Warwickshire Photographer
Blue sky
Motivation… that one word has a massive impact on our lives. Without it, everything seems a little tougher, and a lot less fun, like the weather it changes constantly and there are many factors that cause these changes. Some people seem incredibly driven, others (and perhaps most) like me drift along and suffer ups and downs. So the question is, how do you keep motivated? How do you continue that drive to improve?
Motivation is something I have paid far more attention to since I started photography. It comes and goes all the time, some times I am so driven nothing can hold me back, others I feel I want to sell my camera and quit. So below is a list of do’s and don’ts that have helped me to keep progressing with my photography. They may seem very obvious but keep them in mind and there is very little in life we can’t achieve.
Do
*Stay positive! This may be one of the most important do’s. It is amazing how just having a positive outlook “I can do it” or “I will do it” can have. Cliché as it may be, its cliché for a reason, because it’s true. That positive attitude tends to rub off on others too. If you don’t feel it, fake it until you make it.
*Surround yourself with positive people, work with those who can do, not those who always assume that you can’t.
*Say Yes More! Take opportunities, even (or especially) if they scare you , don’t turn them down unless you really have to.
*Learn how to critique a photograph. It is a crucial skill that will transform your work. Ask for critique and learn to take it in a positive light. Pointing out a fault or weakness means you will not do it next time, it is a good thing, it shouldn’t sting. Try to take critique as a positive thing.
*Invest in training. Making a huge leap in a day, gives so much drive and confidence. Education has huge value, far more than the latest SLR or gadget. The alternative is struggling through many weeks only to reach the same conclusion. Commendable, necessary much of the time but not always motivating.
*Join a club or society, seek mentoring, guidance, shooting buddies.
*Read something photography related every day, even if it’s a short article.
*Prepare, research and plan your shoots. Often the secret the pro’s have over you is that they plan their work in advance, and think it out. Don’t just turn up, press the button and expect a masterpiece.
*Set yourself a goal or a challenge and follow it through.
*Follow those who inspire you, critique their work, backward engineer their shots to work out how they did it.
*Read your manuals, just once will do. I am a man I never do this, but just a once through will reveal functions you never would have known. I had great fun with my time lapse function on my g9, even though I owned the camera for a year before I found it. RTFM.
Don’t
*Don’t be dragged into the online popularity contest. In the online world it’s easy to get dragged into the photography popularity contest of forums and websites. As nice an ego boost as it can be once you have reached a successful level, when you haven’t it can be disheartening and demotivating to get no comments or praise. By all means use the sites but don’t do it just to get comments, use it as a tool to improve, to be inspired by others, and to discuss the subject.
*Don’t ever turn down opportunities unless you really have to. Yup once again Say yes more!
*Don’t be afraid to take a break, or put the camera down. Unless you do it for a living you have no reason to
*Don’t ever forget that even the top pro’s were inexperienced once, they have all taken terrible pictures, they probably still do sometimes. Everyone starts somewhere, everyone gets better with time and practice. The road for some may be faster or slower, but improvement is achievable no matter who you are just as long as you stay on the road.
*Don’t think new equipment will lead to leaps in results, training and education will always win over gear. Invest in your education, learn how to use what you have.
*Don’t try to please everyone. If you like your work then that is half the battle. Once you get past focus and exposure, the rest is a matter of taste. If you try to please everyone you will never be happy.
