Do you know what to do if one of your prints gets damaged by water? If you living in a flood prone area (or are clumsy), it’d be good to know.

The Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts (CCAHA) has an informative technical bulletin titled “Salvaging Photographs”, that provides a rundown on the response you should take to water damage.

One of the interesting tips is to freeze your prints to prevent further damage:

Freezing to help retard further deterioration by water or mold may be necessary if the materials cannot be treated immediately. Storage at low temperatures buys time in which to safely plan and organize the many steps needed to dry the affected materials and to prepare a rehabilitation site.

Vacuum freeze-drying can help you recover the prints:

In this method, photographic materials—either wet or frozen—are placed in a vacuum chamber. As the vacuum is pulled, a low heat source is introduced and the photographs are carefully dried at temperatures below freezing.

Some additional tips from the document:

• Keep immersion time to an absolute minimum
• Treat least stable items (i.e. prints rather than negatives) first
• Keep identifying information near the prints
• Never let the prints dry in contact with any surface, since it may stick permanently

If there’s any chance you might have to deal with recovering wet prints, this PDF would be a good thing to bookmark, save, or print out.

Salvaging Photographs (via Lifehacker)

Image credit: Flood series by cikaga jamie

We posted a while back on how to sharpen your photos like Flickr for smaller resolution images. The technique used “Unsharp Mask”, but today we’ll quickly describe how you can ensure sharpness using a simple setting.

When you reduce the size of an image in Photoshop, there’s an option on the Image Size screen that allows you to choose how the image is resampled (shown above). By default, this is set to “Bicubic”, but that’s not optimal for shrinking photographs down to smaller sizes for the web. Instead, you should use “Bicubic Sharper” to preserve the sharpness in your photo.

Here’s a demonstration of the difference. The following photograph was resized from 3883px wide down to 500px using “Bicubic”:

Now compare that photograph with the following version, which we resized using “Bicubic Sharper”:

You can hover your mouse over either photograph to compare it the other (you might have to wait a few seconds to see the change).

To set “bicubic sharper” as your default, go to

Preferences->General->Image Interpoation->Bicubic Sharper (best for reduction)

If you’ve been resizing images poorly in the past, you should now see a noticeable increase in sharpness! Yay!

Recovering your camera after losing it is one of those things that most people don’t really think about until the situation actually arises. If you were to lose your camera today, would anyone be able to return it to you?

Andrew McDonald’s solution is to always keep his email address in a photograph that never leaves his camera.

In fact, he keeps a whole series of photographs that help him “speak” to the stranger (or thief) that found his camera.

It’s a pretty clever idea, since someone who finds a camera is bound to look through the photographs stored on the memory card. You don’t even need to take a fancy photograph – a simple hand-written note should suffice:

The reason you should save your contact information as a photo on the memory card rather than as a text file is because the text file won’t show up when viewing the photographs using the camera. Even if the person who finds your camera is tech-savvy enough to browse through the card using a computer, they might not see a text-file intended for them no matter what you title the file.

A problem with this simple approach is that simple altruism isn’t enough of an incentive for some people to return the camera rather than to keep it or sell it. Thus, the following “digital dog tag” might have a higher chance of success:

Notice how the prize is completely ambiguous. This might be a good way to get the finder to email or call you so you have some tangible link to your camera. What you choose to offer them as a “prize” is up to you. How much is your camera worth to you?

For the rest of Andrew McDonald hilarious set of images, check out the following link:

A Pictoral Guide to Avoiding Camera Loss

The football season may be halfway over, but there’s still time left to gear up and hone your skills in time for holiday bowl games.

Whether it’s the Super Bowl or the local high school homecoming, anything can happen during a football game. Miracles and heartbreak unfold on the field. The stands are alive with cheering fans led by cheerleaders and mascots. The band trumpets the team on.

And the sideline photographer gets the best seat in the house to observe and capture these moments.

Football is probably one of my favorite sports to cover. I covered the UCLA football team for four seasons, through their ups and downs (both usually against USC) and across the country. Along the way, I’ve compiled a few tips that I’ve passed along to my fresher staff members.

1. Practice, Practice, Practice.

Whenever the team practices, you can too.

If you have access, practice a great time to get a feel for the pacing and feel of the game.

But better yet, you can get a behind-the-scenes look at the players and the coach. Get a sense of the overall team dynamic–which leads us to our next point.

