![27 PHOTOGRAPHIC RESOLUTIONS FOR THE NEXT YEAR (OR NEW COURSE) [UPDATED]](https://photographychef.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/27-photographic-resolutions-for-the-next-year-or-new-course-updated.jpg)
Every time a new year or a new course begins, we load ourselves with resolutions, right? Well, this time I come with a lot of photographic purposes so that you start the year, the course or your next few days well. You don't need excuses to start practicing photography,right?
1. BRAND NEW PHOTOGRAPHIC PROJECT
This is one of my favorites for various reasons, first because it forces us to practice , second because it forces us to be responsible , third because it motivates us to improve, fourth, because it allows us to see our own evolution and learn from our mistakes. Almost nothing, right? ? .
These are the steps to start a photographic project , but try to avoid the typical mistakes of the first photographic projects. If you need inspiration, here are 13 ideas for your next project.
Instead of a project, it can be a series of photos a day or one a week, the important thing is that you have a certain commitment and that you don't give it up, some ideas:
- One photo a day
- One photo a week
- From a to Z
2. SIGN UP FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC CHALLENGES
You already know that here on the blog we have a Photoreto , every week with a different theme, and seven days to prepare and go out looking for your best photograph. It is a perfect occasion to practice and learn new things, and to force yourself to fulfill your photographic series of one photo a week (see previous point ? ).
However, if you like challenges, luckily you are not the only one, and social networks are full of them. Some are contests, others for the simple pleasure of participating and/or seeing your featured image above the rest.
3. TAKE A PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE
I personally admire self-taught people, those who make an effort to learn and improve themselves. Photography lovers always have to be a little at some point, because it requires a lot of trial and error and a lot of practice.
However, I also think that being self-taught in photography is very time consuming and lonely. For all these reasons, I always recommend taking a good course that gives you the necessary technical or compositional bases to start in an agile and motivating way. And there are not only courses for beginners, there are courses for all levels and topics and in all formats: online, face-to-face, etc.
Ah, if you are interested in an online course with all the secrets of SLR photography, do not hesitate to take a look at the Photographer's Blog course ?
4. TRY SOMETHING NEW
Surely it sounds like what is so fashionable now to get out of the comfort zone, right? Well, in photography the more you know the better, there is no doubt, the more you stimulate your learning, the more resources, more imagination, more motivation and definitely better photos ?
So now you know, give other styles, other techniques a chance. Have you tried Street Photography ?, with macro photography ?, with landscape photography ?, with portraiture ?, with Lightpainting ?, with star photography ?, with the moon and the sun ?, and millions of more topics (many of them we have in this blog ? ) that can help you improve and progress as a photographer.
5. PRINT YOUR FAVORITE IMAGES
I will not tire of saying that the photographs are made to be seen. And I am the first to postpone the subject of paper copies for a thousand and one excuses, for a thousand and one lack of time, laziness and a long etcetera, but the truth is that putting all the work, all the illusion, all the history and the memory behind each of the images on the hard drive at the time is the worst thing you can do to them.
There are millions of supports at your fingertips to give light to your photos: canvases, photobooks, posters or a simple frame. The important thing is that you enjoy them, that's why we make them, right? ? Our images don't really exist until they become paper. That's where they become immortal.
6. LEARN TO USE MANUAL MODE
This is a good time to propose. I assure you that if you knew the benefits that using manual mode can bring you, you would not be waiting yet... ? Manual mode, believe it or not, has all the answers to those questions that you have been asking yourself since you let yourself be seduced by photography .
How you can freeze a drop, or leave a trail of movement, how we can blur the background, and almost everything you can think of, you can do it manually. So, if you only have to choose one purpose from the list, I recommend that it be this.
7. LEARN TO USE THE EXTERNAL FLASH OF THE CAMERA
Many times we end up hating the built-in flash of our camera (generally not for lack of reason), we hate red eyes, burned areas of the image, the dark background, the expressions of those we portray, and we definitely discard the flash of our lives. .
