Step 6: Do something with your photos, like make prints, greeting cards etc.
These days, hobbyists, even pros rarely print their photos – but that’s a mistake, and here’s why:
It’s one thing to see how your images look on a monitor. And it’s completely different to see them in their final, printed form. A print lets you see how the light, the color, and your camera settings all affected the final image. It’ll teach you a lot about how to shoot, you’ll see.
You can buy a printer if you don’t already have one or use a printing service (recommended from personal experience)
Choose a local printer or a reputable online company and have prints made for you. If, after a time, you decide that you love printing and want to do it all the time, you might consider buying a printer of your own – but as a beginner, just go the easier route and send your photos off for printing.
There are lots of national printers with lots of experience printing AND shipping. In the Sarasota area or even if you are somewhere else in the country I recommend https://artisticphotocanvas.com/ as they work with many very famous international photographers and have been doing my printing for more than 20 years.
Also, try creating a photography corkboard. I have a 36 x 48 inch board next to my workstation and I swear by it. Fill it up with 5 x 7 and 4 x 6 prints and constantly change it. See how the images relate to one other, which images last, and which you lose interest in. Use this as a playground for your prints!
Step 7: Photograph constantly
Once you’ve made it this far, you’re in a good place. You know what you’re doing, your prints look beautiful, and your photos are well-composed. You might even be a decent photographer. But how can you become a better photographer? How can you become great?
I also like to make collages and retro postcards from different locations and things that are special
The next step is figuring out how to take unique and interesting photographs. It is now time to spend more effort thinking about what resonates with you in photography and what makes images stand out in your mind.
And that starts by photographing all the time. You’ll eventually start to get board of your own images and will start to spread your wings a little more.
Take photos whenever you can, especially during the course of your everyday life, not just while you are on vacation. If you can, carry your main camera around your neck, in a bag, or in your car at all times – and if you’re unable to take your main camera with you, use a smartphone.
The best photographers can capture great photographs in the most ordinary places. And that is precisely where the skill comes.
The more ordinary your scene is, the more extraordinary your image needs to become.
Practice this. Go out to some random location – or even go out to a place that you think will be terrible for photography – and figure out how to take an interesting photograph. This will help you so much in your development. You can understand light and camera settings like a pro, but if you’re not out photographing in a variety of situations on a somewhat consistent basis, then you’re selling yourself short as a photographer.
Step 8: View the work of other photographers
By now, you should be actively trying to develop your own voice and style. And one of the best ways to do that is to look at the work of others.
Go to galleries, get photography books, and study the images of great photographers. The internet is the easiest place to view photography, but it is also easy to get lost. Galleries and books are curated for a reason. Study the images, think about how they were done, and figure out the context behind them.
Sometimes images will hit you whether or not you know the context, but other times it can be important to learn about the photographer and the history behind the image. At the very least, it’ll add another layer to your appreciation.
Emulate the different styles of photographers that you like. Then pick and choose your favorite elements from different photographers and merge them to create your own style.
Purchase prints. The average home has a lot of walls – enough for many artists, yours included!
Step 9: Immerse yourself in a subject or area (no pun intended)
Did you know that some photographers have spent literally 40 years photographing in the same area? You don’t need to go that far, but picking a single subject or area, and then running with it, can significantly enhance your growth.
Try to find something that is either convenient for you or something you are passionate about and run with it:
- Your neighborhood
- Food or your favorite hobby
- Flowers
- A local park
- Your close family members
- Products from around your house
- Your pets
Then go back to the same place or subject at different times, in different light, and keep photographing it. This is very important for your growth, since it will allow you to learn the area or subject like the back of your hand. Your images will take on more depth, and you’ll start to recognize what you really like about a shot.
For me, to keep me connected to photography, I use water. I’m a real water rat and I love anything connected to water so that’s what I shoot. I have hundreds of images that I keep in a collection in my Photos App called “Water Colors”
Step 10: Find a group with whom you can share your work
The internet is an amazing place for sharing your work – but it is also very impersonal. Everyone sees thousands of images a day from hundreds of people. While it’s definitely possible to develop through internet feedback, it can be tough to get a proper critique of your images.
So find a few people and put together a group that looks at images in person every once in a while while discussing photography or having shooting events.
You ultimately want to shoot for yourself, but seeing how others relate to your images is important for your growth. The more they get used to your work and your style, the more helpful their comments and thoughts will be.
Note that your critique group doesn’t need to be full of photographers. They can be friends, creatives, even significant others. A good, tough critique from your partner can be very valuable – and though it can sometimes be tough to hear, it’ll be helpful in the long run.
