If you're stuck with your photography and unsure how to improve due to limited time, cultivating effective habits can help. Small but consistent steps can significantly enhance your skills and confidence behind the camera.
Coming to you from Laura BC, this practical video outlines habits designed to help you become a more deliberate photographer. The first habit she emphasizes is shooting intentionally—choosing a clear focus for each shoot instead of jumping between genres, which helps streamline your creative process. For instance, she discusses a personal example from a trip to Bali, where limiting herself to landscape and self-portrait photography improved her results and reduced gear-related stress. By narrowing your scope, you avoid creative overwhelm and deepen your skills within specific niches. This kind of clarity fosters more purposeful images, ultimately helping you refine your artistic voice.
Another critical habit discussed is analyzing the work of photographers you admire without falling into the trap of unhealthy comparison. Instead of feeling inadequate when viewing superior portfolios, the idea is to deconstruct what makes their photos work well—such as their consistent use of shallow depth of field or careful subject selection. This analytical approach allows you to learn directly from the strengths of seasoned photographers. Engaging regularly with targeted tutorials or short courses, even in small increments, can significantly boost your technical understanding and artistic capabilities.
Beyond technical growth, Laura addresses the importance of self-assessment regarding your own photography. She advises regularly reviewing your older work critically—not comparing yourself negatively to others but objectively evaluating your progress over time. By periodically refining your portfolio and removing subpar images, you create a compelling and consistently strong presentation of your abilities. This disciplined curation process ensures potential clients and audiences see only your highest-quality work, increasing your professional credibility. That's just the start, so check out the video above for the full rundown from Laura.
Always dubious of people who claim in a short video quick solutions to improve your photography. Most of the time these so called solutions are nothing new anyway.
On my next trip to Bali, I will try some of her suggestions !