Part One: The Importance of Practice

This post is the first part of a mini-series about what you should be focusing on during your first year of photography business.

When you are starting a photography business, the best thing you can do for yourself is to practice. If you love photography you probably have a hard time putting your camera down anyways, so it shouldn't be too hard. 

It will take a long time to really know what you're doing and feel comfortable doing it. I know you just read that sentence and understood, but I want you to read it again. It will take a long time to really know what you're doing and feel comfortable doing it. I'm emphasizing this because that time in between where you know what you want and when you get it can feel like suffering. It feels like it's never going to come. But it does. It just takes practice. 

I cried the first time I ever watched this video, the man spoke directly to my heart and put me at ease. I never knew anyone else had felt the way I did everyday. Listen to the quote and be encouraged!

Ira Glass on Storytelling from David Shiyang Liu on Vimeo.

I share this with all of my friends who are starting out in photography. If you don't know what this guy is talking about, and you think your work is awesome all the time. Then you probably don't have the good taste he's referring to. It takes most of years for our work to match our taste.

This is a photo from the first family portrait session I ever did in 2009. They were mutual friends and since it was my first session I offered to do it for free. I was terrified and I had no idea how to pose them. Even though, in my mind, the pictures turned out horribly, the mother was still grateful and gave me a sweet present in return since it was around Christmas. Did I have good taste and know what I wanted in 2009? Absolutely. But without practice I had not gotten there. 

Fast forward about 9 months to another family photo session. It's worth mentioning also that in the first shoot I was using a Canon Rebel XT and a kit lens, and in this one I had purchased a 5D Mk II and a 24-70L f/2.8. More important than my upgrade in equipment though was the practice I had been doing throughout the year and the research I did on posing families. I memorized a few poses to be able to turn to during the shoot. These were also really close friends, practically family, so that helped create a natural flow.

I was a lot happier with this shoot, and I was proud to give them their photos. While I got some nice portraits of them I knew that I wanted to take more photos that were unique and different, something they couldn't get from anyone else. I was still disappointed at this point that my taste wasn't matching up with my work. 

This brings us to our session last fall in 2011, with my cousin and her beautiful family. After years of practicing I felt comfortable and confident going into this session. Together Charlie and I shot dozens of images that I would be proud to show anyone. And finally, I feel like my work is starting to catch up with my taste. 

You're never done improving, even after you start your business, even after you shoot dozens of sessions, even now, we will never stop getting better. With constant practice you will grow. Critique yourself, but don't be too harsh. Identify trends in your work that you like and that you want to see change, and then stay conscious of them while you are shooting.

As always, send any questions or comments my way.

Love,
Sara

Have Heart Photography

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