Get Into the Habit of Taking More Photos With These Easy Tips
photo by kali9 via iStock
During the pandemic, I started getting tons of questions from brand-new photographers who had just picked up the hobby as a way to pass the time while they were sitting at home with nothing better to do.
Obviously, this was a fun period for me because we gained a ton of new PhotographyTalk readers and I got to discuss some beginner tips that I hadn’t talked about in a while. As a professional photographer, I can forget the joy that came with learning new things when I was first getting started.
However, a new problem is about to occur for this wave of pandemic photographers. As our lives start to return to normal, you may be finding it hard to learn how to make time for photography. After all, you don’t want to let your brand new hobby go so easily.
However, without creating some daily habits for taking photos, this is definitely what you’re in danger of doing. If you’re interested in taking more photos, keep these tips in mind.
Keep Your Camera On You At All Times
photo by MStudioImages via iStock
Taking more photos will be far easier if you have your gear on you all the time. This means you should be taking your camera to work, to the grocery store, and on date nights.
Now, I’m obviously not suggesting that you carry all of your photography gear with you everywhere, but bring a basic everyday camera.
There’s basically nothing more frustrating than wanting to snap a picture somewhere and not being able to because you left your camera at home. Just make sure that you don’t let your taking more photos quest prevent you from also participating in life.
Make the Experience of Carrying Your Gear a Comfortable One
When I wanted to start taking more photos and was given the above advice, I pretty quickly realized that I couldn’t take my gear with me everywhere if I didn’t have a convenient and comfortable way to do so.
As such, I went on a research journey and read everything I could about as many camera bags and camera backpacks as possible. Unfortunately, a lot of camera bags are expensive and I wanted to make the right choice if I was going to spend so much.
The bag that I opted for is the HEX Ranger DSLR Backpack. The first thing that drew me to it is the fact that it doesn’t cost over $500 like a lot of the other gear I was looking at. In fact, at $200, I thought it was pretty reasonable.
Another reason why I like it is that it comes with a hidden rain cover. The backpack is made out of a polyester exterior, which is already water resistant, but for all the traveling I do I knew I needed a rain cover and this one comes built in.
This bag is also large enough to fit all of my DSLR gear, plus my 15” MacBook, a water bottle, and small accessories like my wallet and keys.
If you’re serious about taking more photos, then you need to have a comfortable way to carry your gear around with you.
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Shoot While Doing Other Things You Love
photo by Pekic via iStock
You’ll never start taking more photos if you feel like you’re being forced to, even if the person forcing you is yourself. You have to make it fun. One way to do so is to combine your photography habit with other things that you love. For me, this is my family and camping. So, I always make it a point to take family camping trips every few months where I can take as many photos as I want.
But this could be a number of things for you. Maybe you love fishing and should bring your camera with you to the lake. Maybe you love people watching and should bring your camera with you downtown. Just make it a point to involve photography with other hobbies.
Take a Break
photo by Rawpixel via iStock
When I was first learning how to take more photos on a regular basis, I think I got too wrapped up in it. I was always worrying about the number of photos I had taken so far that day. Sometimes, I just needed to stop and catch my breath.
So, I started taking a meditative few minutes everyday. It didn’t matter where I was...I could have been commuting to work. I could have been watching my son. But, for a few minutes everyday, I would stop, catch my breath and recognize something beautiful around me. Then, I would take a photo of it.
There is no better way to remind yourself why you’re putting so much pressure on yourself.
Edit Your Photos ASAP
photo by andresr via iStock
Finally, in your taking more photos journey you should also be editing more photos. If I’m taking dozens of photos everyday for weeks and not looking through them I run the risk of never editing them at all. And this is a real shame because I recognize what I love about my photography during the editing process, and I also recognize what I want to improve about my photography during the editing process.
So, try to edit your photos on a daily basis if you can (or at least take a look at them on a computer screen). And absolutely don’t let all of your unedited photos pile up. There is no surer way to turn something you should love into something you hate.
