I cringe a little when I run across some of the photos I used to think were good. Like these, which I posted online for the world to see:
I’m chuckling to myself now as I show them to you.
Every photographer I know does this. As your skills grow, your favorite photos are replaced by better photos… and then one day, you look back on your old shots and realize how far you’ve come.
Through time, love, and investing in my skill, I now I take travel pictures like these…
It’s funny, because, while they’re much better, I know I’ll look back in a few years and think the same thing!
Thing is, taking good photos isn’t about upgrading your equipment, traveling to the most amazing destinations, figuring out model releases, or following all the current trends.
Success in photography is all about developing your craft and learning new skills. Skill is what makes all those other things FUN! Skill comes before starting a photography business… it comes before starting a website or blog… it comes before purchasing an expensive camera.
Understanding this one concept has led to tens of thousands of dollars in photography income for me. And the more I practice, the more I learn, the more my photos are worth.
I still take bad photos, of course. Every photographer does. But my good shots are way better now than they’ve ever been—and I can charge a lot more for them, too.
If you think that it’s equipment, or the ability to travel to gorgeous places, or an inner talent one person is born with that others aren’t… I’m here as proof that it’s not.
It’s just skill, and skill can be learned.
[Editor’s Note: Learn more about how you can fund your travels and make an extra income with photography, travel writing, blogging, and more in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel. Sign up here today and we’ll send you a new report, Five Fun Ways To Get Paid To Travel: A Quick-Start Guide, completely FREE.]