A Blueprint for Photographic Growth

My journey in photography has been one of continual growth. That is part of what makes photography such a rewarding pursuit—there are creative and intellectual challenges to engage me, no matter how long I’ve studied the subject. 

But the way photography is learned sometimes hinders that growth. Most photographers are self-taught, and the lack of structure that often brings can make the next steps forward unclear. 

To keep growing as a photographer, you need to consider what blueprint you are using for learning. If you are looking for a blueprint, I think there is a lot we can learn from how music is taught. 

Playing a musical instrument starts by learning the fundamentals like how to hold the instrument, where to place your fingers, and how to produce a note. These never go away. Instead, you seek to become more and more proficient at them every time you play. If you don’t know the fundamentals, you’ll be hindered until you learn them. 

Then, you learn to string notes together and read sheet music. This opens up new worlds to you. As you learn to play new songs or compositions, you put in the necessary practice until you can play them perfectly (you and everyone else will hear if you miss a note at the recital). It is rewarding to play a piece well, and frustrating when you don’t. 

This journey typically involves instruction from teachers who give you feedback and critique. They can evaluate what you are doing right, and how to correct what you are doing wrong. Along the way, you will also learn from your peers and the more experienced musicians around you. You may be able to learn some of this from YouTube, but if you want to play like a Juilliard graduate, you are going to need years of formal instruction and even more practice.

Most of all, it requires dedication. You get out of it what you put into it. If you want more, it will take work. 

Photography is no different than any other pursuit. Professionals make it look easy, but rarely do you see the years of effort and learning that led to the moment captured in those “perfect” photos. So, what can you do to replicate this in your photo education?

Make sure you really know the fundamentals like exposure, shutter and aperture choices, point of focus, etc. Even concert musicians play scales, and you need to work on the photographic equivalent constantly. Become an honest critic of your own successes and mistakes so you can self evaluate and correct. 

Get outside critique and feedback from more experienced photographers who can show you things you are missing, help you learn to see more, and hold you to a high standard. 

Find inspiration. This can come from viewing visual art of all kinds to expand your vision. It also comes from studying your subjects, which can provide insight on what photos you should be making. 

Enjoy the journey. Millions of people play musical instruments with no intention of ever performing. Why? Because there is something fun and rewarding about doing it. Photography is the same. We seek to learn and improve—not so we can be “the best”—but so we can enjoy it more and move past "dead ends" in our growth and discover new understanding.

Don't wait to invest some time in growing! Spend next Saturday learning with me as I teach my one-day Lightroom Reimagined class. You can also join me for the other workshops I offer throughout the year (see upcoming classes on the list below). Some will help you refine your fundamental photography skills, and others focus on editing and processing. Most of my classes are online, making it easy to turn an ordinary day or evening into a time of photographic growth. I hope you'll join me!