I don’t know about you, but for us, 2020 has always felt like The Future; the time of flying cars and artificially intelligent personal assistants. We keep having to pinch ourselves to realise that it’s actually here.
This last year was a busy one. We went from having one person on staff to six (not to mention three new furry friends)! And with 35k + app downloads, over 1000 new prompts and poses added, and a lovely growing community of like-minded creatives, we have so much to be thankful for.
In addition to reflecting on the past year, we’ve begun to making all these promises to ourselves about the year ahead. Maybe you’re a rare breed. Maybe you stick to every single resolution you make at the beginning of the year, tirelessly and methodically working away at your to-do list after your morning run, propelled forward by a steady and unfluctuating motivation. If so, great. We’re happy for you. But for the rest of us mere mortals, we need to employ some tricks to keep us on track. First step? Set some tangible goals. Below are 5 ways you can nail your photography and step into the sparkliest version of yourself.
1. Shed some weight
One of the most common New Years resolutions is to shed some weight. We’re not here to comment on your midsection because we believe in #bodypositivity, but if you can cut the fat from your camera bag and streamline your gear to exactly what you need, your back will thank you and you’ll be able to invest in the lens you really want. Try selling your old gear on eBay or that lens that came with your camera 3 years ago but you’ve only used twice.
2. Get organised
At the risk of triggering some latent teenage angst, may we make a suggestion? Organise your desk! If you’re looking around and thinking “they’re not talking to me, my space is immaculate,” remember that us modern folk have a bit more to think about than just our physical spaces. If your pencils are all perfectly sharpened and standing at attention in a tidy row next to you but your computer desktop is cluttered with screenshots, old invoices, and family photos, we’re still talking to you. Declutter, and optimise for productivity. Keep the active files handy, and archive all the rest systematically. Move client work onto hard drives, date them and store them. Keep seperate hard drives for personal work, so you don’t need to go digging through your hard drive collection to find your child’s first birthday party photos.
3. Backup your hard drives
Have you thought about what would happen if you had a hard drive malfunction or if you accidentally lost it or your puppy decided to take a leak on your laptop? Do your hands go clammy when you imagine critical files disappearing with a stolen bag? Backing up is a lot simpler than it seems, and it is worth the trouble ten times over. Choose from multiple online backup services, and settle into the warm bath of safe serenity. Here’s a roundup of great options for photographers: https://contrastly.com/back-up-solutions/
4. Upskill
Do some tutorials, find a mentor, organise regular portrait sessions, smash the crap out of that glass ceiling and prove to yourself you’re made of tougher stuff than you gave yourself credit for. We live in a fast world, and with the rate of change rapidly increasing, it’s important to stay inspired and relevant. Be methodical and deliberate in the way you work, pursue images that require more and more technical skill, and redefine the boundaries of your comfort zone. Take the time to slow down, work on your process, and create rather than capture. Investing in the artistic process can take you into new and exciting creative territory. Study the Unscripted Posing App and try something new and challenging each session.
5. Stop with the comparisons
Do you ever hop on Instagram in search of inspiration and end up down the rabbit hole of other people’s holidays and perfect lives? We’re all prone to feeling like everyone is doing more and better sometimes, but it’s really important to celebrate your own skills and give value to your own potentiality. Focus on what makes you happy behind the camera, and everything else will follow. Find your niche and become the king of your niche, you don’t need to be great at everything, just get really good at one thing and your clients will seek you out for it.
With the start of 2020 it’s a great opportunity to think about what your business goals are for the new year. What do you want to achieve this year? How are you going to get there, what are you going to do to invest in your success? Jump onto the Unscripted App and start planning out your next photoshoot, we know it will be your best one yet!
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