Getting the Most Out of Your Photography: Personal Lessons I've Learned

Robert Rodriguez Jr / Issue No. 47 / July 7th, 2024

During a recent workshop, I was asked about the role of self-criticism in photography and how it impacts my decision-making process. They wanted to know how I choose the best images from a shoot, how I gauge success or failure, and how I manage frustration.

These questions touch on deeper aspects of the creative journey, such as the importance of valuing time well spent, nurturing one's creative voice, and maintaining a long-term perspective. In this newsletter, I'll share my insights and strategies for getting the most out of your photography, focusing on the lessons I've learned over the past 15 years about mindset, habits, and the creative process.

To start I'll state what is perhaps the most important lesson I've learned, and that is to worry less about results. Life is too short, and how I spend my time is what matters most. My daily approach is to value time well spent and let results happen naturally. We are all products of our habits, and consistent habits eventually reap consistent rewards, so I try and focus on developing a healthy mindset.

If I go out for a photo shoot and return with no usable images, that’s ok. The real question is: Did I make the most of that opportunity? Did I notice something I wouldn’t have noticed before? Did I feel excited about the moment? Did I feel inspired?

The actual results may or may not reflect that, but eventually, they will—and they did for me. That's because I came away from the experience with a deeper sense of what matters to me and how I want to share that with others. The same should happen for you.

Conveying your feelings about what you photograph comes from nurturing your creative voice. It radiates from how you cultivate that voice and allow it to develop. You need to make space and time for that to happen. If you get lost in the habitual need to feel successful, the real gifts will never materialize. Success is the staying on the path, for the long term.

So, what does that look like in the real world? Here are a few things that have been critical in my journey as a photographer.

Master the camera settings that matter

A few years ago, I heard legendary photographer Art Wolfe say that he only knew how to use 5% of the features on his Canon DSLR. I smiled because I understood his point; all the bells and whistles don't matter IF you don't have a solid understanding of the exposure triangle. This means being able to make adjustments to your aperture, shutter speed, and ISO in any situation without fumbling with the settings or not knowing why to make an adjustment.

Why is this so important? Because it will let you see more. You'll spend less metal energy working on technical matters and have more energy available to address the creative challenges that truly make a difference; capturing a unique moment with the strongest possible composition.

Similarly, you should be comfortable with your lenses and how to optimize each for any given situation. Less is more, the better you understand how each of your lenses performs, the better prepared you will be in any situation.

The present moment is where creative ideas are found

Every moment you spend with your camera in hand is an opportunity to notice something new, something you weren't aware of before. Learning happens gradually over time, but it has profound effects both visually and creatively.

Awareness of what sparks your curiosity is crucial, and you won't connect with that if you’re needlessly preoccupied with camera settings, lens choices, fixated on expectations, or lost in judgmental thoughts that take you out of the moment. Yes, you can still make lots of images—you need to in order to improve. But once you press the shutter button, the only thing that matters is, "How can I make the most of the current opportunity?" (It's why the iPhone is such a powerful creative tool.)

Think long term

Either you photograph because it gives you something worthwhile in return, or you will burn out from being too focused on some imaginary finish line. There is no finish line in art. You develop and grow every time you make an image.

If you approach making an image as a process that involves gratitude, you are moving forward in ways that will nourish your creative voice for a lifetime. It’s a compounding effect; we just don’t add to our knowledge, we make new creative connections. That makes me excited because I can’t wait to see what sorts of images I will be making ten years from now. I’m in no rush, and neither should you.

Seek feedback and guidance from those who inspire you

Every great and successful person has benefited from the help of others. There are countless examples of this throughout history, from Da Vinci to Steve Jobs. The key is to find people that not only inspire you, but that share your ideals.

Feedback and criticism are good, but not at the expense of your inner creative flame. Seek out those who truly want to help you improve, who push you farther than you thought was possible in a way that is supportive and positive. They should leave you inspired, not frustrated.

Practice deliberately

Instead of going out to make pictures, go out with an open mindset that values discovery and curiosity above all. Find joy in the details, in the light, in the shadows, in whatever you find beautiful, inspiring, or meaningful. The camera will be there alongside of you, but not in front of you, blocking your emotional connection to the moment.

Each of these topics has not only been critical for me as a professional photographer, but also in my journey learning watercolor painting. They can each be discussed in-depth, so I will be exploring all of them in future newsletters. :)

Questions, comments, feedback? Please reply and share your thoughts, I'd love to hear from you. Thanks for reading!

Robert :)