Growth and learning: Why we should continue to work on our craft.

I just got done with a week of Photoshop training at an online seminar. I learned a lot and some of it even stuck! Photoshop is one of the tools of my trade as a photographer in 2021. Like it or not, a photographer in this digital world needs to keep up to date with software changes and new techniques. It made me think about continuing education in general; I firmly believe that learning and improvement is a life-long journey and that especially goes for business. Benjamin Franklin said, "When you're finished changing, you're finished!" The pandemic has shown this to be true; the businesses that survived, and even flourished last year, were those that were able to change, adapt and pivot. In my case, while in-person photography was limited, I did more photo restoration. People spending more time at home must have been looking through their old family pictures; what was a side-line has become an important part of my business!

As well as technical skills, I work constantly on my photography skills. I attend workshops (virtual and in person) and I take lots of pictures, trying out new ideas. Some of those pictures, I submit to competitions and critiques to learn where I need to improve. I can look at images I took a few years ago and see the growth in my work, and that makes me happy. To be honest, my clients don't care about prizes and certifications; they want emotion more than technical excellence. Often, a client's favorite image is not the most technically perfect but the one which makes a connection that tugs at the heart strings. As I hone my skills, it becomes easier for me to capture those special moments without taking a thousand pictures (known as "spray and pray" in the photography world!)

The third area of learning is keeping up with new products for my clients, from books that play videos to prints on wood and metal, there are all kinds of cool items available. Most clients don't think much beyond the digital files but there are so many other ways to share and display their images!

I keep up with the changes in my industry because I care about photography as an art, and as a business. All my clients need to know is that their pictures will be the best they ever had!