or too vulnerable.
And sometimes, it’s as simple as feeling like my work just isn’t good enough. Like the quality isn’t there. Or the story won’t matter to anyone else.
But Rubin frames art as a cycle: birth, release, renewal. Finishing and sharing a piece of art isn’t the end. It’s what helps you start again. That act of releasing something, putting it out there, opens you up to judgment, yes. But also to connection. And when you let go of one project, you create space, energy, and clarity for the next.
That really hit me. Because I’ve felt it.
Sharing your work can potentially lead to being misunderstood, sure. But it can also lead to feeling seen.
And what keeps me going, what makes me want to keep creating, is that feeling of connection.
When someone relates to something I made, when it reaches someone I never expected, when it inspires someone else to create, those mean everything to me.
That’s when the “price and fee” Rubin talks about is worth it.
I’ve come to realize that vulnerability didn’t break me. And sharing it didn’t either. If anything, it expanded me. It made my work feel more meaningful, not just to me, but hopefully to others who see themselves in it. It reminded me that I don’t have to be perfect. Neither does my art. And maybe that’s what makes it human.
Of course, I understand why some people hesitate to share their work. It took me time too. Time to get comfortable with being seen. With not having control over how others might receive it.
But here’s what I’ve learned:
What you make might be exactly what someone else needs to feel less alone.
Maybe exposing your vulnerability isn’t a fee.
Maybe it’s just what makes it real.
So, what are you holding back? And why?
Thank you for reading! Let’s connect through some of my social media such as Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube!
And if you want to support me on my journey, you can buy me a film roll, buy my photobook or my prints (ship worldwide)! ❤️
I’ll see you again next time!
Cheers,