Photographers: What will be your 2019?

As 2018 comes to a close and we are taking down our Christmas trees and putting away lights and decorations and the festivities are winding down, what do you have in store for 2019?

Some people make “New Years Resolutions” but I tend to not worry about doing that. I DO reflect on what I am doing with my life and the direction I am heading and re-assess my priorities.

This is more than a once every year event though. I think we are sometimes doomed to fail if we think we’ll somehow magically make everything right on January 1. Things often start out good, but by February 1, how many of us have already failed in keeping our New Years Resolution?

Rather than a once-a-year thing, let’s just make it a once-a-day thing. If we fail in some way today, let’s just strive to make tomorrow better. Or don’t even wait until tomorrow, let’s start now.

When it comes to photography, I know so many people who have grown in their photographic and artistic skills by choosing to do the work to improve. Photography is so multidimensional. It is not just about understanding shutter speed and aperture and ISO and depth of field, and focus points, and all that other techno-jargon. That is just a starting point. We also must understand light and how it is the single most important ingredient in every photograph. And then there is composition and other artistic factors, not to mention creativity and personal expression. Then there are the computer skills involved with software tools such as Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop, etc.

There is SO much to learn to master this craft of “photography” in today’s digital world that it can sometimes seem overwhelming.

My advice to you is to simply start from where you are and push to do more, whether it is to better learn your camera’s features, or study composition, or light, or creativity. Just start somewhere. The main point is that you will only grow in your skills if you start working at it now. Keep at it every day. Challenge yourself.

Especially important, I encourage you to push yourself to the point of failing. Get out of your comfort zone, to the point of failure, and then learn from your mistakes. I totally believe the best way to learn something is to fail and then learn from your failure. At least that has been my experience. The lessons I learned through failure are the lessons I’ll never forget.

If you need a “coach” to help guide you in a direction to become a better photographer, don’t hesitate to contact me (). I am more than happy to talk to you and help you assess some “next steps” in your pursuit in becoming a better photographer. Let’s meet and talk sometime!

Remember, I offer a variety of classes throughout the year, and I also offer private instruction where we can focus on your specific needs. If you’re into studio photography, or want to learn about it, I am happy to even let you rent my studio space for a supervised photo shoot where I’ll help you get the best shots possible.

Let’s explore opportunities for ways I can help you in 2019!

Also, note: I have a group that intermittently meets on Monday evenings at my studio, called the LifeInsights group. It is totally FREE to attend. We do book discussions, and anyone is invited. Our next session is “Better Than Before: What I Learned About Making and Breaking Habits” by Gretchen Rubin. We’ll meet on Monday Nights 7pm-9pm January 14, 21, 28 Feb 4,11. Click Here to learn more.