Three (FREE) Things Every Photographer Can Do To Get Better Part II

Yesterday I posted part I of this series — you can find it here — https://toyphotographs.medium.com/three-free-things-every-photographer-can-do-to-get-better-bf6d71abb9e0

This is Part II of my thoughts on three of the things I think every photographer can do to dramatically improve their photos.

Next step. . . make at least one picture every day NO MATTER WHAT.

Handling your camera — every day — will make you a significantly better photographer than watching YouTube videos — every day — or posting on Instagram — every day.

People need to put down their phones (unless it’s their only camera…) and start picking up their camera. If you truly care about mastering photography, you’ll stay off camera forums and instead, you’ll go make photos.

But part of my instruction here includes a simple thought. I don’t mean you have to go on a photo tour every day. Just handle your camera every day.

Great photographers — whether they are conscious of it or not — know that muscle memory plays a significant role in making successful photos.

First let’s define muscle memory. Muscle memory is the act of committing a specific motor task into memory through repetition.

How does this apply to photography? In lots of ways, but the simplest is this. Handle your camera EVERY day — every single day — no exceptions. Get it out of the camera bag, into your hand and make a few pictures of literally anything.

The mere handling of the camera, pressing of the shutter, raising your eye to the viewfinder, etc., these are all easy things to do but if you do them daily, when you’re in the field (where it counts) and that once in a lifetime shot of a grizzly bear playing games with an eagle unfolds in front of you, your fingers and thumbs won’t be running into or over each other to get the picture. Handling your camera every day is building muscle memory.

Muscle memory also impacts how quickly you can wield a long lens; how quickly you can focus, how quickly you can adjust focus points or exposure.

All of these things can be sped up and made more accurate by PRACTICE! I know, I know — we all want the magic camera that just knows what we want it to do and then it does it. If you see that camera let me know. I will buy it. Until then, I will practice.

I learned this lesson (AGAIN) when the pandemic hit. My regularly photography routines were destroyed and I wasn’t as active with my camera. When I did pick up my camera, the short break of just a month had caused me to feel completely out of touch with my gear. I decided that I needed to remember my own advice and got busy making pictures again, of anything. It didn’t matter the subject.

Just handle your camera every day. Make a photograph of SOMETHING (ANYTHING) every day. I don’t care if it’s a beer can or a coffee mug. Be sure to make a photo every day.

Your nervous system is a miraculous thing. It helps your brain recognize patterns and the regions of the brain that are in charge of motor skills react very positively to repeating patterns.

Muscle memory is just learned motor skills, repeated often enough that they become routine.

Commit right now to making a picture every day for the next year, no matter what and your photography a year from now will be much improved.

Last on the list — and this one is super simple…

LOOK at lots of published photos if you want to become a better photographer.

Author Stephen King says if you want to become a better writer, learn to read.

That applies to photography. Learn to look at lots of photos from published pros and do it every single day — no matter what. That will make you a better photographer.

The Internet makes this easy. You don’t need to buy anything. Just look at websites for ESPN (if you’re interested in sports) or Food & Wine (if you’re a food photographer) or Outside Magazine (if you’re an adventure photographer.) You get the idea. See what kinds of photos are being published and you’ll start to understand the standard for getting published.

You don’t need to try to copy these photos (although if you decide to try that will be a great learning exercise.) All you need to do is look at these photos.

If you prefer, go to your local library and browse their magazine section. Or take a walk through any major city’s downtown and look at the photos on billboards, in shop windows and on bus benches.

The act of looking at published photos — and I mean REALLY looking at them — studying them, will absolutely 100% guaranteed make you a better photographer.

Try to determine where the light is coming from and why the photographer picked a particular angle. Study the composition — use of color and contrast — and anything else that jumps out at you.

Subconsciously — you will start to adopt some of the habits and techniques you see in the photos you study. I know this to be true because I have done it — lots.

CONCLUSION

While these days, I am a toy photographer, it doesn’t matter what kind of photography you practice these three tips will help you reach your photographic goals.

I have 50 years of photography experience and I STILL do all the things on this list — every day. With the exception of times that found me in the hospital or during the first month of the pandemic, I have never missed doing all three — every day. I continue to improve because of it and I am 100% certain that if you follow these three simple tips, they will work for you too.

I’m rooting for you.

Remember, toys are joy.