Photography can feel overwhelming when you’re starting out, especially when progress seems slow and uncertain. But with the right approach, you can develop your skills more efficiently and discover your unique style along the way.
Coming to you from Cody Mitchell, this insightful video outlines key lessons learned over nearly a decade behind the camera. Mitchell emphasizes the importance of mastering fundamentals early. Without a strong technical foundation, it’s easy to plateau or overlook crucial basics. For him, structured learning through fine art landscape photography provided a reliable starting point. He suggests finding a style or discipline to study deeply, which can set the stage for tackling more advanced techniques later. If you’re serious about improvement, consider dedicating time to truly mastering exposure, composition, and your camera’s settings.
Mitchell also explores the role of creativity in elevating your photography. He describes creativity as a spectrum, with active and passive approaches. Active creation involves deliberately trying to achieve a specific vision, often inspired by studying others’ work. Building a mood board of images that resonate with you can help clarify your goals. From there, Mitchell recommends copying or emulating these styles—not as plagiarism, but as a way to reverse-engineer what makes them compelling. This process can lead you to insights about your own preferences and style. It’s a way of actively practicing creativity until it becomes second nature.
Observation plays a key role in improving your eye for photography. Mitchell shares simple exercises to help you notice more of the world around you. One exercise doesn’t even require a camera: simply look for things you’ve never paid attention to before. Another involves setting specific assignments based on your mood board and seeing how you can interpret a style or subject in your own way. Both exercises encourage deliberate attention to detail, which helps train your instincts over time.
Mitchell highlights the balance between experimentation and thoughtful evaluation. When approaching a scene, he avoids rushing to take a single photo and move on. Instead, he experiments with different angles, compositions, and focal lengths before reviewing his results. This method fosters growth without the pressure of creating a perfect image every time. For film photographers, Mitchell suggests using a viewfinder app to plan compositions before committing shots.
One of Mitchell’s main takeaways is the value of simplicity. Photography doesn’t need to be overly complicated. By focusing on mastering the basics, cultivating creativity, and consistently practicing with intention, you can make meaningful progress. Mitchell emphasizes that improvement requires action; watching tutorials and reading books won’t matter unless you apply what you learn. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Mitchell.
