What Has Improved Your Photography Skills the Most?
The other challenges that improved me — albeit to a lesser degree than the competitions — were ones of consistency with the shooting. The practice is always valuable, but how much value it holds is contingent on a number of influential factors. In the book Grit, by Angela Duckworth, Duckworth studies what it takes to get to the top of an area, particularly a sport or an instrument. One fundamental truth that all successful people exhibited was consistent and deliberate practice.
These were all minor peaks, however, and none of them felt like dramatic catalysts of positive change in my photographic ability. Suddenly though, it dawned on me. “Oh dear,” thought I, “I know what it is.”
500px. Yes, the photo-sharing website. You see, I joined it very early on before it was particularly successful. Every day, I would browse the Popular pages for each genre, and most importantly, the Editor’s Choice section. I would look at the handful of photographers who were featuring regularly at the highest level and the bar was set; I wanted to — no, I had to get to that standard. Looking back now, I can see what I was probably aware of back then too: my work both technically and creatively wasn’t good enough.