Mastering the Fundamentals: A Return to the Basics of Photography

We’ve all been there—the moments of doubt creeping in during our photography workflow. The colors feel off, the composition’s not quite right, or maybe you look at a shot and think, “This isn’t my best work.” But does that really matter?

Here’s the thing: Trust your process. Stay true to your unique style, no matter what anyone else thinks. Sure, learning from the pros and picking up fresh techniques is part of growing, but at the end of the day, it’s all about how that photo makes YOU feel and the story you want to tell. Your vision is what matters most.

Social media can be a double-edged sword. Sure, it’s a place to find inspiration, but sometimes it can hold you back, making you feel like you’re stuck in a cycle of repetition. That’s why I recommend shaking things up—unfollow the noise and find new sources of inspiration to keep your creativity fresh. A new perspective can often be the spark you need to break through that creative wall.

Over the years, I’ve taken tons of workshops that have influenced my workflow in some unexpected ways. The good? I’ve learned to use Photoshop to elevate my photos and gained loads of inspiration. The not-so-good? I now spend way too much time editing a single photo, especially with portraits. (Wildlife and landscapes are much quicker though—thankfully!) But here’s the thing: perfect doesn’t exist—and sometimes, it’s about making the best of what you’ve got in the moment.

That’s where getting back to basics comes in. Setting limits can be a game-changer. When I’m editing portraits, I set a timer—15-20 minutes max. If I’m in a creative slump, I’ll take a break and come back to it later with fresh eyes. Sometimes I’ll love it, sometimes I’ll cringe and make some tweaks, but that’s part of the journey. When it comes to wildlife photo edits I limit the edits to a max of 10 minutes or less and get creative with cropping and remove minor distractions in the photo. The reason I look at the minor details is for printing purposes.

As some of you know, I shoot landscapes, wildlife, and portraits. And I’ll flip between genres throughout the year depending on what inspires me or what the weather’s doing. When the opportunities for one type of shoot dry up, I switch gears to keep the momentum going. Summer can be a bit of a juggling act with client work, but I make time to squeeze in some creative shoots whenever I can.

And here’s a huge piece of advice: Don’t take yourself too seriously. Go out, have fun, and enjoy the process. Forget about the technicalities and just shoot for the joy of it. Sometimes, the best photos happen when you’re not overthinking every detail.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to Wildlife photography I prefer to spend a majority of my time in the field searching for interesting subjects to photograph. Learning to edit quickly and efficiently is the goal so I can get back out there shooting again.