2. Know the Teams.

Particularly if you are a team beat photographer, it’s essential to at least be familiar with your team’s players, their role in the game. Which notable players are on the O-line? Who’s the 2nd string quarterback? Are there any potential rising stars on the team?

Knowing who will do what, and when, will not only help you get better coverage during play time, but sometimes you can capture more intimate pre-game and post-game moments.

I took this photo of UCLA tail back Kahlil Bell right before he exited the tunnel to play his final college football game against USC last season. Aside from being a gauntlet game against USC, Bell’s expression reflects the personal significance of this game as a senior player.

It’s also a good idea to do your research about the other team. What are the pregame predictions? Are the players evenly matched? Team or personal rivalries?

There’s this great Daily Bruin archive photo from an old UCLA vs. USC game. A Bruin player is lending a hand to the Trojan sitting on the field after a play, but the latter responds by defiantly flipping him off.

3. Dress Appropriately.

There’s no dress code, but it is a good idea to dress sensibly while shooting.

Wear comfortable clothing and shoes with good traction.
You might find yourself running more yards than the star running back, not only to get the shot but especially if you’re covering a game that has TV coverage. Television crews get priority access to the sidelines (they make the big money, usually), and major networks almost always have a large dolly truck that runs up and down one side of the field. Mind your step, watch out for cords, and be ready to run if you’re passing the dolly (of course, you could always shoot from the other side of the field, sans dolly).

Check the weather.
Even when I was covering games at the Rose Bowl in sunny Southern California, the nights could get a bit drafty. Layers come in handy. Also, you’ll know if you should come prepared with a poncho and protective gear for your camera.

Optionally, knee pads are a good idea. Your body will thank you.

Finally, wear long shirts, please, or a belt at least. Because plumber’s cracks are not limited to that vocation.

4. Pack Wisely, and Mind the Monopod.

Most professionals use two to three camera bodies paired with different lenses. I’m probably at least 50 pounds lighter than the average football photographer, and my budget is proportionally smaller, so I usually carry two bodies and a monopod. Two bodies are always better than one, especially if one tweaks out. You’ll have a media room or photographer’s area at most college or pro venues to stash the rest of your gear.

My camera bag usually contains:

Primary and secondary bodies
Primary lens: A long lens — 300mm f2.8 or 400mm f2.8
Secondary lens: A long to mid-range lens — 70-200mm f2.8
Other gear: laptop, card reader, monopod, 1-2 extra cards, extra batteries and charger, standard 17-35mm lens for tunnel and post-game celebratory shots, sometimes a flash for post-game shots at night.

And finally, mind how you carry the monopod. It can be cumbersome running down field with a 300mm lens over your shoulder, but make sure you know where (or at whom) your monopod is pointing. Terrible accidents can happen (I know this for a reason; sorry, guy!).

5. Work the Field.

In most games, photographers cannot stand between the two 20-yard lines on each side of the field, since the team, coaches, and officials use that area. The area between the 20-yard line and the goal, as well as the entire end zone might seem constrictive, but they’re actually the most ideal places to be.

I like using the 300mm or a 400mm lens primarily, so I tend to camp in the end zone, maybe venturing up the corners and sides every once in a while. Up-field from the offense, I’m almost guaranteed to get some good face shots or action in the frame, since they are headed my way.

On the flip side, shooting from behind the team with the ball can yield some great defensive moments too: turnovers, interceptions, not to mention a great angle of the quarterback dropping back for a pass or pitching the ball to a tail back.

If you follow the quarterback, you follow the ball. Learn to read his body language. If he drops back in the pocket and looks around, he’ll likely pass. If he immediately runs back, he’s likely to hand it off. If he hesitates in the pocket, get ready for a sack or for him to rush.

6. Don’t Always Follow the Ball.

In a lot of games, a lot of action takes place away from the ball. While that one player has the ball, the other 21 guys on the field are scrambling desperately to do something. Not to mention coaches yelling, other players on the side lines, field officials running about. I smell a photo op.

7. Don’t Always Follow the Game.

In the same line of thought, there’s more going on at the stadium than just the game itself.

There are wild fans, families, 70-year-old school alumni, retired players, the marching band, the mascot and, of course, cheerleaders. Try taking photos that capture the spirit of the game, or even the environment at the game, the sunset or snow over the stadium.

A few hours at a football game can yield a cohesive photo story.

