What Are You Trying To Do With Your Photography?

Photography Explained Podcast Episode 173 - What Are You Trying To Do With Your Photography?

What Are You Trying To Do With Your Photography? What are your hopes and dreams? Are you happy as you are taking photos with your phone? Or do you want to be a professional photographer and earn a full-time living from your photography?

This is the starting point in learning how to take better photos, which is what this series of episodes is about. Yes, taking better photos starts with you and what you want to get out of your photography. Then, you need to decide what you want to take photos of and what you will do with the photos you have created.

You need a plan, and I will help you with this.

Once you have a plan and know what you are trying to do with your photography you can begin that wonderful voyage of photographic discovery. 

In this episode, I tell you.

• How you can work out what you want to do with your photography.
• To think about what you want to take photos of.
• To think about what you are going to do with your photos.
• What people don’t know or don’t care about when they look at your photo.
• What if I use a phone to take photos and not a camera?
• What if I use a film camera?
• And finally, what I do.

All explained in plain English, without the irrelevant detail, in less than 27 (ish) minutes!

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• 9:42 (Cont.) What Are You Trying To Do With Your Photography?

Transcript

Hi, and a very warm welcome to Episode 173 of the Photography Explained podcast. I'm your host, Rick, and in each episode, I will try to explain one photographic thing to you in plain English in less than 27 minutes (ish) without the irrelevant details. I'm a professionally qualified photographer based in England with a lifetime of photographic experience, which I share with you in my podcast.

Answery bit

What Are You Trying To Do With Your Photography? What are your hopes and dreams? Are you happy as you are taking photos with your phone? Or do you want to be a professional photographer and earn a full-time living from your photography? Those are the two ends of the scale; you and I are in there somewhere. We need to find out where you are and where you want to get to.

This is a great place to start and a great introduction to the series of episodes about how to take better photos. After all, you need to know where you are going so you know what you need to do. One of my favourite sayings is this - start with the end in mind.

The talky bit

Well, this is a talky episode, for sure.

I started with this in the last episode, which I am repeating here. It is, well, important. And I am okay with that.

“Well, it’s an excellent place to start. Do you want to go pro? Do you want to make a living from your photography? Do you want to grow a massive online following with your photos?

Or do you want to learn how to create better photos as this is the thing you love to do, your hobby, and how you like to spend your free time?

All are fine, of course – I will go into this lot in more detail, which will set you off in the right direction.”

In the next episode, I will talk about photography composition. But before we talk about what we put in a photo, I would like to talk about where you want to get, which helps us with the take the photos bit. Think of this episode as the why bit.

Now, there are a few places that you could want to get to, which I will go through one by one.

1 - I like the sound of photography, but I need to figure out where to start.

Listen on. Photography is a wonderful thing which is open to everyone. And the beauty of digital photography is that you can start taking photos immediately if you have a phone, and it does not have to cost you anything. No, photography is accessible to everyone and free to get started in. Taking photos with your phone is a great way to get into photography.

Listen to the next ten episodes, whether you want to use a phone or a camera to take photos.

2 - I enjoy taking photos with my phone; I want to learn how to take better photos.

Perfect. I can help you. And starting with a phone is just fine. You can stay with your phone if you want, but with what I tell you, I can help you take better photos with your phone.

You are happy doing what you do, so hopefully, you will listen to these episodes, and what I say will hopefully inspire you to progress with your photography with your phone.

But I get that this is not your thing, well, not yet anyway. Keep an open mind, though, as if you listen to all these episodes, who knows what your photography aspirations will be?

3 - I want to learn photography and take the best photos that I can.

You know what you want to do, so we should go for it. Photography is drawing with light, but the more you practise, the better your photos will become. Work on your photography skills, and you will take better photos. You need some technical understanding, but not as much as you might think. Well, not as much as some lead you to believe. 

To learn how to take the best photos, listen on.

4 - I've already got a camera, but I don't know what to do

I have been there. I bought a fancy camera, didn't bother learning how to use it properly, got rubbish photos and blamed the camera. So, if you have a camera but do not know how to use it, don't worry - it is not as bad as you think; you need a helping hand.

5 - I love taking photos but haven't got a clue where to start with editing my photos

I have had quite a few people make contact telling me this - they literally do not know where to start. Now, I work in Lightroom, so the processing episode will be based on what I do in Lightroom, but I will keep this episode as broad as possible, as the principles of what I do in Lightroom apply just the same to any editing package out there.

