15 Disciplines to Make You a Better Photographer, and a Photoshop Mea Culpa
I know, I sound like a broken record. But it isn't broken, it's rock solid and real.
I've been in this game for quite a while, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that photography is as much about discipline as it is about talent.
The same is true about playing the piano, painting, writing, drawing… wherever creativity thrives.
Here are 15 disciplines that I believe can turn anyone from a newbie with a camera into a more consistent photographer.
And trust me, if you can master these, your photography game is about to level up.
Shoot Every Single Day: Just like a muscle, your photography skills need regular workouts. Every day presents a new light, a new mood, a new opportunity. And, for just a month, carry a camera not just your phone.
Study the Masters: Look at the works of great photographers. Understand their composition, lighting, and subject choices. Dissect their images and learn from them. Get a bud on Zoom and chat about the images together once a week.
Limit Your Gear: I can't stress this enough. Spend a month with just one lens. Constraints often breed creativity. Get to know that lens intimately.
Engage in Constructive Critique: Put your work out there. Let people discuss it, criticize it, and appreciate it. But, more importantly, learn from every feedback point you get. Also, join in and help others find their voice as well.
Learn the Nuances of Post-Processing: Photography doesn't end after the shutter is released. Dive into software like Lightroom or Photoshop. Master the art of refining your images. Develop a color pallet, learn to adjust the blacks, and try to find a visual presentation style that represents your art best.
Understand Light: This is crucial. Learn to read the natural light in a scene and use it to your advantage. And when natural light doesn't cooperate? Understand how to shape, modify, and create your own. Bounce cards, shiny cards, strobes, little tiny continuous lights… try them all.
Step Out of Your Comfort Zone: Shoot in situations that are unfamiliar or even a bit uncomfortable. Rain, snow, dark alleys – push your boundaries. Photograph something your spouse or partner is interested in. Have your kids give you some subject ideas.
Always Be Curious: Whether it's a new technique, gear, or style, never stop learning. The moment you think you know it all is the exact moment you stagnate.
Build Relationships: Connect with subjects, fellow photographers, and clients. Photography is more than just making photographs, there is engagement, conviviality, tribal affiliations, and all kinds of people who just love photography,
Travel: And I don’t necessarily mean to exotic locations. A trip to a neighboring town can offer as much inspiration as a trip across the world. New environments stimulate creativity. I have yet to ride 191 from Morenci to Springerville… and that is on my list.
Set Projects for Yourself: Whether it's a 365-day challenge or a thematic series, projects keep you focused and motivated. Share the work weekly with a few close friends or the entire world.
Immerse Yourself in Other Art Forms: Watch movies, study paintings, read literature. All forms of art are interconnected and can provide inspiration. Find something cool on Netflix that you never thought you may want to watch. “Ancient Apocolypse” for instance. It’s pretty good.
Stay Physically Active: This might sound off-topic, but trust me, a healthy body supports a creative mind. Plus, photography can be physically demanding at times. Walk with your camera daily for an hour. People who walk more live longer.
Journal Your Progress: Keep a diary of your shoots. What went right? What went wrong? Reflecting on your experiences is invaluable. Free write for ideas, sketch out a project, or just try to beat yourself at hangman… naww, don’t do that.
Have Faith in Yourself: This is perhaps the most crucial discipline. There'll be tough days, missed shots, and criticism. Through it all, believe in your vision and your journey. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow is not promised, but today you can do what you want. Do that.
Your unique perspective is what makes your photography stand out.
Embrace these disciplines, stay genuine in your voice, and keep shooting.
Cheers to the incredible journey of photography ahead!
Photoshop Beta: a Mea Culpa
If you know me, you know I am not a fan of AI-generated art like Midjourney, Dallee, and stuff. I like to play around with Firefly and Adobe Express, but I don’t generate art with them.
But I was watching Chris Do talking about AI with a guest, and suddenly I realized my mistake.
OK, not in rejecting Midjourney, but in the use of Photoshop Beta’s generative tools.
Let me explain.
It didn’t sit well with me because I have a negative attitude toward anything fake. For my own photography, I hesitate to even take out power lines because - well - they were there when I shot it.
But that is photography for me.
Job One in my photography; Be Authentic.
Job One in my commercial relationships; Help the Client Succeed.
One is not like the other.
I will most likely (at least at this point) not generate backgrounds for my reportage and environmental work. I won’t do composites with fire ants on the moon or wearing tutus.
But if extending the background, adding clouds, changing colors, cloning out a door, and replacing it with the Taj Mahal helps my client sell more stuff, I am going to be all over it.
Because helping them IS Job One for our relationship.
I guess I got so wrapped up in making photographs, becoming overly romantic with the process, that I forgot the absolute reason we do what we do.
If you have been having the same mental back and forth as I have, perhaps I have clarified it for you as well.
I have downloaded it and will be using it to see what’s up this coming week.
A Thirty-Day Photography Tune-Up Challenge
I have put some time into creating a 30-Day Tune-Up for Photographers to do one little thing each day for a month to help strengthen business and get more clients.
But before I finalize that (October) I would love to hear from you on whether you would be interested or not. It would be free, no cost to any of you here. Well, I would want a review of it at the end. I just want to make sure it would be wanted before I set up thirty days of emails… heh.
When you are ready, here is how I can help you succeed.
Group Mentorship: a small group of photographers who meet to show images, work on their portfolio, and build their businesses with help from a wonderful group. Lifetime membership for one fee.
One-on-one Mentorship: You and me - working together in an intense 6 month push to get you on the way to over $30k in revenue if you are getting less, over $60K if you are already making $30K.
The Creative Class: Expand your toolset and become a one-person visual agency capable of pulling in steady and repeated income.
Consider a Premium Membership.
Starting the second week of September, I will be giving away one chapter per week from my business book, “Dare to Succeed”. This will be for the Premium Members only, and it will be contemporaneous. That is to say, each chapter will only be able to be downloaded from Friday to Friday - one week. The chapters will be delivered on Fridays. We begin on September 15, 2023, with the first chapter.