40 photography tips (because it’s my 40th birthday)

I’m turning 40 today! :O

Yeah, really, I’m officially not young anymore. I’m not old either. It’s something in the middle, and I’m gonna have to get used to this unique new chapter in my life. But I’m ready for it. I can’t wait to see what the next decade has in store!

To celebrate 40, I want to share 40 photography tips with you. These little tips, tricks, and hacks will be helpful in becoming a better (amateur or pro) photographer.

I’m writing this on my birthday with a cold beer in my hand, by the way, so excuse my English not being perfect! ;)

1) Study the greats: Find at least 50 legends of the game and study their body of work. Dive deep and find what you prefer for yourself to shoot. And analyze thoroughly their work, their marketing, their revenue models, and so on!

2) Buy photography books and meticulously study the photos to discover what makes a great photo actually great.

3) Watch 100 Youtube videos about photography. Or maybe even 300 videos! Watch them all. Learn, learn, learn. Know all the ins&outs about compositions, light, settings, marketing, and so on!

4) Ask your friends, family, other amateur photographers, and anonymous people on the internet to honestly rate your current work. This might hurt at first, but you will improve fast with some solid feedback.

5) Double-check everything before you leave the house: is the battery full, do I have my extra battery, is the lens clean, do I have the right lens(es) with me, water, extra layer of clothing, money, smartphone, keys, and a good mood?

6) Invest in a powerhouse. A serious upgrade will elevate your game and results.

7) Use the back button focus. It’s a game-changer.

8) Working the scene means having some damn patience. Wait for the magic to happen. Give it a minute, okay?! (I’m also talking to myself here)

9) Never be creepy. Always shoot with good intentions. Be an artist, be a gentleman (or lady), and most of all, be a good, respectful human being when you’re out photographing people in the streets.

10) Be careful when photographing kids and young ladies, especially if you are an intimidating man. It should be done in good taste and with their consent.

For example: these young ladies in Brisbane are shot in great taste, and I kept their identities hidden tastefully, showcasing their amazing hats.

11) Also, watch out with ‘crazy people’, they can explode in anger if you take their photograph without their consent. Having a friendly connection first before you take a photo.

12) Don’t photograph homeless people, handicapped people, or sad people who didn’t give you permission to shoot their photograph. If you do want to photograph them, ask first. Be nice, be respectful.

13) Smile. A genuine smile is an entry ticket to a great, open, fun conversation. And later, a great photograph!

14) Niche down. By that I mean; pick a bunch of subjects you really like and stick to that. Don’t be like a macro-photographer, a wedding-photographer, a drone-photographer, and a wildlife-photographer. It’s confusing for clients to determine who you are and what you specialize in.

15) Become the master of your subjects/field. If you’re into street photography, become one of the best ever. If you prefer travel photography, become one of the best in that field. Niche down and become great.

16) Stop with perfection. Perfection is a form of insecurity. Just try, fail, try again, and win. That’s the route to success in photography and any other business venture. Striving for perfection usually freezes you and makes you stop in your tracks. Just get out that and do it. Wabi Sabi!

17) Social media is a must: get all the popular accounts and fill them up with your best work. See them at first like a business card.

18) You don’t have to become an influencer, a YouTuber, and a blogger. You can just be a photographer and use social media to share your work. What a relief huh?

19) Build yourself a nice portfolio website. I use Squarespace, which made building a website pretty easy and fun. Within a week, you’ll have a professional-looking website up and ready.

20) Promote, promote, promote. Relentlessly promote your work, yourself, and your products. I know, I hate it too, but it’s essential for your long-term success.

21) If you’re serious about getting ahead in photography, and want to start making money instead of it costing you money; go pro! Make the leap. It’s scary, but it’s worth it. Get some solid coaching if you need guidance to go from amateur to pro.

22) Understand that if you go pro, it’s like running any other business (read: marketing, sales, bookkeeping, clients, invoices, taxes, etc).

23) Accept that if you go pro, you’ll be shooting 10% of the time, and 90% of the time you’ll be busy with the business side of it all.

24) Have a newsletter. It’s way more valuable than any social media platform. I use Squarespace’s newsletter option, which works really well.

25) Shoot in RAW, not JPEG. Why? Because you can create masterpieces with RAWs in Lightroom.

26) Become a master of Lightroom. You’ll learn that dull RAWs can come to life in the most beautiful way. Pop those colors (but not too much…).

27) Don’t overuse AI. Maybe to remove some spots or a branch, but don’t add things that are not there in the first place. Keep your photography as real, raw, and authentic as it is.

28) Don’t overuse Photoshop. We can see when it’s overused and thus fake-looking.

29) Calm down on the vignette, saturation, vibrancy, and masking.

30) Skip stock photography. They don’t pay enough to put in all that effort. Trust me on this one.

31) Build your own License Library like I did with Pixieset and set your own rates. You won’t sell many, but you’ll earn a whole lot more than via stock platforms.

32) Turn your finest A++ work into premium fine art. Like I did.

33) Turn your excellent A&B shots into cool prints for a solid price. Like I did.

34) Don’t be afraid to ask a significant price for your best work. Be proud, be bold, be worthy.

35) Make sure your quality matches your price point!

36) Deliver on customer service, quality materials, and professional behavior. Make sure you deliver what you promise. Be that guy. Or gal.

37) Stretch. I’m dead serious. Keep that body loose. I have skipped too many sessions of stretching and have spent way too much time with small injuries because of it. This has prevented me many times from getting things done. Stretch, even if you’re younger than 40.

38) Subscribe to my email newsletter for more advice, tips, hacks, and cool adventures from me on the road.

39) Always bring a camera. Always. There is magic to shoot, even on ugly, grey, rainy days in ugly places. I’ve missed too many shots because I didn’t want to bring a camera with me, and I still regret it.

40) And last but not least, have fun! Seriously. Have some damn fun. Don’t take life so seriously all the time. Go out there and live a little! :)

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So, yeah, that’s it. These are 40 fun little tips to excel in your photography. Still need some help beyond this to go from amateur to pro? I can help you!