Five Creative Habits Of Good Photographers

Last week we explored two paths to developing your authentic voice as a photographer. This week I’d like to talk about five creative habits that all good photographers develop.

Habits are an effective way of developing any skill. The repetition (or practice) help you develop as a photographer and achieve goals like developing your unique voice. The habits we’ll look at today are an essential part of that journey.

A habit is a behavior that you follow without thinking about it. It’s part of your practice and something you do automatically. That doesn’t mean it’s unconscious – you may have to schedule time to fit some of these practices in.

An easy way to see the benefit of developing creative habits is to compare it to improving at a sport. I play tennis at club level. My local club has a club night, two nights a week, every week of the year. Going to those club nights is a habit. I don’t have to think about it. Every Monday and Thursday I’m at home I check the weather, get my tennis gear together and head off to the tennis court. It’s part of my routine. And over the years, my tennis improves. It’s the same for photography, or any creative activity.

Here then, are the five habits.

Creative habit #1: Good photographers take time to understand their influences

Good photographers take time to explore the work of other photographers, usually a mixture of contemporary photographers and those active in the past. They learn to sift through these ideas and influences to find the ones that resonate most deeply. They absorb techniques, ideas, compositional devices and use of color and light into their own photography practice. They also know when to discard influences – for example, you may come across the work of a photographer that you greatly admire, but it’s so different from yours and what you want to achieve that it doesn’t influence you.

For example, garden photographer Éva Németh says this on her website:

“Through my photography style of quiet observation, I absolutely love capturing stories of gardens.”

I like this idea of quiet observation. Of finding and photographing the subtle beauty of a garden’s hidden corners. This is something I’ve seen already in some of my photos, and will deliberately include in my practice next year.

Above: Some of the hidden corners I photographed in gardens last year.

Creative habit #2: Good photographers set themselves projects

I’ll touch on this because I’ve written extensively about photography projects (see the bottom of the article for useful links). But I can say that, looking at my own evolution as a photographer, the greatest periods of growth and productivity have occurred when I set myself projects. Otherwise I’m drifting. Projects give you purpose and direction. The photos from working on a project are always better than when you work without a plan or a purpose.

Creative habit #3: Good photographers take time to develop and evaluate skills

Good photographers get in the habit of evaluating their skills and thinking about what they’d like to learn next. Sometimes this is active learning – for example, if you’ve never done close-up photography before then there’s a learning curve involved. You need to learn about the equipment used (close-up lenses, extension tubes and macro lenses) and techniques (especially depth of field) and take the time to put it all into practice.

Sometimes it’s practice rather than active learning. Last year I photographed gardens and flowers. I practiced what I knew, rather than actively learning new techniques. I evaluated the photos I made and worked on developing my field skills and figuring out my personal approach towards photographing gardens and flowers. This process included experimenting with different lenses for close-up photography to see which ones I liked best.

Sometimes the process means actively deciding not to learn something. I bought a portable flash system a few years ago but have barely used it. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but my photography has gone in a different direction. I keep it in case I come back to this skill in the future.

The same process applies to equipment like lenses and accessories like filters. Good photographers evaluate their needs all the time. If they have a lens they no longer use, and don’t intend to use, then maybe they’ll sell it. They think about their cameras and whether they need to upgrade to a newer model. They’re aware of their equipment and whether they need new lenses or accessories to achieve what they want.

Above: Close-up photos of flowers made with my Helios 58mm lens.

Above: Close-up photos of flowers made with my Samyang 100mm macro lens. Part of my process last year was experimenting with these two lenses to see what results I got and which I preferred.

Creative habit #4: Good photographers work thoughtfully

Good photographers think about what they’re doing. They set themselves projects (or themes) to work to. They develop the required skills. They buy the right equipment and plan their year. They take the same approach when they’re in place, making photos. They think about what they’re doing. They make an effort to stand in front of something interesting in the best possible light. They work the subject. They look for the best angle. They push boundaries with their technique and equipment.

This is a different approach to the photographer who sees something interesting, takes a photo or two, then moves on to the next thing.

Creative habit #5: Good photographers journal

Good photographers develop self-awareness. One of the best ways of doing that is through journalling. I use the term journalling loosely because it can take many forms. It could be a written journal, a visual journal (prints of your favorite photos pasted in a notebook) or a mixture of the two. Some photographers turn their best photos into zines and photo books, and that’s also a form of journalling. It’s a visual record of the places you’ve been, the experiences you have and the photos you’ve made.

The articles and books I’ve written are part of my journalling journey. Writing about the creative aspects of photography, especially composition, creativity and creative practice, makes me more self aware. It forces me to think about my creative practice, the photos I’ve made and my journey as a photographer and a person.

I’m about to start work on a book about garden and flower photography, so I’m thinking deeply about my photos and my garden photography practice. What have I learned? What do I need to do to take things to the next level? How can I help other photographers become better at garden photography? Teaching others helps me become a better, more thoughtful photographer.

The power of habit

I mentioned last week that persistence and patience are essential on your journey to developing your authentic photographer’s voice. Developing and establishing creative habits helps you find your path and stay on it. They help you create a photography practice that enables you develop as both a creative person and a photographer.

You need persistence (and belief) to keep going along a path once you’ve taken the first steps, especially if you don’t get the results you’re hoping for at first. You also need patience. The best results won’t come straight away. It takes time. But if you follow these habits, your photography will improve, and you’ll develop a stronger voice.

Further reading

• How To Turn Old Photos Into New Photography Projects

• Understanding The Creative Process In Photography

• How To Make Amazing Close-Up Flower Photos

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