(more or less a transcript below)

In this video I’m going to talk about how you can improve your photography in the midst of a pandemic. If you’re new to the channel, my name is Mik- I’ve been a professional photographer and photography instructor for over ten years, so I will be thinking about this from that perspective.

1. Dive into your metadata to see what your strengths and weaknesses are.

This is quite easy in Lightroom. Simply go to the library module and filter by focal lengths or lenses. What do you use most? Which lenses do you use least? For me, I know the answer without even looking. We’re good at what we love and love what we’re good at, and often this leads to an imbalance in your body of work. For me, that’s close up candids and interactions. I love capturing the emotional highs of a moment, often at the cost of missing out on some big picture shots. In looking at MY metadata, you I shot with my 17-40, only ___ percent of the time. I do not mean to infer that you should use each of your lenses an equal amount of time, but I can use this data to tell me what, in this case, I already knew: I definitely under utilize wide focal lengths.

2. Keep a Journal while watching the work of master cinematographers.

A couple of personal suggestions would be Rodrego Prieto and Emmanuel Lubezki. Prieto is known for films like The Wolf of Wallstreet and The Irishman and many others. Lubezki is known for Films like Birdman and Children of Men, two of my favorite movies. A couple of other interesting sources of inspiration is Call Me By Your name, which has impeccably well balanced frames and Mr. Robot, which seemingly throws the rule book out.

3. Get into street photography.

If there's one thing we can all do is go for a walk. I think as humans we like to create artificial barriers and distinctions. But ultimately photography is photography. If you practice one genre, it absolutely can improve your work in another. As an event photographer I see very little between what I do for work and what I do for fun when doing street photography. Sure, there are some staples and obligations when it comes to event work, but ultimately I’m just documenting what’s happening in front of me.

4. Read a photography book.

Personally I’m not a fan at looking at what my pieres are doing. I think, especially with the way trends move at such a rapid pace online, it will only lead to derivative work. But I am a big fan of looking for other sources for inspiration. When looking at the work of other photographers I recommend two different things to try out. One is to just take it in and let it slide into your subconscious. Two, is to find a photographer you admire and consciously go out to duplicate their work. This will help you understand the technical side of things as you set yourself on a path to replicate it.

5. Shoot a roll of film.

Now is a great time to slow down the process and really be present with your work. Shooting a roll of film is a great way to shoot with intention. Professional photographers often shoot thousands of images on a job. When doing so it can get easy to be lazy. But when shooting film, we have a finite amount of images we can make, forcing us to be present with our craft and pushing us to make meaningful images.

6. If you’re a professional, try surveying your clients.

This can be scary for sure, but I think they will appreciate your dedication to your craft and for reaching out. Questions I suggest asking include: What is it they like most about your work. What do they wish you provided them more of. How would they describe your work in a word. And How would they describe your work in a single sentence. And hey, if the feedback is strong you can ask them for a review. If its not what you hoped to hear, this is your chance to practice a dispassionate response and see how you can improve as a photographer.

7. Have your work critiqued.

This can be difficult and I can not really recommend looking for feedback on social media groups and forums. Far be it for me to claim to be the arbiter of who is qualified to provide you with a critique- just do your do diligence. What I find is that even good photographers can have a hard time separating opinion from fact.

If you’d like some additional help or just want to support the free resources I create for photographers, please consider checking out my Patreon page. Your support makes a difference.

https://www.patreon.com/mikmilman

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1. Always be Working on SOMETHING Whether You’re a Professional Photographer or an Amateur.

This can be a technique, a style, it can be shooting in low light. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT IT IS; Just always be working on something. Don't get complacent. If you’re going into a job or personal project or just doing some travel photography, go into it asking yourself: “WHAT DO I WANT TO WORK ON TODAY?” I do this in both my professional work photographing events and in my personal work as well. Recently, I have been challenging myself to shooting more film portraits while professionally photographing events. Living in Los Angeles has afforded me the opportunity to photograph both celebrities and politicians with my film cameras. Asking politicians and celebrities I work with to shoot their formal portraits has pushed me out of my comfort zone and forced me to work calm and quickly. Can you imagine what it was like to ask Nancy Pelosi, the person third in line to become president, to sit for me to photograph her with a vintage Rolleiflex? Not only have I grown as a photographer through this endeavor, and those like it, but the challenge has been thrilling.

2. Keep a Photography Journal.

This one layers onto the idea of always working on something. My advice: go into a job, a shoot, or project with an idea of what you want to achieve. Afterward, journal your experience- and this is important: YOU MUST DO THIS WITH KINDNESS. What does this mean? Remove your ego and do not limit yourself to what did not work. Be kind to yourself and ask, what went well and WHY? As for what went wrong, do your best to address it with in a dispassionate way.

3. Take a Class and Find a Mentor.

Everyone learns in a different way. Some people can go it alone but most cannot. It doesn't mean that they're not talented, just that that is not how they learn. A class (hopefully with hands on experience) will give structure to your learning process. Additionally it will provide you with some community.

If you’re interested in taking affordable photography classes in Los Angeles by an experienced event photographer, be sure to check out Barnsdall Art Center.

If you are learning to be a professional photographer, then the best way to learn is from a seasoned professional. Personally, I have trained several event photographers that have gone on to be excellent event photographers in their own right.

4. LOSE YOUR EGO and Get Some Feedback on Your Photography.

Try to get honest feedback from your peers and DO NOT rely on social media feedback. I swear to you, my least interesting photos are the ones that get the most likes. The images that perform the best are not necessarily your best. In the case of Instagram the images that are successful are the equivalent of junk food that gives you that blunt sugar, salt and fat fix. Good photograph is often layered and complex- not something to be observed long enough if takes to swipe.

5. GO OUT and Make Images!

How do you get good at guitar? You play guitar. How do you get good at photography? You take photos, lots of photos. Like anything, you need to practice if you expect to improve at photography. Hands on experience, in my opinion, goes so much further than anything else you do to improve your work. Yes, theory, art history, instructional videos, and such will all help you improve; But the hands on experience of making photographs is the glue that binds them together. I say this both out of common sense, but also from my experience as a photography instructor. Time and time again, it is my hands on workshops that my students say they benefit from the most.

How to Improve Your Photography in the Midst of a Pandemic