back to schoolNow that the kiddos are going back to school and you’ve got all this free time on your hands… oh wait, you don’t? Yeah, me either! Back to school is awesome in the sense that my kids will be out of my hair for a few hours, but it’s hardly the time to sit around and eatbon bon’s while watching soap operas. Nope. For me, it means I have more time to schedule client sessions, do a business overview for 2014, and brush up on any photography skills that I’ve been meaning to get around to “one of these days”.

We all have those things that we want to do. So I challenge you to take make some time, even if it’s just once a week, and do something (anything) to improve yourself, your business, your photography skills, etc!

Make it A Date

I mean a real, honest to goodness appointment with yourself. Write it in your schedule, and regard it the same way you would any other appointment you make. And keep it!
Take time to nurture your creative soul! Building your business is hard, and it can be easy to fall into a pattern of never improving, because you’re so busy trying to keep up with the mountain of things you have on your “to do” list. Take this as time to spend doing things to improve YOU.

 

Back to SchoolHit the Books

It seems like there is always a new photography book coming out that promises to make you a better photographer or give you tips that will drastically improve your shooting/editing/workflow/whatever. And if you’re like me, you enjoy going to Barnes & Noble to peruse the (ever expanding) photography section. But let me ask you this: how many of those books have you flipped through at the store, gotten inspired by it, bought it, only to bring it home and have it sit on your shelf?!  Crack open one of those and get inspired again!!!

Use Your CameraPractice Makes Perfect

This is probably the most important piece of advice I could give anyone. Practice, practice and hey, practice some more! In the Intro class I teach at MOCA, we talk about the 3 P’s you need to succeed in photography: Practice, Patience and Persistence. But in my opinion, it’s practice that is singly the most important thing. You can’t spend 20 minutes taking pictures once a week, and then get frustrated that your photography isn’t improving. So get out there and use your camera!!!

coffee field tripArtist Dates

Along the same lines as keeping yourself inspired, use artist dates as a reminder to make fun a priority! There are so many things you can do (most of them free or very inexpensive) to nurture your creative side, check out this {BLOG} to see a list of 101 amazing artist date ideas!

Genuine PhotographyPhotography Giveaway

I’m all about helping people nurture their creative spirit, so I want to give away a book to one lucky reader! It is called Expressive Photography: The Shutter Sisters Guide to Shooting From The Heart, and I want to encourage you to read this and be inspired about your photography again!!!

How do you enter?
Good question!

Leave a comment here on the blog telling us what inspires YOU, and then share the link for this blog on Facebook. A winner will be chosen randomly and announced tomorrow morning!!!