Great Ways To Improve Your Photography In 2020
Are you just getting started with photography? Perhaps you’ve done it for a while but lack inspiration? Are you unhappy with the images you produce today? Whatever your goals and ambitions might be, the new year is a great time to saddle up and become a better photographer. The tips shared below are designed to give you the inspiration you need to get out there capturing the best images you can and to introduce you to the essential tool set needed to do so:
#1 Invest time, not money It’s easy to get carried away with new camera gear and gadgets but the truth is that purchasing an expensive camera isn’t going to instantly make you a better photographer. Stunning images can be created with any type of camera; be it a smartphone, entry-level DSLR or a point-and-shoot.
#2 Study the art of compositions It doesn’t matter how great the light is or how good your Lightroom skills are; an image that lacks a solid composition won’t have a big impact. Sure, it might make someone stop up for a moment or two but it’s not going to be one that’s talked about afterward. Spend time studying compositions in 2020. Pick up a book or course that dives into the topic. Look at images from your favorite photographers and try to learn what compositional guidelines they follow. How can you implement these into your images?
#3 Ask for critique Receiving honest and valuable feedback is rare in this day and age. Most comments received online goes along the line of “awesome shot”. While this is a nice ego-boost it has absolutely zero value for your creative growth. Most of these comments are given because the commenter wants you to check out their work too.
Instead, try finding a photographer or group of photographers to share your work with. A group that is honest and give you valuable feedback. You might not like everything they say but learn to listen. Constructive criticism is worth more than a million generic comments. Make sure that you get feedback from someone you consider a better photographer than yourself. Someone you can learn from. If you don’t know anyone personally, it never hurts to send an email to some of your favorite photographers.
#4 Attend a course If you are going to invest money into your photography in 2020 it should be towards something educational. Attending an online or offline course can not only teach you how to become a better photographer but it can also give you that extra motivational boost you need to grab the camera and head outside. Try to learn something new even if you’ve been doing photography for a while; study a new technique, dig deeper into the world of compositions, improve your post-processing or attend a seminar with a photographer whose work you admire.
#5 Take time to understand the fundamental settings Few things are more important to learn than the fundamental settings when you’re getting started with landscape photography. Light changes quickly and you don’t always have much time to sit down go through your settings. Understanding what the shutter speed, ISO and aperture is, and how they work together, is essential for your growth as a photographer. In fact, having this understanding can be the difference between getting a shot and not. When you understand how the settings work you should also practice how to quickly adjust them on your camera. You want to be able to change them all without even looking at the camera.
#6 Get away from your comfort zone Comfort zones can be a dangerous place to stay in for too long. It doesn’t matter if you’re just getting started with photography or if you’ve been doing it for decades, we all have them. Stepping out of my comfort zone and spending time focusing on something new was the best creative decision I’ve made in a long time and it made photography so much more fun again.
#7 Find inspiration outside photography Inspiration is given to us in a variety of ways. Sometimes it can be found at the most unexpected places.
Source from: Christian Hoiberg
