Resolutions that are easy to stick to are somewhat difficult to come by, aren’t they?! There’s a lot of stigma around setting resolutions and sticking to them. One I repeatedly hear from both professional AND enthusiast photographers are “I wish I’d taken more photos.” For some of us, the reason we give is a lack of time, for others, it might be a lack of equipment, money, inspiration, self-belief… Whatever is currently holding you back, here are some ideas to help make this year the year you smash your New Year’s Photography goals…
Take a portrait – not a selfie. Set yourself up with the timer function or a wireless remote control and start experimenting with your most available subject matter – you. It could be anything from your outfit of the day to photos with your friends. Experiment by changing your distance from the camera, explore different lighting conditions, or even just looking at or away from the lens.
If you’re using your phone for photos, make sure that the camera app is on your homepage and close to your thumb so it’s easy to get to. Sometimes half the battle is getting the app open quick enough to get the shot!
Get to know nature. There’s nothing more lovely than getting the same scene in each season. If you’ve got access to a stunning view, a garden, or a particularly awesome tree you pass regularly, take a photo of it. Pop a note in a calendar or diary to take another photo in a month’s time.
Take a photo every day. Stuck for inspiration? With so many other people setting New Year’s Photography goals, there are 365 projects all over the internet, offering a theme or word of the day for you to use as your inspiration. Put them all together at the end, they’ll be a wonderful way to review your year. And, of course, there are plenty of 52-week challenges for those of you that might understandably want a slightly lower level of commitment!
Take more than one photo of everything. Don’t stop when you’ve got ‘the photo’ – make sure you’ve got at least two versions ‘just in case’ and then continue to push yourself out of your comfort zone by introducing a new lighting set up or angle. It’ll force you to be more creative.
Go on a photo walk. If you’re struggling for photo inspiration, head on outdoors, get some fresh air and go for a walk purposefully with the objection of taking photos. Tip: the lights at a fairground make beautiful photos!
Pick a colour and photograph everything you see that has that specific colour in it. Change the colour each month, it’ll make you lookout for new things to photograph. When you’ve exhausted colours, you could opt for shapes, symmetry, patterns or reflections. They are everywhere!
Take a photography workshop. Of course, you could always attend one my Art of Boudoir Masterclasses! These run once a year and sell out quickly – you can find events listed here in my shop, or sign up to Stockings and Striptease to have all the information delivered straight to your inbox as soon as new dates are announced!
Inspired? Don’t forget to let me know how you get on with your New Year’s Photography goals in the comments!
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