8. Get Faces, Action, Emotion.

It’s easier said than done. It’s hard to capture faces, action and emotion in one shot:

Woops. I was on the wrong side of the field for this shot. It was a great moment, but a bit pointless since I have no faces. Great photos don’t always have to have faces, but faces do add a lot to the image.

Not all good shots need to hit everything on the list, either.

9. Good Crop, Bad Crop: Use Cropping to your Advantage.

Cropping a photo can make or break it.

I’m personally a fan of really, really tight crops for football photos. I like to find where the peak action is occurring and home in on it.

This was the initial crop I made of this photo. I wanted to emphasize the fact that the player is carrying the ball and that there is a cool reflection off his visor.

However, I sacrificed the ball in the shot to draw closer attention to the details on his visor, which ultimately make this photo stand out from any other ball-carrying photo. In the reflection, the entire field is visible, from the blocker in front of the player to the tackler about to make a stop.

At the same time, it’s important to be aware of the empty space in the photo, which gives the subject breathing room and a sense of motion.

This uncropped photo is not particularly interesting, but cropping might help add dynamism to the moment and emphasize the quarterback’s expression.

This crop is a little better, but badly composed. Though the player’s head is in the upper third, the action is killed because he’s placed at the dead center of the photo. Also, the crop is still too wide, since his feet are awkwardly not in the frame.

This crop is probably worse than the previous crop because it’s too tight. The motion is killed and the photo is claustrophobic because there simply is not enough empty space for him to visually move into.

I would lean more towards a crop like this, where there is space on the left, where the player is moving from, and on the right, where he is moving into. I left a little of his right leg in there as well, to preserve the sense that he’s running.

10. If it Needs More than 1000 Words, Captions Say the Rest.

If you are shooting for a publication, informative captions are essential for marketing and presenting your final products.

Generally, I use captions to contextualize the image, and to explain who, what and where the photo is taking place. I usually try to at least include a date, locale, and both team names.

Back to the photo of Kahlil Bell in the tunnel:

It may not be immediately obvious who, where, why or what he is doing in this photo without an explanation.

However, couple the photo with a quick caption underneath, and you’ve got an emotional context and story which adds depth to the image.

UCLA tailback Kahlil Bell pauses at the tunnel entrance at the Rose Bowl before his final college game against USC, Dec. 6, 2008.

Conclusion

From preparation to post-production, covering the football beat can be challenging but extremely rewarding.

If you’ve got tips of your own tips, suggestions or questions, leave a comment!

Editor’s note: When I first came across the following post by Jessyel Ty Gonzalez of dailysnap, I loved it so much that I asked him if we could republish it on PetaPixel.

Also, be sure to check out PetaPixel’s interview with Jessyel.

Lately, I’ve been interested in approaching people and asking if I can take their photo. Additionally, I like to strike up some sort of conversation (I’ve been especially interested in what people do for a living). It’s challenging at times, but rewarding when a complete stranger opens up to you (especially in these rough economic times) and allows you to take their picture.

I’ve featured some of these shots on my photoblog, and have received a few emails lately from people asking for general tips on street photography. I’m obviously no expert, but will share some of the things I’ve learned over the last few years. I won’t be writing about its legality, how it differs from photo-journalism, about the art or technical aspects of it (you don’t have to shoot in black and white – seriously!), or meant to have any definitive rights and wrongs. These are just my opinions and experiences (and the lessons I’ve learned from them).

Being Sneaky

Looking back to my first street photography experiences a few years ago, I treated these shooting sessions like I was a private detective or something – being sneaky about it all. Not sure if it was my introverted nature or fear of rejection (more on that later), but I always felt like I was doing something wrong (some sort of guilt complex). Who was I to take photos of complete strangers while they weren’t aware of it?

This all culminated into some sneaky behavior that I quickly realized would never allow me to grow as a (street) photographer, and that the shots themselves would never reach any true potential.

Be Light

So what was I doing? For one, I would shoot with a telephoto lens. The mindset was that at 300mm, I could shoot from far away and never be ‘caught’. I thought I was a genius. It actually worked for a while too, but the shots just weren’t turning out all that great. I quickly found out that street photography almost demanded I be a participant, and not just an observer (if that makes any sense).

Additionally, people who saw me with a huge camera (I would apply a battery grip to my SLR as well) and a huge telephoto lens would be suspicious of my behavior. In this post-9/11 environment and paparazzi-like appearance, you can’t blame people for thinking this. In the end – even though I was far away – I managed to invade their personal space, and everyone around my radius was walking on eggshells and any spontaneity went out the window.

