Simple Photography Advice I Wish I Knew Sooner

I’ve been chasing the light since 2008 and documenting my journey here on the blog since 2009. It’s been amazing and fun, and I have loved all of it. I hope to continue for the rest of my days. I’ve also learned a lot from my experiences. But I have wasted a TON of time, made countless mistakes, stressed about things that never mattered, and ignored my own instincts because I was insecure about something. 

Here’s what I wish I knew years ago:

  • Create for yourself, not others

  • Nobody is really paying close attention, so do what you want

  • If you like it, it’s a good photo

  • Don’t copy someone/something that is popular - shoot/edit however you like

  • Follower counts don’t matter

  • Everybody takes a lot of terrible photos

  • Photographers are only showing their good shots

  • Social media is just a highlight reel - it’s not even close to reality most of the time

  • It’s ok to shoot super popular spots and take the standard shot everyone else takes

  • Yes, it’s also good to try and do something original there, but that's hard to do most of the time

  • Sunrise is generally better than sunset, and definitely better in cities

  • Nobody knows everything about photography

  • You’re a better photographer than you think you are

  • You are ahead of some photographers and behind others in certain areas

  • Help those that you can help - pay it forward - because it takes a long time to learn on your own

  • You will never stop learning about photography

  • Pay attention to the light more than anything else when editing

  • Composition makes or breaks an image

  • Foregrounds!

  • Gear matters but only to a certain point

  • You don’t need to bring all your gear on a trip

  • Your shots will be better when you slow down and think about the shot more

  • You will never shoot it all

  • Take the shot because you never know if something will change

  • Learn the buttons and dials on your camera as well as you can, so you don’t always have to look at them

  • Enjoy every chance you get to work on photography, because it is a joy

  • Don’t take things too seriously

This list is not comprehensive, but hopefully it gives you some things to think about.

What would you add to the list?

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