And there are so many different ways to edit photos; what will help you is having a plan.

6 - I want to take the best photos that I can and earn some money from my photography

There are many ways to make money from photography but to make a decent amount of money; you must be more than a great photographer - you must be different and excellent at marketing yourself. Making money from photography is hard work; there is no easy way to do this. But there is still money to be made out there. And to make a lot of money from your photography, you must be unique and the best marketer.

Stock photography sites aren't what they used to be; I believe that those days are pretty much over. Sure, you can make some money, but nothing like you used to be able to.

You can sell photos online; there will always be a demand for wall art as long as there are people and walls! But you need to get people to see examples of your work - more on this later.

There are many ways of making extra money; it is about finding the ones that work for you.

But making money from photography is much more than taking photos as a paid job for someone else.

7 - I want to make a full-time living from photography.

Then, you need to work on every stage and develop systems and processes that allow you to work professionally. But most of all, you need to be able to take great photos with great content that is technically bang on and interesting to look at. 

And a full-time living from photography isn't just taking photos - oh no, there is much more than that, especially in this digital, online connected world. The internet presents us with seemingly endless digital platforms to put our best work on, which is good and, at the same time, a challenge. An online portfolio is essential, but you have to find prospective clients - don't expect just to put up some photos and expect the world to start beating down your door!

And professional photography demands professional practice. And this is a level up from being an amateur or hobbyist photographer. No, being a commercial photographer is a different thing.

8 - I want to be the best photographer in the world.

So did I once. But what does that actually mean? I am not even the best photographer in my family. Try to be the best that you can be, and take the best photos that you want to. But be happy with that.

OK, so you are in there somewhere—two further things.

What do you want to take photos of?

You may want to be published in National Geographic. Or do you love landscape photography? Or you'd love to be an event photographer? Or a travel photographer? That looks like a pretty cool lifestyle, right? There will always be a demand for local landmarks - they aren't local to someone who is not there, are they? Or is wedding photography for you? It's not for me. 

And photography isn't just about taking stunning photos at golden hour - that is the dream promoted, but the reality is somewhat different.

No, I photograph buildings, things that do not move, breathe or answer back! I will cover this in a later episode, but for now, think about what you would like to take photos of - there are countless subjects out there, so which ones do you like to capture?

What are you going to do with your photos?

You go out and take a load of photos. You edit a load of photos. You have some fantastic results. And then what? What do you do with the photos? I guess in 2024, the answer is to share them online. But to what end? What is the point of just posting your stuff on social media? Who will be looking at your own work, your own amazing photos?

Well, having your online portfolio is a great thing to do - I have done this. I have a few online portfolios, each one a different collection of images showing the things that I do. Have your online platform for your photos - you will have control of this if you do. Social media channels come and go, after all. Your own online portfolio will be there for potential clients to find you, but that is another story again.

It's a fair question and one for you to think about as we embark on this journey together.

In this social media-dominated world, there are so many photos out there. Which has to be a good thing, right? But who is looking at these photos? I often wonder that.

And these people that you see appearing to live their best life - is this reality?

If you are hoping to become the next great thing in social media, then good luck to you, but you need to have a clear plan and work out what will make you different. And every new skill you learn will help you with this.

But there is the other old-school way - buy a photo album and put your photos in it so you can look at them. Or the modern way, a photo book. Either way, looking at photos, not on a screen, is a good thing.

The talky bit

Which of these eight are you? Which of these do you want to be?

There is a serious point I want to make here. If you are happy as you are taking photos with your phone, your photos are as valid as those taken by a professional photographer.

How can I possibly justify this statement? Simple. Your photos are as valid to you as my photos are to me and as any professional photographer's photos are to them. Let's always remember that.

I have discussed photography snobbery in a blog post on my website, which you can read at rickmcevoyphotogrpahy.com. Excuse the shameless plug there. But seriously, there is too much snobbery in photography, or there certainly has been.

Photography is for everyone, and in this series of episodes, I want to help everyone to take better photos. And I will be applying what I talk about to myself as well.

So, you have a starting point wherever you are on the scale. And maybe now you have a different endpoint. That was the point of this episode: to get you to think about where you want to go with your photography and what the possibilities are. 