Don’t look like a photographer per se. I’ve learned to not take too much equipment, dress normally, and keep the camera bag small and inconspicuous. This means bringing only one camera (no added accessories) and one lens (or carry another in a small camera bag). You’ll seem less threatening than before. To me, you almost want to create the illusion that you’re a tourist – people realize you have a camera, but don’t care as to why you have that camera.

I know I said I wouldn’t talk about technical aspects, but I will say this to those that are fuming that I said no telephotos – as with all other types of photography, you use your equipment to get the best shot possible based on your situation. Using a telephoto lens because you don’t want to get ‘caught’ or get up-close during a street photo is not taking full advantage of your equipment. Apart from this, the compression from a telephoto may work great on landscape or wildlife shot, but not so much with a street one (at least in my experience). In the end, if you like your results and feel a telephoto presents you with the best possible shot, more power to you.

What seems to work best for me are wide-angles and a 50mm prime lens. Not sure why, but there’s something about a 50mm with street photography that just works (could be because the focal length is about the same as the human eye). A wide-angle works great when I want more of the environment to show in a portrait. Regardless of what you shoot with, use it because it will help get you the shot in an aesthetic manner – not because of sneakiness.

Other Sneakiness

Apart from trying to be far away from people, I would try a lot of other sneaky things to not get caught. I would put the camera beneath my arm trying to conceal it (the cops peg you as a perv right away). If people noticed I was taking a picture of them, I would pretend that I was shooting something that was behind them. If I was confronted, I would tell people that I was a photo student on an assignment (sort of true at the time, but I used the line to my advantage – not the right thing to do).

You’ve noticed I’ve said I didn’t want to get ‘caught’. This was the definitive aspect in my getting better with street photography – knowing that in the end, I was doing nothing wrong. When I would stop by the side of the road with my tripod to take a picture of a landscape, nobody questioned me. When I would whip out my macro lens to take photos of flowers, nobody questioned me there as well. People generally understand the reasons of why we take photographs – whether it be art, documenting, knowing a culture, beauty, freezing a moment in time, etc. – people understand this. However, it’s a lot more difficult being in front of the camera than behind it (most photographers understand this). I had to put myself in people’s shoes and understand the hesitation and even paranoia of being in a complete stranger’s photograph. This was key.

Be Honest… and Nice

In the end, I’ve come to learn that being honest is the best element in street photography. If people question me, I tell them exactly why I’m taking their picture. I usually start off with a specific feature/reason of why I chose them over the hundreds of other people around: I dig your look; I like how your red clothing stands out; your afro is awesome; etc. Then I explain that I’m a photographer interested in capturing my city and its people (which is why I’m into street photography). Oh, and be nice. Don’t be aggressive. Smile.

If you talk with confidence and truth, most people see this. You’ll be amazed at how much people will let you in when you have the right intentions, are nice, and are smiling (just being a generally kind person). Some would say this goes without saying, but I see many photographers who go into a shot as if the subject owes them something; acting rude or unappreciative (just because you know why you’re capturing something doesn’t mean everyone else does). Again, kindness, smiling, and being honest will yield more positive results than not.

Shoot First, Ask Later

Another thing that helped me was realizing that I didn’t always have to take shots of people that weren’t aware I was taking them in the first place. That is, it was okay to ask before I took a shot. The recent series of street portraits I’ve taken have involved me approaching people and asking them for their picture before I press the shutter. This is a great way to ease yourself into shots later. However, some photographers don’t like this approach and prefer the candids; the spontaneity of a scene happening before your eyes that isn’t tarnished by people knowing you’re taking their photograph.

Regardless of which shooting approach you take, I feel it’s perfectly fine to shoot first, then ask later. Some argue about the ethical aspects of this type of photography – privacy, the elements of voyeurism, and taking advantage of a situation. I’ll be honest with you – if I see a scene before me that warrants a photograph in my mind and eyes, I’m taking it first, then asking for permission later. Some may think that’s wrong, but this is my approach as an artist (whatever the heck that means). You will never truly recreate a candid/spontaneous scene you just saw if you ask first, then take the shot.

