The road to becoming a better photographer can either be short or long, but there are many ways you can improve your photography skills in little to no time!
We all become photographers for a reason.
For some, that reason might be that we simply enjoy the art of photography.
For others, it could be that we want to document our children’s lives.
And perhaps it might even be because it seems like a fun and exciting way to make money.
No matter what your reason for being a photographer is, I have no doubts saying that most of us at some point in our journey aim to be better artists.
I’m not sure about you, but for me, I strive to be the best I can be and to always be trying new things to improve my skills. Not because I want to out-do anyone, but simply because I want to be a better artist for myself and for my kids.
In this post, I am going to outline the 4 ways I have used recently to greatly improve my skills and be a better photographer than I was even just a year ago – so you can too!
1. Follow your inspiration
I believe the BIGGEST influence of my personal photography growth started by being inspired by other photographers.
We can choose to live in our own photography bubble and always shoot the way we shoot, but when we isolate ourselves, we aren’t giving us a chance to grow and learn new things.
About a year ago I joined several Facebook groups with many talented artists. I was blown away everyday when their beautiful photos would pop up in my feed.
At first I felt a little down, and slightly jealous, that my skills weren’t up to par. But then I realized that my lack of skills was entirely MY doing and I had a chance to better myself as an artist.
So I would soak up their inspiration every day. I would read their posts, learn their tips, and try to “replicate” a few of their photos of my own.
The more inspiration I was immersing myself in, the more creativity came out naturally when I would go to shoot.
You can find inspiration everywhere.
Pinterest. Instagram. Facebook. Magazines.
Find a tribe, or a few, and follow them. Learn from them.Immerse yourself in the work that you LOVE.
If you study something long enough, it will become habitual and your photography skills will greatly improve just by observation.
Come follow us on Instagram for a daily dose of inspiration from photographers all over the world!
2. Start a photo project
Another big one. A photography project will force yourself to practice on a regular basis, which can only lead to growth.
This year I started my first 365 day project and can honestly say it has opened my eyes and pushed me to find new ways to photograph the everyday life of my kids.
When I first started out, a lot of our photos were taken indoors in our home, so I had to find new light, new subjects, and new angles to shoot from to keep my photos from looking the same.
This project has been nothing but helpful to me as an artist. It has forced me to unleash more creativity than I thought I had and to try new techniques that I hadn’t before.
Whether you start a daily project, a weekly project, or just try to get your camera out every chance you can muster, the more you practice, the better you will become!
Don’t wait to start a photo project – in six months, you’ll be glad you started today!
3. Participate in photo challenges
A photo challenge or theme, like a photo project, will help you think outside of the box and level up your photography skills quicker.
By participating in a challenge, you will be given a subject or a technique to use throughout the time frame.
This can be very beneficial to growing your skills!
For one, you could be asked to photograph something that is completely out of your comfort zone. Say you normally photograph posed portraits in studi, but your theme is candid; you’ll be nudged to get out of your desired norm and shoot something completely new.
By doing this, you’ll be more experienced in a new genre of photography and it will help you hone other skills simultaneously.
In my Facebook group, The Blooming photographer, we focus on a new monthly theme for this very purpose: to go out and shoot to that theme and let your creativity run wild.
Alternately, my in Lightroom group (The Lightroom Lounge), we focus on a new editing technique each month to improve shooting & editing skills to help photographers become better with both.
Come join either group – or both – and get a kick start on trying something new!
4. Educate yourself
This one might seem pretty obvious, but investing in some good, quality education is a sure-fire way to help boost your skills in no time!
This type of learning can come in many forms.
A mentorship, where you work one-on-one with a photographer in your area (or online), can be helpful if you have a lot of questions and wish to learn specific skills from an artist you admire.
Online courses can help you tremendously in your own time and in the comfort of your own home. Photography Concentrate offers a variety of online courses to choose from to expand your education even further – right now!
E-books and guides can also be beneficial for the same reasons as courses, but without the steep price tag.
Want to learn how to take better in-camera photos with natural light? This one from yours truly, The Perfect Shot, has you covered – you’ll dive deep into practical tips on how to make natural light work for you, no matter what the skies look like outside.
Learning new skills, becoming a better artist, and educating yourself all come hand-in-hand. You can’t learn without education and you won’t be educated without learning.
So treat yourself and invest in new skills you’ve been dying to learn!
All-in-all, improving your photography skills takes time, work, and dedication – so you have to decide for yourself just how much better you want to become.
We can all improve on something, which is why I have created this FREE e-book just for you!
In ‘Finding the Light’, I will outline simple and effective ways to see light so you can apply it to your photography and create better images than ever imagined.