It is true that many of us lead busy lives that have nothing to do with photography. So, whether it is your hobby or something more serious, how DO you find the time to fit it in? Like most things that are important to us, we must “make” time. Making time isnʼt as difficult as it sounds, and there are many ways that we can bring photography into our daily lives.
In this post I am going to share some of my techniques for ensuring that I shoot every day – yes, every day. I am also going to offer some suggestions to help you find time to fit photography into the busiest of lives.
Finding Time For Photography
In this post you will learn the following:
· Why you should always have a camera handy
· How multitasking can support your photography
· Techniques to inspire and encourage you to shoot every day
· How to set achievable photography goals
I decided that shooting one image a day would be a reasonable goal. To add a little weight to it, I decided to make my goal public by sharing it with a group of people on social media. I spent one year in my self-imposed photo-a-day challenge, and it helped me build some good photography habits that continue to influence my practice years later.
To be truthful, there were days that I struggled. Some days I'm just not motivated, but the days where I grabbed my camera on the way out the door felt like wins. In fact, it felt great. And that brings us to one of my tips for keeping photography a part of my daily routine.
COMBINE PHOTOGRAPHY WITH OTHER ACTIVITIES
There are multiple subjects around us all the time just waiting to be snapped. When my photographerʼs brain really started working, I would find myself looking at a scene and wishing I had my camera at hand so I could capture the image.
How many times do we find ourselves thinking, “Oh, I wish I had a camera!” So, why donʼt we? During my photo-a-day challenge I got into the habit of taking my camera with me on everyday outings. Dropping the car off at the mechanic? Bring the camera! Going for lunch at the club? Bring the camera! Going grocery shopping? Bring the camera.
One of the things I love to do is gardening. As much as possible, I take my camera out to the garden with me when I do my chores. Naturally, I have a lot of shots of flowers and bugs. But this works well for me, as I love gardening and macro photography which no one ever really sees.
So, if you have a hobby that you can photograph, try putting the two together to maximize your time. If you are into automobiles, keep your camera on you at car shows or when you are working in the garage. If cooking is your thing, snap a few gourmet food shots.
Photography has never felt like a chore when it's combined it with things you already do and things that you love to do. Grabbing my camera whenever I head out to do yardwork has actually made my chores more fun. The chores get done a wee bit slower, but hey, that's how the day rolls. However, for this to work well, make your photography kit manageable. And this brings us to the next tip.
TAKE ONLY THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT
If your camera bag is massive and contains fifty pounds of lenses and other equipment, you arenʼt as likely to take it on an outing. It will be a nuisance to carry around, and you will end up resenting bringing it along. I can't recall how many times I've said to myself, "Oh man, that's too much too carry", so then I don't.
So, find a nice compact bag. In your small bag, only carry my camera with one lens attached and one extra lens. The bag could also hold your wallet and any other necessities so that you donʼt have to carry another bag around as well. Because the bag is manageable, it will feel fine grabbing it when heading out to the garden, on a walk around the neighborhood, or on a bike ride.
For the days you want to travel even lighter, simply take your phone. The cameras on our phones are quite simply amazing. If you are still a doubter about the quality of shots that can be captured on a mobile device, do a quick online search.
Mobile devices go beyond snapshots. In the hands of a photographer, they can be used to create artful, inspired images. So, donʼt be shy about using your phone camera. The best camera is the one you have on you. Besides, your photography is about you and how you see. Photography is not about which camera you use.
SET REASONABLE GOALS
I mentioned this earlier, but it bears repeating: set reasonable goals for yourself. When life is busy, it can feel like adding that “one more thing” is the thing that will break you. Donʼt let that happen with photography.
When working on my photo-a-day challenge, shoot several images of the same subject and select your favorite. Some days it might take five minutes and other days it could take much longer. Some days you'll get great results and other days the photos were just ho-hum.
Donʼt beat yourself up about the ho-hum photos. You got out! You practiced and you improved your photography skills at the same time. Don't try to get a great shot every day. Learn and improve over time even if you're really good now.
So, keep your goals realistic. If your goals are reasonable, it will be easier to stick to them.
CHANGE YOUR APPROACH
If shooting every day doesnʼt work for you, dedicate some time after work or on the weekend to photography. A great way to do this is to schedule in a “photo walk” or “photo drive.”
Depending on the type of photography you are into, you may find that you donʼt have to go very far to find your subjects. Sometimes your backyard or neighborhood are the best places to capture images, if you learn to see differently.
Here are a few ideas for ways you might change up your routine to allow for more photography time:
· Work photography into your commute by leaving the house a few minutes early and stopping along the way to shoot.
· If you take a train or bus, have your camera handy and shoot what you see on route.
· If you have the option to be a passenger on a car ride, take it, and create some great images while someone else does the driving.
FIND FRIENDS THAT WILL SUPPORT YOU
Finding a photographer friend to help support your photographic goals is a must.
First off, that person will understand your need to make time for photography. And if you schedule a photo walk or plan a drive to shoot in a particular location, you wonʼt find it as easy to opt out if you have another person expecting you.
If you donʼt have a friend that is into photography, lots of communities have photo groups that will meet weekly or monthly. Alternatively, you might want to find an online community with weekly challenges to encourage you to get out and shoot. That added bit of pressure to have something to share with the group just might be the impetus you need to squeeze in a few minutes of photography time.
If your family supports your efforts, even more power to you. My partner knows that I bring the camera along on most road trips.
SHOOT IN YOUR BACKYARD
There is a certain advantage to creating images of things that are close to home. If you feel you donʼt have much time for photography, then not having too far to travel to shoot images will help you.
There are many subjects right in your own home. Donʼt have time to go for a photo walk? Take one around your house or yard.
Shooting images close to home not only saves time but also gets you looking at subjects more creatively. We often take for granted the things we see every day, but photographing those everyday things forces you to look at them in a new way. This new sense of perspective can be a great advantage when it comes to your photographic artistry.
KEEP IT FUN
My last tip isnʼt so much a piece of advice but my personal mantra for photography: have fun. When I have struggled with photography, I have searched Flickr for inspiration. Projects like oil and water images or intentional camera movement have kept me interested and motivated and made shooting enjoyable.
Donʼt become overwhelmed with trying to do too much, either. Choose one thing you want to work on (for example, creating bokeh using a narrow depth of field) and go with that. If you approach photography with a playful mindset, you will be more inclined to make time for it.
SHOOTING PROJECT #1 (BUILDING BETTER HABITS)
Make a list of activities that you find time for every day. Now decide which of these activities would pair up well with photography.
Take your camera with you while doing one of these activities and have a reasonable goal for shooting (for example: I will take 5 shots).
Repeat the above process with the same activity or a different one until you start to build a habit of taking your camera with you and shooting.
SHOOTING PROJECT #2 (MAKING PHOTOGRAPHY FUN)
Look through the challenges on the Photography Challenge page and find something you have never tried before but are interested in.
Read the challenge and then set aside an hour or two to go and practice what you have read about. Gather your materials ahead of time so that you can make the most of that time shooting. Choose your favorite image from your time shooting and share it with a photographer friend.
SHOOTING PROJECT #3 (SHOOTING IN YOUR BACKYARD)
Get your camera and go for a stroll around your house, yard, or neighborhood. Set a goal for a reasonable number of shots that you should take on your photo walk. Do this once a day, once a week, or whenever it fits your schedule. Give yourself a new challenge each time you go on your photo walk.
For example, shoot only things that are: · red, blue, or green (whatever color you choose) · living/non-living · high up/low down · tall/short
Create your own list of challenges for your photo walk so that you have something new to try each time you head out.
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