And whilst there is a ton of complicated photography stuff out there, you don't need to know everything. No, start with the basics and build from there. I have spent over 40 years getting to the point where my photography has been simplified to the minimum, both in terms of the technical stuff that I do, how I take my photos, and how I process them.

Having simplified things for myself, I tell what I do, what I know, and equally importantly what you do not need to know, what you do not need to worry about.

Photography is for everyone; don't let the technical feel like a barrier stopping you from getting into photography. We can make photography as complicated or as simple as we want. And I want to make it as understandable as possible for all.

And you can always ask me a question, and I will answer it - see, I have got you covered!

What do you want out of photography? The amount you want will dictate the time and effort you are prepared to put in.

And what are you going to do with your photos? Who is going to see them? Of course, the two are related. And these two things together are a great starting point.

What do you want out of your photography?

Who is going to see your photos?

But whatever your aspirations, photography is a wonderful thing and a thing to be enjoyed. It is not about the gear, the technical side of things. And the best way to take better photos is to practise. Yes, get out there and put interesting stuff in front of your lens.

What matters in photography, thinking about it in its purest sense is what is in the photo that someone is looking at—the final image. Someone looking at your photo only cares about what they are looking at. This is why the next episode is about composition - what you include in a photo. And how. The art of photography is what you put in a photo. And a more interesting composition = a more interesting photo.

What if I use my phone to take photos and not a camera?

I have already covered this, but I will talk about this in each episode in plenty of detail. So, if you are only using a phone and have no intention of ever using a camera, don't worry; there will be plenty for you in the upcoming episodes. 

What if I use a film camera?

Then, you have made a choice which will dictate how you progress. You do not have the luxury of digital instantness. But you also don't have the pressure of digital instantness.

Taking photos with a film camera is different and something I recommend anyone try. Learn how to take photos with a film camera, and it will set you up nicely to take photos with a digital camera. If you want to, that is.

In this series of episodes, a lot of the stuff I talk about will apply. And on the processing one, I will talk about this with film - I Used to have my own darkroom when I was very young!

What do I do?

I talk about this stuff. I talk about what I have learned over the years of practising and learning photography. I share my love of photography with my listeners and readers.

And I take photos of buildings using a DSLR. And I take photos with my phone that support my photography work. But I have never issued a client a photo taken with my phone. Not yet. And that day might be coming, but it has not for me.

I still use a camera in 2024 to take photos, and I cannot take the photos I need with my phone.

And I still love taking photos with my camera. And I still don't really like taking photos with my phone.

That is why, in 2024, you should consider buying a camera to get the best you can out of photography.

That is what I do.

Some thoughts from the last episode

The last episode was the beginning of this series of episodes; that was the menu, and today's episode is the starter. Hmm, does that make sense? That makes this the beginning of a 10-course meal! I think I will stop with the food analogy. Move on, Rick. No, the first thing I wanted to do was to set this little lot out, which I have done. 

Next episode

Photography Composition – What You Put In Your Photos. And also, what you do not put in your photos. What is in a photo is very important. Well, that is all that someone sees, right? To get the inside track on this and other stuff on my mind I will tell you in a minute how to get a weekly email from me. 

Ask me a question.

If you have a question you would like me to answer, email me at sales@rickmcevoyphotography.co.uk or head over to the podcast website photographyexplainedpodcast.com/start.

And if you just want to say hi, please do – I love hearing from my listeners.

Get an email from me.

If you would like to receive a weekly email from me where I tell you what I am thinking about, fill out the form on the podcast website, and every Friday, you will get a lovely email from me.

OK - I am done.

This episode was brought to you by, erm, ok, a New Year, a new me. I am having a healthy phase, so I eat fewer cheese and pickle sandwiches and no crisps. No crisps. I know. So, this episode was brought to you by a (homemade) chicken and mayo sandwich washed down with an ice-cold Diet Pepsi before I settled in my homemade, acoustically cushioned recording emporium. But no crisps.

I've been Rick McEvoy; thanks again very much for listening to my small but perfectly formed podcast (it says here) and for giving me 27 ish minutes of your valuable time. This episode will be about 23 minutes long after I have edited out the mistakes and other bad stuff.

Take care and stay safe.

Cheers from me, Rick