Confident photographers shoot better pictures because they’re relaxed and having fun.
Getting yourself to that enviable position, however, can be tricky. Confident people, regardless of what they’re doing, are confident because they’ve been successful. People have told them that they’re good at what they do; repeated success breeds confidence. That can take a while.
How long? In my case I would have to say that it took years—maybe even decades. I was that geek in high school fumbling around with WWII photographic equipment shooting bad picture after bad picture and printing my work on $10 worth of rummage sale darkroom equipment. No pun intended but I was shooting in the dark. If I’d had someone looking over my shoulder telling me what I was doing wrong I think I could’ve cut about ten years off the process. Repeated disaster was my only teacher for years. Repeated disaster is a fine teacher but one to be avoided if you can.
Tomorrow: Photo Tips for becoming a more confident photographer.
I became a confident photographer when I worked for newspapers. The beauty of being a staff photographer is that every day is a new day and you’re only as good as your last photograph. You’re constantly grinding it out making mistakes and occasionally shooting something you’re really proud of. It’s that day-to-day contact with unpredictable situations and people waiting back at the office for you to bring home something thoughtful that makes it work. Driving back to the newspaper office empty-handed was not an option.
You’re going to accept my sixty day challenge. It comes in two parts:
- Part one builds confidence with your equipment.
- Part two builds confidence with your eyes and your heart.
Here are some Photo Tips that will help.
I believe than in sixty days you could be one of those photographers who actually looks forward to a challenging situation knowing that you are going to walk away with something you at least like. You’re not going to shoot photographs you love every time—no one does that. But I want you to look forward to the blowing out of the birthday candles or the dimly lit basketball game because you know there’s something beautiful there that you can put into your camera.
In order to do this you need to be completely comfortable with your equipment. I look back on so many of my early day mistakes as the result of someone who was overwhelmed by too many tinker toys. I was learning how to use my camera when I was trying to learn how to shoot photographs. As funny as it sounds that’s a bad idea. You want to already know how to use your camera when you’re shooting photographs. So here’s how I think you can get there:
Part One of my challenge is a page right out of my Going Manual Course playbook. You are going to shoot a properly exposed, in-focus photograph every day for 30 days.
I suggest you use manual exposure. For these 30 days the emphasis is on technique and not on great photography. I don’t care if the photographs are good or if you like them. They simply need to be technically strong. (30 days seems to be a magic number with human beings. Psychologists tell us that repeating something every day for 30 days builds a habit. I want you to build a photographic habit; I want you to become habitually relaxed and comfortable with your camera.)
Part Two is the fun part. Every day for 30 days you’re going to shoot a photograph that you like. Obviously, Part Two is MUCH more challenging than Part One. When I teach my Going Manual Course, people regularly jump out of bed a few minutes before midnight when they remember they haven’t completed their daily assignment for Part One. Giving yourself a few minutes to shoot a photograph that you like for the Part Two portion is going to be a stretch, however.
If you miss one single day of either thirty day challenge you go back to the beginning of that challenge. That’s essential. Habit building is a daily event. You can’t miss a day. Trust me, if you completed all 60 days in one pass you are in the minority.
Today can be Day One of the rest of your photographic life. Who’s with me?
Let me say that again. Today can be Day One of the rest of your photographic life. Who’s with me?
Here are some Photo Tips that will help.
