Why Your Photos Suck (Picture This!)

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Chelsea & Tony discuss 10 things that could be making your photos worse and offer advice on how to improve as a photographer.
To learn more about photography check out their book: SDP.io/s
Show Notes:
-You’re new
Would Tony be good at guitar? Would Chelsea be good at programming?
-You don't practice enough (or right)
Take more shots with purpose
-You're not telling a story
It’s OK to take pictures just for the sake of taking pictures. But they’ll be better if there’s a subject, feeling, meaning.
-You don’t use your shots
How good would you be at building chairs if you built chairs and nobody ever sat in them?
Sharing, printing, contests, publishing
Sometimes I see people say, “This is the first shot I’ve ever shared” and it’s wonderful. Well, that’s just stupid.
Portfolio
-You do the same thing over and over again
Try something new
-Study a new technique
Add more tools to your tool belt by learning new techniques and skills
Long exposure
How to use filter
Panning
Color theory
-You don’t study and appreciate the work of other photographers
Appreciate other photographers that photograph similar and different subject matter
Think about why you (and others) like them
-You don't study the history of photography
Learn about histories great photographers
What made them great?
How did they change photography?
Watch CLASSIC MOVIES, like 2001 a Space Odyssey, Citizen Kane, etc.
-You don't take constructive feedback well
Know when to listen
Accept you aren’t perfect
See having more things to learn as a plus
Compete with yourself, not others
Don’t judge others harshly
Learn self-compassion
You don't do collaborations with other photographers/artists/stylists
Work with other people to broaden your mind
Do creative exercises
Or technical work if you’re creative
Don't be afraid or too intimidated to learn from others
----You’re afraid to fail
Accept that failure is a part of learning
Don't be a perfectionist - and finish projects that you start!
Set out expecting to fail
Push yourself
Test your boundaries
Make a photo YOU like even if others won't
Try making something ugly
Surround yourself with supportive people