The photo above was taken in Los Angeles. I was driving down a one-way street and saw this man carrying some bags, struggling to walk, and he was wearing a beautiful coat and hat against a black wall. He breathed heavy with every step of his cane, and I thought it was a great scene to capture. I literally stopped the car, took my camera out of its bag (wasn’t shooting that day, but always like having my camera near) and tried to shoot. Memory card full. Dammit! I quickly deleted a shot, but by the time I looked up, he was nearing out of frame and the cars behind me were honking. I took one frame. And just like that, he was around the corner and gone. I never had a chance to meet him, to ask him for permission, or worse – never showed him the shot. I made a few turns trying to find him and never did. Some would argue I should have never taken the shot in the first place, and others would say I should never have publicly shown it since I didn’t get his permission.

Sometimes the scene before you warrants a shot. Shoot first, ask later. However, I always try to meet up with the individual(s) after a shot is taken – regardless of whether or not they knew I had even taken one – and ask them for permission. This means permission to show it in my portfolio, on my blog, etc. Sometimes they ask if I’m making any money off of them. Again, be honest. I approach street photography to simply capture scenes and people; I don’t like to sell prints of these events (just a personal choice). Regardless, I feel it’s an obligation to ask for permission to use a shot.

Rejection

Whether you asked first or took the shot then asked later, you’re going to get people that just don’t get why you’re wanting to take their picture. You’re going to get rejected. A lot. In a way, the fear of getting ‘caught’ and the fear of rejection are probably the reasons why street photography is so difficult at the beginning. Nobody wants to get rejected for any reason – especially when you’re going into something with good intentions. Sometimes it just kills me when I get shot down – not so much personally, but because I really wanted to take their photograph (for whatever reason). Apart from being able to actually capture a great moment, getting rejected is the most difficult thing for me to swallow right now.

If someone doesn’t want you to take their picture, respect that. I’ve seen photographers who don’t and will continue to take photos, and only make the individual(s) more irate. To a degree, that’s giving the rest of us a bad name/reputation.

However, what happens when you take a picture first, then ask and are shot down? I’ve had instances where I take the picture, show the person, and ask if I can feature this in my portfolio/blog. They say no. As much as it kills me, it’s something I respect as well. If they ask for me to delete the shot, I’ll do so in front of them. It’s tough, but again, I try to respect people’s decisions. I’ve often wondered if it’s the right thing to do, especially since it’s perfectly legal to take a stranger’s photo and publicly showcase it (unless you’re making money off of it), but it’s my current stance and what I’ll keep practicing. Who knows if it will change in the future.

Anyway, at first, I would take this rejection personally. What was I doing wrong? Is it my face? My actions? Why don’t they get this is art to me? Whatever. Like most things in life, you’re going to get better at something if you keep at it. I wish I had better advise as to ways to get better with this, but it’s not easy and it varies person to person. You just have to grow some cajones – getting over your fears. That’s not easy. You will be rejected, and you will have people question your photo motives. This is just something you have to live and deal with. There are many different types of people in this world, and sometimes you’ll lose some. Just the way it is.

However, sometimes you’ll be stopped by cops/security saying you’re not allowed to shoot (usually because of “security purposes”). Do not allow this to happen. Yes, I said I wouldn’t talk about the legality of street photography, but know your local laws and rights regarding it. I always carry this form (PDF) around to show to any officer/guard in case I’m stopped to prove I’m not doing anything wrong. You may still be hassled, but it’s better than doing nothing.

General Tips

As mentioned, being honest and not being sneaky are going to yield you better shooting opportunities. However, there are a few other things I’ve found that can be helpful. For one, shooting with digital is a great way to get the subject involved. Although I prefer to shoot with film, the immediacy of digital (and being able to show shots off of the LCD screen) is beneficial, especially to those who are harassing you or don’t speak the same language. Whether they let you take/use their shot or are giving you a hard time, allowing people to see themselves on the LCD screen is a huge boost (especially if it’s a decent shot).

I also hand out business cards to those that I photograph. I tell them to email or give me a call and I’ll send them a digital file or print. If someone doesn’t have email (or phone), I make arrangements to get them prints of their shot. I don’t do this all the time, but it’s something I try to keep up with. I’ve found a combination of the above has resulted in people rarely saying no to a photograph nowadays.

Mo Money, Mo Problems

I constantly get emails on my street photography regarding paying people and photographing the homeless. I’ll keep this short – I have no problem paying people for my shots if it warrants it (Thomas Hawk has a great $2 portrait project) and believe it’s okay to photograph homeless people (applying the same rules from above). Some people think it’s morally/ethically wrong to do either, but this article isn’t really about that. Do what you think is right. I’ll leave it at that.

