The #1 Way to Take Better Images

Whether you’re just starting out in photography or you’ve had a fancy camera for years, it’s quite common to feel disappointed with your images sometimes. I’ve been a photographer for ten years now, and have felt stuck at times myself. Want to know the method that has a 100% chance of being effective in improving the images you take?

The number one way to start taking better images is consistent PRACTICE. You can read all the tutorials, tips and tricks, but if you don’t put them to use, you’re not going to see improvement. “Action is the foundational key to all success.”- Pablo Picasso

I want to share a personal story with you. This summer I got my first GoPro, which threw a huge curveball at me in terms of photography. It’s completely different from shooting with a DSLR or even an iPhone. I spent the early part of the summer as a total GoPro novice, and the learning curve was steep. I took countless video clips and pictures of my fingers completely unintentionally before I took the time to read the manual. Everyone starts somewhere.

But I committed to shooting with it at least twice a week for most of the summer, and I’ve definitely seen improvement! My images are starting to look like the ones I envisioned taking! I know that by sticking with it and practicing, I’m going to master this sweet, tiny powerhouse of a camera.

It’s hard to find the time to pick up your camera, I get it. I have three kids and a full time job. That’s why I schedule time to do the things I don’t automatically do, but I want or need to. You can try blocking a 30 min time slot in your calendar or set a reminder in your phone to alert you to get your camera out and snap some photos.

Literally every time you shoot, you’re moving forward and improving your skills, little by little. That is why I advise all of my photography students and the photographers I mentor, that they MUST pick up their camera twice a week, at a minimum. Any less than that, and you’re more likely to move backwards and risk getting rusty. If you commit to shooting twice a week, you’re giving yourself opportunity to practice, learn and grow as a photographer. After a decade behind the camera, I can tell you that learning this craft never stops or even slows down.

If you’re feeling uninspired or don’t know what to shoot, stay tuned for my next post, which will be filled with ideas meant to inspire you to create and document with any camera you own! Subscribe to my FREE photography tips delivered straight to your email for more tips and freebies.

Here are some more of my GoPro captures from this summer which I was pretty happy with! Now that the summer is coming to an end, I’m going to have to find ways to keep practicing with the camera on dry land for a change!

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