The Benefits of Developing a Daily Photography Habit

Over the last few months, I have not been out with my camera on a regular basis. There are a few reasons for this. I used to go out in the early morning when the light was soft and I felt that I would have the best chance of getting some good images. But since getting a puppy in early February that routine has had to take a backseat. The last few months have involved early morning dog walking and training, and although the dog is now in a routine, he does not yet wait patiently for me to take a photograph!

Maybe some day!

My other photography time was early evening, but evenings are now following a similar pattern to mornings.

A result of not getting out regularly was that I began to lose motivation to go out at other times, giving all the usual excuses such as harsh light, dull conditions, nothing to photograph, and so on. And, as I mentioned in a recent post, I began to lose confidence and started thinking that I was no longer making progress in photography.

I hope to get back to more regular photo outings soon, but in the meantime, I want to continue to improve my photography and get in lots of practice so that I don’t lose motivation and forget the skills I have worked hard to learn.

My solution is to adopt the daily photography habit.

This involves always carrying a camera with me and taking lots of photographs wherever I happen to be.

There are several advantages to taking this approach.

• It will help me to get lots of practice, improve my skills and develop creatively, all areas that fall back when I don’t go out regularly with a camera.

• It will encourage me to be constantly on the lookout for potential images, thereby developing my observation skills and my ability to notice small details or see beauty in the mundane.

• When I am constantly taking photographs many of them will be experimental shots. I am not looking for perfection. I can use these occasions as opportunities to learn about myself as a photographer and about the type of images I like to make. These will not be photographs to show to others; they will be for myself, to critique and learn about my mistakes. I can also celebrate my successes and use these as building blocks from which to move forward.

• A daily photography practice will introduce variety into my photography, where I will no longer be focusing on a particular genre, but rather seeing where my attention is drawn, and finding potential in the ordinary, everyday things that are all around me.

• A daily photography habit will give me an opportunity to experiment, to discover new subjects that I enjoy photographing and to develop my photographic eye.

• When I always carry a camera with me, I will not miss those opportunities that I might otherwise have missed and I will be building towards 10,000 hours of photography, the number of hours at which, it is commonly believed, we become competent in any activity.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I love photography.

I love all the genres I have tried.

I love experimenting and discovering new ways to do things.

I love mastering my camera settings and using new-found skills to create better compositions.

For me, it is important to continue this journey that I have started.

That’s why for me, a daily photography habit is the answer.