Common Sense

Like real life, a little common sense will go a long way in photography. Putting yourself in other people’s shoes also helps. Let’s say you’re at the park and you see a cool shot with a child in the scene. If you’re a parent and you see some stranger taking photos of your kid, it’s going to come off creepy. You may mean no harm, but it comes off as questionable behavior.

Being observant of your surroundings is also big. Having expensive equipment in an unsafe area while you’re shooting can lead to trouble. I’ve gotten myself into a few fights and chases (where I was the one being chased) over my gear. Know your limitations and trust your intuition. In those situations, I knew I was going too far to get a shot, and it resulted in me almost getting shot. If you’re into documenting some more ‘dangerous’ situations, that’s a whole other article in and of itself, but again – common sense, and try to feel out the people you’re photographing before you hit the shutter.

Some tricks I’ve learned over time have included using gaffers tape to cover up any logos on my equipment. This also includes the ‘red ring’ around Canon L lenses, unstitching logos away from my camera backpacks, and bringing other people/shooters with me when going to questionable areas. Simple things.

Rules of the Game

I seem to have a lot of issues with my compositions in street photography. These meets with strangers are usually really quick interactions. If I didn’t make an especially good personal connection to start, I really only have a few seconds to take a shot, tops. Shoot for any longer and the subject starts to get a little restless, especially if they’re busy and need to head elsewhere (and just the general nervousness they must feel). You’ll see this in the photographs.

The shot below is a prime example of what not to do. The shot was originally just of the man (I liked his beard) but he wanted his dog in the shot and called it over. I ended up cutting off most of their bodies out of the frame, had a crooked background, and there’s some light on his shirt that bothers me. For whatever reason, sometimes I don’t seem to do well in these situations in regards to composition. Bad photographer? Maybe, but I just need to be aware of this and keep practicing (and not let time get to me so much). Be aware of backgrounds (having a street pole growing out of someone’s head ruins a shot very quickly), be aware of lighting and surroundings, and don’t cut off body parts. Easier said than done, but just realize time is of the essence here with most shots, unless you’ve captured their attention and time and can snap off more than a frame or two.

Which leads me to this point – when you ask if you can take someone’s picture, don’t ask your subject(s) to pose in a specific way. Sometimes it will be okay depending on their nature or surrounding, but I generally don’t believe in doing so. Half the time, people just pose themselves and do their thing. The other half ask me, “What should I do?” Sometimes I’ll direct them to some better lighting, but usually tell them – do whatever you want to do. I can push them a bit by trying to see the type of person they are (well, you’re a biker – what does a biker look like in his photos?) or just ask them, How are you? How are you feeling right now? Depending on what they reply, I ask them to try and show that emotion in the photograph. Doesn’t always work, but it’s better than asking for a specific pose (the shots come off looking… odd).

Babbling/Conclusion

Reading some of this back, I realize I’m just babbling now; time to close this puppy out. Overall, I would say street photography experiences will differ from person to person. Some will love the thrill, others will hate it and never try it again. Practice will make perfect (well, not perfect, but you get what I’m saying). I’ve been able to carve out some ‘rules’ for myself that seem to work well. However, there’s much to learn. I’ve realized the rules don’t apply everywhere or with everyone. Doing street photography in Denver was much different than doing it in San Francisco. Or its Chinatown. Or in a crowded city versus a rural area. Or where people don’t speak the same language or have vastly different economic circumstances. This is part of the challenge I enjoy, and the point of why I do street photography – to capture different people in this world of ours in a natural setting. I apply the above lessons to get myself a better chance at getting my shot, but always try to push myself and not stay in a ’safety bubble’ because every person is different, and you want to capture that in your photographs. Now go out and shoot!

Here’s a common story: one day you become enthusiastic about photography, and find yourself jumping at every opportunity to take photos and to improve your work. You keep this up for a while, but slowly the enthusiasm you once had starts to fade. You start feeling like you’ve stagnated in your growth, and that you’re just doing the same old thing, over and over again.

How can you rekindle the passion you once had for photography? If you haven’t hit the wall yet, how can you avoid running into it?

Here are 13 tips for keeping yourself motivated in photography:

1. Carry Your Camera at All Times

You’ve probably heard this before, but nothing could help you more. Have at least one camera with you at every waking moment so that whenever you feel inspired or see a photo opportunity you’ll be ready to photograph.