But the truth is that the external flash has nothing, nothing to do with the one that comes built into your camera. The external flash is everything you dreamed of in a flash before being sorely disappointed. The external flash restores your faith, you'll see, do you dare with it? ?
8. PHOTOGRAPH IN BLACK AND WHITE
It is not mandatory by any means, it may make you crazy or it may not tell you anything, but regardless of aesthetics and what it may transmit to each one, the truth is that black and white is not only the absence of color , is also a great helper when learning composition.
Since by stripping the images of the strength of color, they must be supported much more in the rest of the elements, mainly in how they are distributed in the frame, or what is also known as composition .
9. ENTER A CONTEST
Yes, why not? Do you think you're not going to win? Well, if you don't try, you'll never know. Think that you are never good enough, that there is always someone better than you and better than the one you think is better than you. But that's the magic of photography. There is always, always room for improvement, that does not mean that for once and for one photo, you cannot be the best or the second best or the third best or the best second prize ? .
On the other hand, photography contests are not only used to win prizes, which is also ;), but to develop creativity to the maximum, to try to improve technique, composition, etc. They are an exercise to give the best of ourselves.
10. SHARE YOUR IMAGES
Photography is made to be seen, so share your images, you can do it on a social network or create your own online photo gallery. The moral is, don't keep your beautiful images just for yourself ?, photographers are an enthusiastic community that loves to share and learn from others. If social networks do not excite you and you want to start building a professional future or you simply want to exhibit your photos but without having to give up your image rights, try setting up your own online photo gallery . Mario explained it to you very well in this article .
11. SORT ALL YOUR PHOTOS
What lazy, huh? ? but believe me, the longer you leave it, the more lazy you'll get, so the sooner you get to it, the better. Having the images organized reduces the risk of losing any due to a mistake and in the long run saves you a lot of time.
12. DEVELOP THE PHOTOGRAPHIC EYE
If you have controlled the technique but still your photos do not convince you, you think they are missing something... you probably need to develop your photographic eye . This year can be your star resolution.
13. UNLEARN PHOTOGRAPHY
Although it may sound strange, this is advice for those who have been in the world of photography for some time, long enough to get addicted but not long enough to leave them behind, do you feel identified? Maybe it's time to take a step back to get a running start, don't you think? It would be something like when the artist moves away from the painting he is painting to see it in perspective;). Could your purpose this year be to unlearn photography ? Forward!
14. READ YOUR CAMERA'S INSTRUCTION MANUAL
It doesn't matter where you are in the photographic experience. If you haven't done it yet, it's time to read your camera manual, you'll surely discover possibilities and functions that you didn't know your camera had. If you have already done it, congratulations, if you haven't, please don't leave it for 2019 ;).
15. STOP LOOKING FOR YOUR PHOTOGRAPHIC STYLE TO FIND IT
If you want to find your own photographic style, I advise you not to look for it this year. Now, you'll think I'm half crazy, unlearn photography, stop looking for style... I'll give you little advice, huh? ? If you are looking for your own style, read this article and you will understand.
16. MAKE DELETE PHOTOS
At first all your photos may seem good to you, but after a while, as you gain experience and knowledge, you see those photos with different eyes. The ones that immortalize memories are important, but if you've photographed a spoon in a thousand different ways, a flower, a landscape that doesn't tell you anything, etc., maybe it's time to clean your hard drive. This exercise will help you to see how you have evolved, to learn to criticize yourself, to make room for more photos and to discover a photo that you did not even remember you had taken and that was never printed. The time has come?
Of course, leave some so that when a few more years pass you realize how much you have learned;).
17. LEARN TO DEVELOP/EDIT /RETOUCH
Ok, yes, photography is done from the camera, but let's be real, these tools are not only used to remove dark circles, put skies in an incredible color or create surreal or conceptual photos . These resources help improve our photos in terms of light, brightness, contrast, etc. Or do you think that in the era of analog cameras this was not done? Of course, but they did it in the laboratory and we didn't know it;). Now we cook it for ourselves and we eat it, and this happens through editing. If you're not sure which one to use, this article can help you decide between Lightroom and Photoshop .
