Value Compass
Know what you stand for as a photographer. One compass for doubts, briefs and direction.
Thirty values below. Pick the eight that speak most to you as a photographer. No right or wrong. Don't overthink, just click what feels right.
Order your eight values. What's on top? Drag, or use the arrows.
Write your top 3 on a piece of paper and pull it out when in doubt. For every brief or choice: does this support my values, or not? A value compass isn't a law, it's a direction.
Based on values clarification from Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (Steven C. Hayes). Values work is one of six ACT core processes, helping you recognise what your work is actually for.
Value Compass: how it works
The Value Compass helps you figure out what you actually stand for as a photographer. You pick eight values that fit, rank the three that matter most, and get one clear compass back. Use it when your decisions start feeling like someone else's, or when you want to understand what genuinely drives your work.
Why values cut deeper than a mission statement
Mission statements drift toward what sounds good. Values stay grounded in what you actually do. Naming your top three makes visible what you already act on, or reveals what you keep sacrificing without meaning to.
That clarity also feeds into other parts of your practice. If you want to write an Artist Statement Generator that holds up under scrutiny, knowing your core values first gives you something real to build on.
How to get the most out of the compass
You start with a broad list of values: honesty, curiosity, craft, connection, and others. From that list, you pick eight that resonate. Then you rank the three that carry the most weight. The output is not a score. It is a direction.
The compass holds up over time too. Photographers who run it again after a year often spot a shift they had not consciously registered. If your work feels like it is moving somewhere but you cannot name where, filling this in gives you a concrete reference point.
Frequently asked questions
How do I use my values after I finish the compass?
Run them as a filter when a new project or collaboration comes up. Ask yourself whether the work lines up with what you wrote down. It turns gut decisions into ones you can actually explain to yourself.
How do I rank two values when both feel equally essential?
Ask yourself which one you give up last when things get tight. That pressure reveals the real order. It is less about what you admire and more about what you refuse to drop in practice.
Does the Value Compass help when I am stuck creatively?
It can point you toward what kind of work actually energizes you, which is useful when you feel scattered. If the block comes from negative self-talk about your photography, the <a href="https://apps.michielheijmans.com/tools/belemmerende-overtuigingen/">The Inner Voice</a> tool addresses that more directly.