This tip is much easier these days with how ubiquitous camera phones have gotten, but it helps to carry something that will give you more flexibility in what and how you shoot.

Also, make sure ‘everywhere’ really means everywhere. This means taking your camera along to the dentist’s office, the grocery store, or even a short car ride. Seeing the perfect photo opportunity but not having a camera with you is a horrible feeling.

2. Start Your Own 365 Project

You’ve probably heard of it or seen it by now, but Project 365 is a term coined by Amit and Kara over at Photojojo.

Basically, it involves taking one or more photographs per day, every day of the year. The benefits of this are two-fold:

1. At the end of the year, you’ll have a photographic documentation from every single day that year. What better way to remember your days than through pictures?
2. After 365 days of photography, you will have grown in ways you never would have imagined in the beginning, and will have tried countless new things that helped you learn and improve.

If you’re looking for a place to host this project, I would recommend either Flickr (the 800-pound gorilla of photo services), Blogger (if you plan on writing as well), or Photoblog (a service geared towards this type of project that I founded).

3. Get Critiqued

Receiving feedback from other photographers can help to both encourage you, and open your eyes to ways you can improve or approach things differently.

I took two photography classes while I was an undergrad at Cal, and one of the main things I learned from them was the value of listening to what other photographers have to say about your work. After each assignment or phase of our projects, we would have in-class critiques where we spent five minutes on each students’ work. These short but meaningful times were instrumental in helping each of us broaden our horizons and improve our craft.

If you don’t have the opportunity to take part in a class or club, thinking about publishing your work on the web and hearing what visitors have to say about your photos. A great way to do this is to publish your work in an online photographic community (check out the PetaPixel Flickr Group!), which brings us to our next tip:

4. Join a Community

There’s a billion different services on the web that allow you to both store your photographs and share them with family, friends, and random strangers from around the world.

Pick one you like, and dive into the community. Build relationships with other people whose work you respect, and give them the type of feedback you’d like them to give you. These other photographers can both inspire you through their work and educate you with their critique.

5. Give Yourself Assignments

A great way to broaden your horizons is to narrow your focus.

Set a goal or pick a theme, and stick to it. For example, you could decide to shoot only shadows or reflections, and walk around your neighborhood with that goal in mind. You’ll probably notice many more shadows and reflections when you’re actively looking for them.

Can you tell what my theme was for the following series of photographs?

I was walking around the house looking for things that were in sets of certain numbers, increasing the number by one after finding each one. One thermostat, two stuffed animals, three post-it notes, four legs of a chair, etc…

Here are some other examples of assignments you could try:

• Patterns and textures
• Unconventional angles
• Creative framing
• Choose an object that you find everywhere (i.e. fire hydrants, bicycles, doorknobs)
• Portraits (could be family, friends, or even complete strangers on the street)

If you want a completely original idea, try to think of something you’ve never seen in a photograph, or some way of taking pictures that has never occurred to you before.

6. Change Your Location

If you find yourself in the same places day after day, maybe what you need is a change of scenery. This could be something as simple as taking a different path to work or school. Finding yourself indoors all the time? Go out and take a photo walk.

Traveling is another way to change your location, and a surefire way to make your photos more interesting. Take a vacation, bring your camera, and keep your eyes open.

7. Learn Something New

If you feel like you haven’t improved in your technique or post-processing skills in a long time, then it’s probably time to learn something new. If you really know all there is to know about photography, then wow… maybe it really is time for you to take a break. For the rest of us, there’s always something to learn or improve on.

Figure out something you don’t know, and learn it!

This could be as basic as a button or setting on your camera. Do you know every little feature your camera has to offer? Have you explored all the menus? When’s the last time you took a look at the instruction manual? Take a look, and you might come across some fundamental camera feature that you’ve been ignorant of all this time!

If you’ve mastered the basics of photography and know your camera like the back of your hand, then perhaps it’s time to dive deeper into the technical aspects of photography. Cambridge in Color has an awesome set of tutorials that can help you really understand all the terms you commonly throw around but don’t know the boring details of. Do you know the difference between sRGB and Adobe RGB 1998?

If you’re looking for a regular stream of interesting photo links, start following PetaPixel on Twitter. We find all sorts of neat things to inspire and educate you, and post the links every few hours via Twitter.

8. Experiment

In addition to learning new things, you should also be trying new things. Experiment.