18. CREATE A WORKFLOW
A workflow or workflow is nothing more than an orderly way of working with your images, from the moment you make them until you print them. In this way you make sure from not losing a photo to simplifying searches. I confess that this is one of my star resolutions this year…
19. GIVE YOURSELF A NEW CHALLENGE
Still haven't achieved the silky effect ? Or photograph the smoke ? And is it also something that attracts you a lot? This year, make it your goal to achieve even one of those challenges that seem so complicated but then are not so complicated. They only require some advice and a little patience and dedication.
Here are some exercises you can do, but if you want more, here are up to a hundred !
20. GO TO PHOTO EXHIBITIONS
Visiting virtual galleries to get inspired or develop your photographic eye is great, but going to a photo exhibition is like no other. Seeing the photos hanging on the wall, printed, chosen by the artist, combined with others... is a great visual exercise.
21. READ AT LEAST ONE BOOK
If you are new, I recommend that you take a look at our library , with fifteen publications at your fingertips, written in simple language, without technical terms. For all audiences ;). If you already know them, you can also take a look at our literary recommendations . You will find some essential jewels ;).
22. STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT THE TEAM YOU HAVE
It's a vice, our team always seems little to us and we want more and more. This year I propose that instead of complaining about what you lack, you rejoice in what you have and try to make the most of it. If you have the objective of the kit as if you have the prince or the king , as if you have a mobile , an EVIL or a reflex. The best tool is the one you have in your hands, because it is the one that will help you achieve your goal. Maybe you won't believe me if I tell you that my best photos this year have been taken with my mobile. Yes with the mobile, for a simple reason, because he had it on him. The important thing is not the team, but what is behind it;).
23. FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM
If you haven't already, I recommend you follow us on Instagram, because you can discover very interesting tricks, direct from Mario and be in contact with other readers. A purpose in which you will have to invest a paltry amount of time compared to what you can benefit from ;).
24. CHOOSE A PHOTOGRAPHER YOU LIKE AND LEARN MORE ABOUT HIS WORK
Choose a photographer and spend some time getting to know his work, his evolution. Look at their photos and find out how they are alike; if you have a style that identifies you; what is its forte, if the light, the composition; if your work has a common message, and so on. If you can read something about his life, even better, this can help you understand his work, his way of seeing the world and showing it through his photos. Believe it or not, this is a good lesson on photography.
25. READ THESE 100 PHOTOGRAPHY LESSONS
Surely one of these 100 photography lessons will help you. I wish someone had told me many of them in my beginnings ;).
26. THE CAMERA WITH YOU WHENEVER YOU CAN
If in life nobody gives you anything, in photography even less! So nothing to squish on the sofa to lament for not being good or good enough. Nothing of that, the photographs must be taken, manufactured, they are not hunted or appear by magic. A good photograph is taken, and I assure you that it is not done from the sofa. Going out opens our minds, it tests us, it gives us moments if we are ready to see them, it makes us improvise, it takes us out of our comfort zone, it teaches us. Because the only way to learn photography, I'm sorry, is by practicing it.
27. BECOME A "VIP" READER OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S BLOG
That you are not yet a "VIP Reader"? But it's free! What are you waiting for?! You only have to leave us your email and you will have a lot of advantages, promotions, offers, exclusive articles... and I assure you that we are not heavy at all ? .
Become a VIP and you will have the ebook “Your First Steps in SLR Photography” for free . Yes, I said free! Another purpose that will not take up any of your time and, nevertheless, will bring you much joy.
What do you think? Do you keep any? With more than one? I hope they have been useful to you. If so, please share them so that we can reach as many photographers as possible. Thank you and see you next time.
