10 ways to improve your photography

While flying home from a recent photo expedition I wrote up some notes on my latest experiences. It got me thinking about all the valuable lessons I’d learnt over the years and how they’d helped me develop as a photographer. When I arrived home I decided to write them all up and post my top 40 on this blog. I’ll be revealing 10 each day for the next 4 days. I hope you find my first instalment useful for honing your own skills – make sure you check back tomorrow for part two!

1: Face your fears
Identify the photographic technique you’re least confident about and resolve to master it. For example, if your camera’s advanced flash modes fill you with fear, try spending just 15 or 20 minutes each day practising how to use them. This way you’ll be able to build up your confidence bit by bit, without becoming overwhelmed.

2: It’s all about you
Don’t get too hung up on equipment. Yes, it’s nice to have the best brands and the hottest technology, but ultimately a camera is just a device that captures and records light. You are the visionary. Only you make it happen.

3: Get it right in-camera
Always push yourself to achieve the perfect shot in-camera. A few extra minutes spent in the field tweaking exposures, fitting filters or refining compositions is always preferable to relying on Photoshop to bail you out. Software never produces such satisfying results.

4: Be a good sport
Give other photographers a break, particularly in restricted locations. Take your turn in a timely manner or offer to budge up to let someone set up alongside you. Hopefully someone will do the same for you one day.

5: Always keep your hand in
The longer you leave between shoots, the longer you’ll end up wasting re-familiarising yourself with your camera and key techniques on your next shoot. By shooting regularly you’ll always be on a roll and ready to seize the moment whenever a photo opportunity presents itself.

6: Ask for feedback
Regularly asking others for feedback on your photos is a great way to grow as a photographer. Friends, relatives and work colleagues, however, are unlikely to give you a true appraisal of your work. Instead, get your portfolio critiqued by unbiased people, including pro photographers. Upload a gallery to PhotoRadar.com and invite members of our community to evaluate your work.

7: Get your priorities right
It’s crucial to pay attention to image quality issues such as noise and sharpness, but watch that you don’t over-prioritise them. The content and meaning of your photos are equally, if not more important considerations.

8: Check out your local camera club
Many camera clubs have come a long way since pre-digital times. You might be pleasantly surprised by the variety of benefits on offer at your local club  – lectures by renowned professional photographers, overseas trips, technical workshops, competitions, industry contacts and online gallery space.

9: Learn to be objective
When you’ve invested a great deal of emotion into a shoot, the process of reviewing and editing your pictures can prove tricky. Perhaps you can’t decide which picture in a series is best or you’re deliberating over white balance adjustments in Camera RAW. Try stepping back for a few days or even a week to help you view your pictures more dispassionately when you return to them.

10: Be prepared to look the fool
Whether you’re wielding odd-looking makeshift accessories or striking an undignified pose to get a better angle, don’t be afraid to look the fool for the sake of a photo. After all, you’ll be the one laughing when you bag a winning shot.

all above credit to Andrea Thompson in  photo radar