Here at PetaPixel there’s an entire category of posts dedicated to ideas and experimentation. Here’s a sampling of things you could try (examples above):

• Cloning yourself in photographs
• Painting with light
• Using shallow depth of field for portraits
• High speed photographs of water balloons popping

9. Follow Other Photographers

A great way to motivate yourself is to be inspired by the work other photographers are producing. There are obviously many different ways you could go about doing this.

If you have some time and money, make a trip to a gallery or museum near you and check out the exhibitions. If it’s good enough to be shown in a gallery, then it’s probably good enough to inspire you, even if it’s in weird or random ways (some exhibitions I’ve seen have been pretty darn random).

Another way to get inspired is to keep up with photographers online through their websites. Whenever you need a dose of inspiration, just flip through your RSS reader or bookmarks. If you’re not sure who to check out, photoblogs.org has a great list of photobloggers who are doing awesome things with photography.

10. Get New Gear

Obsessing over gear is futile and foolish, but getting your hands on a new body or lens can give your passion for photography a jump start.

If you always shoot with a wide-angle or normal lens, maybe it’s time to try a telephoto. If you’ve only shot digital, maybe it’s time to try your hand at shooting film, developing it yourself, and making prints in a darkroom. Obviously this isn’t a way to regularly stay motivated, but it can definitely help make photography interesting again.

11. Redesign Your Website

If you have a personalized page where you publish your photographs, redesign it every year or two. A new environment can breathe life into old photographs, and your loyal visitors might appreciate the change in scenery. This will also motivate you to start posting new photos again if you’ve slowed down or stopped, since you won’t want to show the same old photos on a redesigned webpage.

If you don’t have the technical know-how to do the redesign yourself, see if you can find a free template for whatever service or application you’re using.

12. Find Beauty in the Commonplace

You don’t need the world around you to change to have your photographs change. All you need is a sharp eye coupled with the right mindset. How often do you actually look at what’s around you carefully enough to notice new things about ordinary objects? Do you pay attention to things like angles, lines, and light in seemingly ordinary locations?

Take time to stop, study, and actually see things.

13. Make Prints of Your Photographs

If you’ve never made prints of your work, then now is the time to start. Whether it’s making prints of your negatives using an enlarger in a darkroom, or sending your digital files to a photo printer, printing is a huge part of photography that most people underestimate.

If you think printing is as easy as uploading your images to the website of your local drug store’s photo center, then you’re missing out on all sorts of exciting and painful things. Things like:

• Color management
• Choosing what kind of paper to print on
• Matting, mounting, and framing

In addition to all the things you’ll learn through the process, you’ll end up with tangible photographs that you can proudly hang on your wall, or give to family and friends.

I hope you found (or will one day find) these tips helpful. If you have anything to add, feel free to share it with us in the comments!

A special thanks to @EricBooth, @andiesmith, @jessyel, @kionee, @friskygeek, @edwinmah, @Michandphoto, @dayreiner, and @4strinbass for the tips they provided when I tweeted a request, and thanks to everyone who responded!

My college friends and I used to enjoy taking group portraits in and around the Berkeley campus.

Here’s one such photograph we took in front of Sproul Hall, where many of the iconic photographs of Vietnam protests were taken:

Taken with a Canon 40D + 10-22mm at f/3.5, 1/4s, and ISO 1600.

While I like how this photograph turned out, I’ve discovered that I much prefer group photos in which each person is positioned in a unique location, at a unique depth, with a unique pose.

For example, here’s another photograph we took a year earlier in the courtyard of one of the dormitories:

Taken with a Canon 20D + 24-70mm at f/3.2, 1/13s, and ISO 3200.

Notice how I tried to keep everyone distinct in the following elements:

• Distance
• Pose
• Direction

Also, try to space out the people in the frame in a not-so-uniform way. I tried to keep each person in their own little area of the frame, at a different head level than the others. In my opinion, uniformity tends to make for boring group photos, while adding some fake randomness makes things a lot more interesting.

Here’s another photo we took the night of the first photo:

I like this photo better than the first one, but not as much as the second one. I think it’s much more interesting and dynamic, but the lighting wasn’t done very well (we were just poor college students with a single mounted strobe). Also, unlike the first photograph, there’s too much overlap in bodies and too many heads next to each other on the same level.

Anyhow, next time you take a group photo, try to focus on making the distance, pose, and direction of each person unique and see if that spices up your portrait!